"The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" by E. T. A. Hoffmann was written over 200 years ago in 1816. As many stories do, (especially ones of this age!) this one too has evolved into a most famous ballet known simply as, "The Nutcracker." Perhaps, it is more particularly liked and adored because of a score written by the well-known composer, Tchaikovsky. Circling back to its beginnings, we are finding many children's books about "The Nutcracker" story that have been illustrated with the original text by Hoffman and even many more that have been re-written or summarized. In this list you will find our favorite renditions of the beloved, classic tale of "The Nutcracker." We have board books for little fans, ages 0-2, many picture books for those 3-6, (and all ages!) as well as some cleverly written chapter books for our middle school age friends. I want to give particular mention to the beautiful illustrations in the books in this list. While the story remains mostly unchanged throughout the selection, the illustrations vary widely from pop-up features, to watercolor paints, and pencil sketches. We hope you will find your new favorite among the many books to choose from below.