ETA Hoffmann's The Nutcracker

[Zoe]

I've been looking into getting 'The Nutcracker and the Mouse King' but have had some trouble in finding a good version. Many have been translated badly or abridged for children. I wondered if anyone knew a version that sticks to the original story and is written well?

[Historic_Heroine]

I really love the version with illustrations by Maurice Sendak:



I honestly haven't read it in a long time, but I used to read it every December with my mother when I was a kid. It was a long book, at least from my perspective as a child, definitely not greatly abridged as far as I know.

What versions have you read so we know which ones to not bother suggesting?

[Laina]

Hello, are you looking for a version to read with a child, and if so, what age?

[Zoe]

I'm open to any suggestions really- I just want to have a version that is closest to the original text (so not overly simplified/young)

I''ll check out the Maurice Sendak one, thanks!

[Hillary]

WhiteHeather wrote: "I really love the version with illustrations by Maurice Sendak:



I honestly haven't read it in a long time, but I used to read it every December with my mother when I..."

I'll second that version, the illustrations alone are worth it, but it is also a good version of the story.

[Zoe]

Thanks, I'll definitely have a look!
Does anyone have an opinion on this one?

[Laina]

I have a few nutcracker books at home right now, as I'm getting my daughter ready for our trip to see the Nutcracker ballet in December. You might like this one:
George Balanchine's The Nutcracker, it's geared more towards young adults or adults than children. It doesn't have illustrations but photographs from the ballet instead.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

I've never read this work, but I might start with the Penguin Classics edition which looks to be the original (but translated) 1816 text, plus one 1845 adaptation by Dumas.

[Monica]

Another option --

I've read an 1853 English translation from Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/nutcracke...

It's free to read/download. I downloaded it to my Kindle and there are some format issues, but I also read it online in its original form and its fine.