INTERRUPTING CHICKEN SAVES THE NUTCRACKER

INTERRUPTING CHICKEN SAVES THE NUTCRACKER

DAVID EZRA STEIN

Book - 2025

At her first ballet ever, can an excitable little Chicken resist helping the story along? Fans will cheer as their favorite interrupter puts her spin on a beloved holiday classic. "Hi, Clara! Like my tutu?""Ahem," said the narrator."Chicken!" said Papa. "You can't go onstage!" It's winter vacation for the little red chicken and, with promises of best behavior, she's on her way to see The Nutcracker with Papa. She can't wait! In fact, she's so excited that Papa is worried she might get a little carried away . . . Take your seats and get ready to giggle as a certain irrepressible audience member dances onstage at key moments, determined to save the nutcracker from that bully Fri...tz and the sword-wielding Mouse King. But what happens when a revered classic has its storyline turned on its head? In this special holiday tale for loyal followers and new fans alike, David Ezra Stein moves the meta from page to stage as Chicken gleefully breaks the fourth wall.

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2 copies ordered
Published
[S.l.] : CANDLEWICK PRESS 2025.
Language
English
Main Author
DAVID EZRA STEIN (-)
ISBN
9781536207798
Contents unavailable.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

She's baaaack…just in time for holiday hijinks. Chicken and Papa are off to the ballet. Although Chicken has her tutu and ballet shoes with her, when Papa asks if she'll interrupt the performance, she promises to behave. Readers familiar with Stein's previous Chicken stories won't believe her for a moment. In short order, she interruptsThe Nutcracker three times: to show Clara her tutu, to stop Fritz from bullying poor Clara, and to save the Nutcracker from the Mouse King's sword. Each interruption startles performers, annoys audience members, and mortifies poor Papa--while also inviting readers to laugh at Chicken's slapstick, well-intentioned shenanigans, enhanced by clever visual gags in the multimedia illustrations. A fourth and final interruption occurs after Chicken and Papa are kicked out, and Chicken absconds with the Nutcracker, which Papa says she must return so the show can conclude. Here enters the book-within-a-book conceit from prior Chicken stories as she gives the narrator onstage a new script to read, explaining how the Nutcracker returns to Clara. Stein's metafictive narrative is sidesplittingly funny, capturing with aplomb young children's endearingly exasperating tendency to speak up when it's least convenient. Post-show comments from the audience ("What a great show!" "I've never seen aNutcracker like that!") will doubtlessly be echoed by those reading this book, the series' most successful offering since its original 2011 Caldecott Honor title. The human performers vary in skin tone. Interrupt your holiday hustle-bustle for this delightful read. (game)(Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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