The traditional Nutcracker Christmas story is sprinkled with Cajun fairy dust by Chara Dillon Mock, who is herself a ballerina (!!), and a very interesting Christmas story unfolds!
That night, Merrae finds her home under attack by a swarm of nutria and the Alligator King. As the creatures begin to close in on Merrae, the Nutcracker and his soldiers come to her rescue! The Nutcracker then turns into a prince, and takes Merrae on a magical journey through the swamp. Whimsical illustrations capture the ballet scenes that follow when the two arrive in New Orleans, where they meet the Sugarcane Fairy, waltzing magnolias, and twirling beignets. Cajun words and French phrases celebrate Louisiana culture in this imaginative take on the classic ballet.
Review: One of Kiddo's favorite stories for the holidays is The Cajun Night Before Christmas, as it is told at Christmas in the Oaks in New Orleans, and she prefers it to the 'regular' version. I have to admit it has a certain charm, that I prefer as well. So I was really interested to see how she would take this telling of the Nutcracker, which she knows in ballet form.
Kiddo was more involved once the wild animals showed up, and I was happy to see the 'spunk' attributed to Merrae in dealing with them! very girl-powerish! The illustrations are bright and colorful and kept Kiddo enthralled. We had a fine discussion on the food that was at the Sugarcane Fairy's table. She remembered the ending, and said she liked it very much. As she is familiar with the Cajun/French words in the book, she had no problem keeping up with the story. if you were reading it to a child, not from Louisiana, you might have to explain a few of them. All in all though, a very enjoyable tale!
About the Author: Native New Orleanian Chara Dillon Mock is an education coordinator and ballet teaching artist at the New Orleans Ballet Association. In addition to dancing her first production of The Nutcracker with the New Orleans City Ballet, she performed works with the Jefferson Performing Arts Society, Ballet Hysell, and the University of Kansas Dance Company at the University of Kansas, where she received her BA in dance. Mock has been studying dance for more than three decades. She lives in New Orleans, Louisiana.
About the Illustrator: Jean Cassels is a teacher at the New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts. She attended the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Illinois School of Art & Design, where she received a BA in studio arts. An author and illustrator of more than sixty books, Cassels has received such honors as the SIBA Book Award, Golden Kite Award for Best Illustrated Children's Book, and the LSU Giverny Award, among others. She lives in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this book, free of charge, from Pelican Publishing , for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it.
I have to get this book for my family to read Christmas Eve - even though the youngest "child" is 16 and the oldest is 26. Like my Dad says - and wants engraved on his headstone when that day comes - we are all "young at heart." Being that Dad is Certified Cajun and straight from the Cajun Country of Ville Platte, LA this is a must. Off to the store I am tomorrow! Thanks so much for this post!
ReplyDelete