This was a fun story to read. The illustrations are amazing (I'm a fan of Brett Helquist). A great read for anyone who wants a great story.

This is a delightful retelling of the Nutcracker featuring a the Russian Mouse Ballet Company. They live and perform in the historic Marinsky Theater in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

While this is sure to be a hit with any fan of the original story, it is also a fun peek at the world from a much smaller point of view.

Even readers who are unsure about the whole ballet bit will enjoy the story which is brimming with adventure wonderful illustrations by Brett Helquist.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2171180630

The mice at Mariinsky Theater love the ballet, In fact, they imitate the adults and have their own little mouse ballet. Despite being unable to control her tail, Esmeralda is given the lead role of Clara in the Nutcracker. But when she learns that the ballet has mice as villains she is sure it won't be a success regarding her mouse friends, But is it possible to perform another ballet that will be successful? Nine-year-old Irina whose Father is the custodian at Mariinsky Theater is responsible, among other things, to eliminate all mice in the theater. But Irina is sure she's seen a mouse dancer. Of course, she can't convenience anyone of such a silly thing. So will Esmeralda and Irina somehow team up to save the mouse performance?
My biggest concern with this story was the age group that I felt would enjoy this story and the vocabulary. The two didn't seem to coincide. However, it is a very creative story that I'm sure kids will enjoy.