Picture Book Advent / Tallulah's Nutcracker by Marilyn Singer

Ballet picture books are all over the place, but this series by Marilyn Singer featuring a tousled-haired and freckled heroine named Tallulah stand out from the crowd with heartfelt stories and beautiful illustrations.

Tallulah's ballerina dreams have finally come true - she has a role in a real ballet, a production of the Nutcracker!  Tallulah works hard for many weeks and misses out on some of her favorite holiday activities, like parties and picking out a Christmas tree.  Finally the big night arrives!  But when Tallulah's dancing debut doesn't turn out quite the way she had imagined, she'll discover that being a ballerina is more than just learning the steps.  Tallulah's Nutcracker is a wonderful book to share with aspiring dancers and ballerinas this season.