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PIENKOWSKI**, JAN: : Nut Cracker. [Told by David Wasler. **]

LONDON.PUFFIN BOOKS/PENGUIN GROUP,2008.

ISBN 9780141384542.

UK,8vo HB minus cellophane dw/dj,illustrated,1st edn. [Complete number line 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2. FINE+ No owner inscrptn.Bright,crisp,clean, sharp-cornered,wrap-around gold foil background paper-covered card boards with gold bordered edges and a red glittered panel to either board. Front board with a heart shaped cut-out with an internal tiny serrated cut-out white border revealing a balletic dancing couples' white silhouettes on a blue glitter background; blocked silver gilt snowflake designs around the cut-out,embossed gilt-lettered title at front's top edge,author's blocked,capitalised,white-lettered name and blocked gilt-lettered 'Told by David Walser' credit beneath,to front's lower edge.Spine/backstrip with similarly bordered+ coloured panel with smaller heart shape cut-out panel with similar silver gilt snowflakes decoration as front's but minus the internal serrated white border and revealing a pair of a male and female head portraits white silhouettes to a blue glitter background instead; a similalrly coloured+lettered title,author's blocked,capitalised,gilt-lettered name as the front's,but narrator's named credit in blocked, gilt-lettering instead,plus the publisher's blocked,silver gilt illustrated colophon to foot of same,rear board similarly bordered+coloured as the front's but without any decoration or lettering.Negligible shelf-wear to edges and corners - no nicks,tears or splits present.Top +fore-edges bright and clean without ageing/toning, foxing/spotting - the edges of the shadow box as last block illustrated with silver gilt snowflakes designs; contents bright, tight,clean,solid and sound - virtually pristine - appears unread other than my collation.UK,8vo HB minus cellophane dw/dj,illustrated,1st edn, 6-26pp [paginated] doubled thick card pages 5 of which are elaborate colour glitter illustrated backgrounds with white cut-out silhouetted figures within a cut-out,both the illustrations and the text with silver gilt decorative borders - the text with silver gilt hand-lettered, illuminated initial by Jane Walmsley.The last illustration in the form of a 3-D shadow-box with a multi-layered cut-out white silhouetted illustration with coloured glittered night-time sky background.                          Visually the external appearance is exceptional,and particularly internally,is also in an exceptional condition/state of preservation and presentation for a book of it's 15+ year-old age and nature, i.e. a child's ephemeral die-cut and 3-D paper-engineered book.It really is still an exceptional,exemplary example for it's brightness,cleanliness and lack of other or age-acquired detracting faults usually encountered in a book of comparable production and age.                   It is Christmas Eve and the party is over. Clara creeps downstairs to find Nutcracker, a wooden doll given to her by her mysterious godfather Drosselmeier - a creator of fabulous mechanical toys,has come to life.Through her godfather's strange powers,Clara is caught up in a thrilling battle in which she and Nutcracker - in reality a prince transformed by an evil spell - overcome the Mouse King and his army.Clara's bravery is rewarded by a trip to the magical Land of Sweets, and in the end it is her love and loyalty that lift the curse, transforming Nutcracker back into his true self, and making Clara's dreams come true. This classic love story,which inspired the popular ballet that is danced to one of Tchaikovsky's most magical scores,is wonderfully retold by David Walser,in a direct translation from the original German story.                  Jan Pienkowski, master of illustration,brings the story vividly to life adding his own magic with exquisite illustrations on sparkling backgrounds.The finale is a multi-layered tableau of intricate laser-cut silhouettes, created in the style of traditional German papercraft. This beautiful and sumptuous novelty book is the ultimate Christmas gift.              Jan Pienkowski is a celebrated illustrator of children's books and an internationally renowned master of silhouettes.He has won the Greenaway Medal twice for his illustration of Joan Aiken's 'The Kingdom Under the Sea' and for the pioneering pop-up book 'Haunted House'. David Walser is a writer, translator, artist and musician.His two previous collaborations with Jan Pienkowski are the much acclaimed 'The Fairy Tales' - see  my book ID rja907820 - and 'The Thousand Nights and One Night' see mybook IDs' rja1175324 and rja608816 for examples of these titles. . Please contact the seller,particularly ALL overseas buyers for correct,insured shipping/P+p quotes BEFORE placing your order,especially if ordering any multiples. N.B. ALL buyers please note,stock(s') shipping quotes are adjusted for any refunds AFTER receipt of order and BEFORE the despatch of the order,especially if the item is offered either P+p included/FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard US AIRMAIL postage to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard US AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always. **

UK,8vo HB minus cellophane dw/dj,illustrated,1st edn.
Not SIGNED.

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