Roberto Innocenti

After hearing how the toy nutcracker that she and her brother received for Christmas got his ugly face, Marie helps break the spell he is under and watches him change into a handsome prince. Illustrated notes throughout the text explain the historical background of the story.

"This timeless tale of an arrogant miser's transformation into a paragon of warmhearted generosity, recounted by one of the English language's most popular authors, is as much a part of the season as holly and mistletoe. Lovers of fiction, Dickens novels, picture books, and the holiday itself will delight in this magnificent hardcover edition of A Christmas Carol, illustrated by Arthur Rackham. A dozen full-page color plates and 18 black-and-white...