All the child-approved food involved in Christmas – from the candies and other sweets to the gingerbreads and suchlike – come from Scrumptious Valley. But people there – and here – are noticing a change. Things are vanishing, and supplies are running out. The rulers of all the separate realms in the Valley are quick to find someone to blame, but in our world it's even more serious for Clara and Fritz. For their parents' Christmas do is heavy on the cheese, which Fritz hates, and there is not a bonbon or sweet in sight. What they are to learn in this fantasy is that the whole thing revolves around the nasty Shenanigans of the Mouse King – and that they will have a much more important and dangerous part in putting it all right than they could ever expect.

I've decided that a gimmick that seemed to me to be new for 2023 can do one – the idea of an 'advent read' – a book to be read one chapter per day in the lead-up to the big conclusion come the big event. It's perfectly OK, but none of the books playing by that rule have needed that as a gimmick, and if you're sensibly reading one book at a time, well whatever it is you're reading is preventing you from enjoying anything else for a full 24 days. Now those are nasty Shenanigans indeed.

So no, this doesn't need that gimmick, but there is little else here to disagree with. This can be a bit of a bonkers fantasy at times – seemingly inanimate character coming to life, changes in size and scale for our humans, and so much more – but the whole is a well-intentioned, well-driven lark. As well as being a fantasy it might as well be called a fantasia, for it does seem to borrow from here and there, but it never quite goes too far. It certainly allows for a more distinctive Christmas story – yet one without again going too far from the norm as to be unrecognisable. Highly dramatic stuff, all told – this never deserved to be drip-fed, rather binged with the kinetic spirit it was made of.

It wouldn’t be Christmas without an Alex T Smith book to share as a family and we all thoroughly enjoyed this adventure through the Kingdom of Sweets. The cast of characters in this was truly fabulous and as a family we all loved different characters, even forgiving the baddies for their Shenanigans in the end. The Kingdom was also brilliantly brought to life - so much so that we wanted to taste it! And the illustrations made this all the more true.
My children particularly loved that this was a story about siblings and reading it together was a festive treat indeed! It also got that marvellous stamp of approval - “one more chapter pleeeeassse?!” at the end of every chapter!

This is gloriously Christmassy and it’s going to be perfect in classrooms and home libraries! I can’t wait to have my own children to share this Christmas joy with them. Alex’s illustrations are just glorious and I could just stare at them all day!

The quickest review I have is that you should just get this. Done. We can all go and have a Lovely Cup Of Tea and a party ring.

More? Tsk, fine, don’t trust me then. An advent chapter book in the vein of Smith’s sublime Winston books, reading this one chapter a night will get you all cosy for Christmas. Full of sweets and treats, adventure and some very tricky Mild Peril (Cheese Related Magic Shenanigans ensue) this balances a pyramid of charm, camp and humour perfectly on a fondant fancy base.

The characters are delicious. From a helpful squirrel to an ice chicken called Brenda (who is, of course, deathly afraid of marmalade). From the magical Anastasia Stroopwaffel to the somewhat aloof Queen Victoria Sponge. Everyone leaps off the page and the story is a riot of invention and ideas.

In short, this a fizzy, frothy treat and at the same time, a traditional magical children’s story.

Mind you from the mind of Claude, Mr Penguin and Winston the mouse - the devout Miss Piggy afficionado Alex T Smith - I would expect nothing less.

Thank you so much to Macmillan Children’s Books and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.

A whimsical retelling of the classic Nutcracker Christmas story, in this one we meet some very strange characters as Clara, Walter and Fritz try to get to the sugar plum fairy and save him from the mouse king.

This was a very funny version of the story, there were so many things to make you laugh. Each character had such silly names, each one was unique in personality and design. This is always a wonderfully magic story, that is enjoyable to read in any version and this was a great one. With the twist that the author added to it, to make this story their own, it made it fresher and newer.

The illustrations were so bright,beautiful and funny, they were great to look at on each of the pages we got them. I loved that on some of them you saw a tint hint, then a later page you’d see the whole thing and it wouldn’t be what you expected. It made these illustrations that much funnier and added to the story too.

This would be a great book during the holiday season for families to read, you could read a chapter a day or have a whole book read through. It’s got great characters, evil villains, storyline twists, magic and Christmas spirit. It’s also funny and very whimsical with illustrations you’ll adore looking at.

Hoffman would have loved this retelling as this an excellent and fascinating story.
Well written and compelling.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

An absolutely glorious interpretation of a well loved seasonal story. Part of the author's series of books to be read over the Advent period, in order to get everyone into the Christmas mood. Totally magical and sure to be a favourite classic in the coming years.

This book is just beautiful to hold. The illustrations and pages are just stunning.

The book is a magical tale that will be so much fun for many children this Christmas. The magical characters are so fun and I enjoyed reminiscing about the original Nutcracker tale.

The plot is just what we would expect for a children's christmas tale and I think Ill get a copy to read with my Primary 1 class this Christmas time.

A beautiful retelling of a classic that is sure to capture young and older readers.
It’s the perfect cosy hug for a winters night and a special read for the run up-to Christmas.
Written in Alex T. Smith’s beautiful style, the absolutely stunning illustrations really bring the book to life - personally, I’d have loved more illustrations, they’re bright and joyous feel really spread the joy of Christmas, sparking the imagination into exuberant colour.
It’s a book that can easily be read in one sitting, although to read it’s 24 1/2 chapters has an advent would give a real Christmas buzz, I’m not sure you could resist turning the pages.
Each character, from Mr and Professor Strudel to Princess Ricotta, fill the pages with festive sugar, so much so that you can’t help thinking about gingerbread houses and warm mince pies.
I read this on pre-release digital version, but I’ll definitely be adding the physical book, which I’m sure will be absolutely stunning, to our Christmas bookshelf.

Huge Thanks to MacMillan Children’s Books and NetGalley for the advanced read.

I love the story of the nutcracker. Perfect Christmas reading. Beautiful illustrations and such a fun story

What a lovely festive story!

With it being September as I read this, it did an excellent job at getting me into the Christmas spirit. The setting was just so lovely and I had a good laugh at the character names.

Clara and Fritz have a festive adventure trying to save Christmas from the shenanigans of the Mouse King! I loved it - a story packed full of friendship and cheer.

I read it in a couple of hours but would definitely recommend to read the chapter a day, as a sort of advent story, to children.

Alex T Smith is phenomenal at writing Christmas stories. And the illustrations are stunning and so colourful!!

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.

I really love Alex's books (even if they are generally aimed at people much younger than me). They feel like modern classics and the perfect addition to any child's bookshelves this Christmas.

It is obviously very influences by the famous Nutcracker, which is one of the best Christmassy stories ever, and so by adapting it for this book, he's brought the tale to a new generation.

His illustrations are absolutely gorgeous. Whilst any illustrator is good to have, by illustrating you own work, you can really get into them, and that's what he's done here. He can really link the images to his words and help bring it to life. Whilst I would never desecrate a book, I am so tempted to take the pages with illustrations out and frame them as they're just so unbelievably beautiful and make my heart sing.

I received an early digital version and whilst it was very pretty indeed, I can't wait to see the finished physical version, it's going to be beautiful.

It has 24 1/2 chapters, made so you read one chapter a day in December, like an advent calendar, finishing with the half chapter on Christmas Day night. Which is a fabulous way of writing it to appeal to a child's excitement. I must admit, I read it in one go, as I couldn't make myself wait after each chapter. I don't have that willpower. But you can read it either way and it's still as magical.

I admit, I haven't read The Nutcracker for many years, but this definitely put me on the mood to revisit it. But because of this, I cannot remember if everything is the same in this book, such as the characters' names. But I am going to assume that they aren't, because I want to praise Alex for creating the likes of Mr and Professor Strudel, the Sachertortes, Monsieur and Madame Chocolat-Chaud, Signora Panettone, Queen Victoria Sponge, Princess Ricotta, Humphrey Walnut, Anastasia Stroopwafel - to name a few. So simple but marvellously effective. I'm not sure if young children would get the humour, but they should appreciate the wonderful names all the same.

Within a handful of pages I could feel myself smiling. It was just so lovely and cosy, warming, beautiful, and nostalgic.

I read it in one sitting. It was so magical to lose myself in. Quick and easy for a child - or an adult. It really offers a childhood look at Christmas and about the importance of magic, friendship, family and kindness at Christmas.