About the Book A picture book that weaves together Charlotte Nebress life story as a young ballerina with the classic holiday tale of the Nutcracker-- Book Synopsis A reimagined and modern take on the holiday favorite, this picture book weaves together the classic Christmas tale of The Nutcracker and the true-life story of 12-year-old ballerina Charlotte Nebres, the first Black girl to play Marie in the New York City Ballets production. The only thing Charlotte loves as much as ballet is Christmas. So, when she gets the opportunity to play Marie in the New York City Ballets The Nutcracker , she leaps at the chance. Dancing takes practice-hours of adjusting her arms and perfecting her jumps. With the help of her Trinidadian and Filipino families, encouragement from her sister, and a view of her mom and dad in the audience, Charlotte finds the strength to never give up. In this spectacular debut full of fluid, dynamic illustrations, Charlotte provides youngsters with a multicultural tale of family, dance, and holiday cheer. About the Author Charlotte Nebres is a twelve-year-old pre-professional ballet dancer. Charlotte was the first Black dancer to be cast as Marie--the young heroine of George Balanchines The Nutcracker--in New York City Ballets show. Her history-making performance during the 2019 holiday season was covered by The New York Times, CBS News, Essence, GMA, and more. Charlotte is currently a student at the School of American Ballet. Charlotte lives in New Jersey with her parents, brother, and sister. Find her on Instagram at @charlottenebres. Alea Marley is a childrens illustrator living and working in England. Her books include Everybodys Somewhere by Cornelia Spelman, Lorettas Gift by Pat Zietlow Miller , The Many Colours Of Harpreet Singh by Supriya Kelkar, and A Day So Gray by Marie Lamba. Find Alea online at aleamarley.co.uk, and on Instagram at @aleamarley.com.