“A mixture of love, loyalty and the magic of theater”

Homeless on the rain-swept streets of St. Petersburg, Russia, Misha sneaks into the back door of a large theater building that reminds him of a birthday cake. He is looking for warmth and food. Inside he finds a fantastic world where things are never what they seem and fairy tales become real. When Auntie Oksana, a seamstress in the costume shop, takes him under her wing, Misha feels safe. He even dreams of joining the children dancing in the Nutcracker premiere. But his dream suddenly turns into a nightmare. He must use all his street smarts to escape from the Mouse King and find his way back to the theater.

This moving classic tale transports the reader to Russia where love, loyalty and the magic of theater battle with a corrupt and calculating world.