By Susan Jeffers, Illustrator. When New York Times bestselling artist Susan Jeffers realized there were no versions of The Nutcracker that depicted just the ballet (instead of the extended fairy tale that she felt was too long and complex for a young child), she set out to create a Nutcracker unlike any that have come before with a lovely spare text and exquisite art. Each year a new crop of children flock to the Nutcracker Ballet. Seeing it is a tradition for hundreds of thousands of families across the United States. Here is a gift that gives even the youngest child a front-row seat to the world’s most beloved holiday ballet. For ages 4 and up.