Interrupting Chicken Saves the Nutcracker
by David Ezra Stein; illus. by the author
Primary    Candlewick    48 pp.
9/25    9781536207798    $18.99

In her fourth series entry, the “little red chicken” goes to see The Nutcracker with Papa. Despite his attempts to dissuade her, she can’t keep herself from interrupting the performance by repeatedly bursting onstage. Stein offers readers a taste of the ballet’s story in between Chicken’s interjections—some humorous (showing off her tutu), some with the best of intentions (saving the nutcracker from a bully)—which eventually get them kicked out of the theater. Luckily, her knack for storytelling saves the show, with her crayon-drawn version of The Nutcracker adding extra playfulness to Stein’s bold and vibrant mixed-media illustrations.

From the November/December 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.