Nutcracker: Journey to Candyland (Science Fiction Adventure)

By Tony Bertauski

Book Overview

NOT ALL TOYS STAY ON THE SHELF.

Marie and her little brother Fritz weren't expecting much this Christmas. Not in a half-abandoned building with their oddball aunt, clueless uncle, and zero holiday spirit. Then Fritz finds a nutcracker hidden behind a shelf.

Not the cute, wooden kind you stick on the mantel. This one has bright green eyes. It moves when no one's looking. And it's apparently chatty. At least, according to Fritz. Marie doesn't buy it. Until the lights flicker. The rooms start shifting. And whispers bleed through the walls.

That's when things get weird. Really weird.

The siblings are pulled into Candyland, a hidden realm where sweets walk, time bends, and corridors stretch into infinity. At the center of it all is Godfather, a mysterious figure who seems to know more about them than he should. But behind the sugar-coated sparkle, something darker lurks. Something that wants the nutcracker. And the nutcracker? He may not just be a toy.

He's the key to everything.

Nutcracker: Journey to Candyland is a reimagining of the holiday classic, equal parts whimsical and unsettling. It's a story about grief, imagination, and finding courage in the cracks where joy once lived.

Perfect for fans of The Polar Express, A Series of Unfortunate Events, and fairy tales with sharp edges, it reminds us of one thing:

Even broken toys can still protect what matters.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1951432819
• ISBN13: 9781951432812
• Release Date: November 2023
• Publisher: Tony Bertauski
• Length: 406 Pages
• Weight: 1.56 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 9.0"
• Age Range: 13 to 18 years
• Grade Range: Grade 8 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

Quite possibly my favorite of the series

Most don't know, but the story of the Nutcracker is my absolute favorite story. And this was such a beautifully done twist to the classic tale it might just be my new favorite. This is probably the most emotional of the entire series. I used to think Ronin's story was, but I think this one might just top it in the amount of times it made me tear up. But like most who follow Mr. Bertauski, we know about Ben. We know that Ben, his son, passed away while he was writing this. After reading the afterward, you can absolutely see Ben in Fritz and in Marie. And you can see Mr. Bertauski the most in Marie. While this, like all the books in The Claus Universe, is a sci-fi Christmas adventure, it does tug at emotions you may have buried deep within your own black box. I think it's worth the read for anyone that loves the feeling that Christmas magic; even if that magic brings a few tears along with it.