ANNOTATION

At Christmas time a beautiful ballerina doll who longs to dance is discovered in a toy store and coveted by two little girls: Ilyana, who wants to love her, and Mary Jane, who doesn't want Ilyana to get her.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

From the moment she sees Noelle, the beautiful ballerina doll in the toy store window, Ilyana knows that Noelle is the Christmas present she wants more than anything in the world. But Noelle has a dream of her own: to be a real ballerina, performing on stage for adoring fans. When the Imperial Ballet Company chooses Noelle to be the doll that Clara, the little girl in The Nutcracker, finds under the Christmas tree, it seems that Noelle's dream is the one that will come true. Then, an unexpected setback makes Noelle realize that maybe, for a doll, being loved by one little girl is the best dream of all.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Jane's first book magically captures the dreams-can-come-true atmosphere of the holiday season. Ilyana and Mary Jane, second grade rivals, both fall in love with the same ballerina doll in a shop window. Mary Jane vows her rich father will get it for her, while Ilyana despairs. The doll, Noelle, doesn't want to be owned by anyoneshe dreams of being on stage. It is her dream that comes true first, when she is used as one of ``Clara's'' props in a production of The Nutcracker. In the meantime, Ilyana and Mary Jane prepare for the class Christmas pageant. Ilyana dresses up like Noelle, and her performance is spotted by her teacher's fiancethe propman from The Nutcracker who wants Noelle to belong to a little girl. Ilyana finds Noelle under her Christmas tree. The series of coincidences never seem strained; Jane is a skillful storyteller. Readers may wish Brett's realistic pencil drawings were in color, but this is a lovely novella any time of the year. (7-10)

"Jane's first book magically captures the dreams-can-come-true atmosphere of the holiday season."