The Muttcracker

What do you get when you combine man's best friend with the holiday's favorite ballet story? Why, The MuttCracker©, of course! Donna Parrey's delightful version of E.T.A. Hoffmann's famous Nutcracker story features 15 breeds of dogs and is beautifully illustrated by Branden Lucas! Clarisse, our German Shepherd heroine, and her frisky brother, Franz, await the start of their parents' annual Christmas party. One of the highlights is always a visit from Droolmeister, Clarisse's mysterious Great Dane godfather. This year, he presents her with a magical doggie toy, a MuttCracker. At midnight, Droolmeister casts a spell, and Clarisse begins a magical journey. It starts with a fright and a tense battle between the Labrador Retriever soldiers and the three-headed Cat King. Clarisse helps her MuttCracker win the battle and he rewards her with a visit to the enchanting Land of Treats. Here, the pageantry of the classic story continues featuring an unforgettable lineup of pups, perfectly cast in dance roles from around the world! Performers include Pipsqueaka, a lively Chihuahua from Spain; Aladdi and Alassi, two Dachshunds doing a sultry Arabian dance; and Sergei and Sir Jake, a pair of Afghan hounds kicking their black boots high in time to the Russian music! Other dog breeds featured include the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, Fox Terrier, Golden Retriever, Greyhound, Irish Water Spaniel, Poodle, Samoyed and Shih Tzu. This wonderful gift book is sure to please children and mutt-lovers of all ages!

Donna Parrey is an author and pet adopter who combines her love for the arts and her love for animals in her first children's book, The MuttCracker. An experienced researcher and business writer, she turns her skills toward creating a fun reading experience. "My research into various dog breeds felt like I was holding auditions for the various roles I wanted to fill for the characters in my book. I am so happy with the matches between the dogs' various personalities and their characters, and the artist brought them all to life beautifully!"