On the brink of a war that will tear the world upside down, Clara Stahlbaum still finds her life of sweetly-spun dreams undisturbed. But all that changes the night her uncle gifts her a nutcracker and his nephew, Hans, arrives from Chicago. As a world war breaks out and their family is torn apart, Clara struggles to pierce through the darkness about her as she uncovers the secrets of a German spy who threatens all she holds dear. Now available with illustrations in the Ebook edition! This non-magical retelling of the Nutcracker will delight readers with its sweet coming of age story, yet filled with peril and tensions.