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PAGE 10A -- THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2007
‘Nutcracker’ books vary in telling beloved tale
If j almost time to get out the
pretty diesses and shiny slioe^ for a
trip to'"The Nulcrsclcr"' ballet, which
is as muclt a pan oj rtie season for
many families as trimming ihn uve
Three new pdlM books can
help enrich and expand ‘-Tlk# Nm
craeker’ : experience, There liAve
been many hook visions of li.T.A.
Hoffman's original story and
Tchaikovsky's baLlel,bul not many
are as suited for the yemn^tsl read
ers as two on this list,
• Certainly the lovelier is “Tlie
N LItcracker” (FI arperOnl I ins,
$ lr> 99) hy Susan Jefffers, who has a
long list of beautifully tlLu sinned
books tu her name. The cover, with
its. golden letters and sparklet in
Marieslingids, will entrance
youngsiers. {Yes, it's Marie. not
CLai'a. ns in Hoffman's tale. In the
original, Clara is a doll,)
Jeffers describe# the Christmas
party, broken nmcracker. figlii with
the Mouse King's array and voyage
vrith ilio UKerKkAMumed-priiice to
the Load of ilw Sweets in Liwly
prose, ijL'J her illustrations are mag
ical and action-patted,
* "My First nutcracker" (Dm
ton. adapted by Stephanie
"line Pciiirs, with iUnstntrions by
l.indiL Erensou, is suiipltr, bill it’s
also thikiming,
Wh Lire JoIters" pai n l.i ngs fiVrrod
panels and lhe bites of j Victorian
Chris Cm de . Bronebn’H vibrate with
inlonse colors: lime, tuvL{umsc.
L'hocoJ^I e, resplici-ry, violet. I^ron-
soq'b stylized figures art cool.
• In llie "The Nutcracker
Dolf (Sdioluiic. SI6.W) by Mary
Newell DePalma, the story is about
Keplty. wlm see?. her billot school'i
production of The Nut
cracker" and works hard so
■dm enn Hoditinn ncx1 year.
She’s thrilled with her
tiny pan. She’s, a doll that
stand-s imJer the tree and
gets curried off by a mouse.
She loves the ?04mnie.
Lights and waiting In Lite
wingG,
It’s a nicely told find
illustriled loot at what
really happens at ballet
school. No one walks in the
door and gets llie pari ot" the
Sugar PTmnPairy.
— Ftektrift Ywrg
A marvelous,
magical shop tale
What do Santa's eGes
learn in Iduool?
The tif-a-bei!
— lUhDiMlf C E.-.U
DOGGIE BARK
Grual (or man \ he:0 friend
Make a special Imal fnrlhal other
member of the family, phis any oilier
dogs In her Life. (We hear lhal reindeer
are also partial to this bark!I Be .suit to
use carob chips — chocolate is harmful
iii canines.
INGREDIENTS
• -1 cups car-ob chips
• Vt cup cruamy peanut butter
• */?. cup dry-routed peanuts
or cEiopjXsd walnuts
• i; i teaspoon ciimamori
1, in a bowl, melt the carob cl ups In
2. Stir in die pnanul butler and mi
crowave for an l idler \5 seconds. Siir llie
ingredientsagain to combine.
3. Add ihe nul&and the cinnamon,
then Stic the mixture lo coat the mils.
4. Line jil edged cookie sheet with
Aluminum foil and Ligtilly spray (tie foil
with min Mick cook iny spray. Hour [El?
oiLs.inri': onto the foil and chill it for 13
(Qmiites Ln [he fiEe7cr or SO minutes in
[lie mliigeianif
5. kcmovi" the bark and break il inLo
roughly I - by 2-inch pieces. Store It m
an airtight conlainer for up lo- 2 weeks.
Mates a&om TQpieces-
□ hs iiiventor, Arihur GiuujeatiL called it
"l-'lk-i.iri :: 1.111.-” frlii- niiigii si-i.vii "1 liui it.1
|hli|HJ|™-ley hil ttoors in 1960 ns Eleh A Skulcll-
LJ 'I’Jte inner workings uf the Lich A Sketch have
ItJUQined exactly Ihe *.ime for jlmoM .HI years.
Wi.-riti A i'.ini-"Tj-jr tor tCwlt
TJUSMr
Oo you believe id magic? Actress Natalie PtiilitiaiJ
l]lkcs. bite mars as iiiHLyrinv. ]>Li]to-p:ay irg hLnre intmager
Mnllv \lalniiicy in the Him "Mr. Mugnniim's ^Vnulci'
bmponuunT 1 ihc emporb.nii Jk a wonderfully whunsKal
shop where toys .itcrally corpc lo
5 ifi;. V isJtOT5 wi IL lind bnuucy bails
diat bounce tliemsclves. stuffed mii-
mals that Lutg back and mode! aiiplanes Ihtu wlili through
die lLt an ilntii own. among unliej esLtmjurdiiiajy toys.
Bu1 when Mr. Mugnillitl, Ihe s hr>]i 1 s wacky 243-year-
nkl owner, aiuKtunccH dial he's giving the shut to Ma-
hoTiey.tho noimally vibrant pUc^ tutps gray and L|nid
E'an tlie seLt'-dou:btLiig sltojikcei-VL' find enough magic
within htL'self io luitig the sniiwrJum Iwck w life? Al
tliis store, Any thing is possible.
Time Pff Kidl uhalled with t\)rtreu3i ubnut her wuO-
Llmtis ticw r mle. piaro lessons qod foe nimplc pltasuras
in popping hnbblt? wrap.
uiiat
does Santa' ike
to do in (he garden?
Hot', hoe, hoe-
''■V.iirktTH- nib, rj)
m
SUGARPLUM
TREATS
Great Jor rtasvmaics
'Hiesa deleclalile
sweeitarea Euee?.e
to whip up and can
bo made with any
hue h>£' candy coaling
— piek your favnrilci or
ft tick with holiday classics.
INGREDIENTS
14-ounce bag of camly melts
L ralt Sticks
llJ-nitnec jiackege til marsh mallow 4
Assorted sprinkles, stipars, mils, llfitod
L'oeciEiul And candy decorations
Crafted
vifh love
Check out these delightful
do-it-yourself gift ideas
from FamilyFun magazine
KlOS’ ART WINDOW CHARMS
J.inn a cootfe with atuminum
foil liihI lij^hlly tpray it with ntmStick
cooking spray.
Melt llie candy coating according to
I lie package direct Urns.
Insert a cralt stick into each march-
mallow. Working one at a lime, dip I hem
imo ihe molted Candy coating, llicn uno
one of the detoratiuns (for easy dipping,
put the deo.Italians Ln shallow bowls), and
pLfl.ce them un the cookie sheet.
Oux alt the sngarptums are made,
chill I he in jiq Ills (reay^T for Iv nuinnei.
IhcyUM hrt Mdivxl in an airtighr enniftinfii
for up to S days, If yo» iili-e, wr&peodi treat
in □ ccEopbanB candy bag (found in emfl
slums} Lici.1 with a ribbon. Makes' a dozen.
FANCIFUL FEATHERED FRIENDS
Gmii for Mums ri/rti
grandparewJt
Lveti Lhe SUjowiiCSt Ol win
ter days looks Cheerier with
Ihese brighlly colored duirnis
hanging In the window.
YOU WILL NEED
+ 3-iticli ivund lid
* bhnnky Dink Frosted
Kulf ’N L4cady wheels
# Permanent marker?
• SctSHIUK
* Hole pouch
<• MonofilanieiLt or clear
elastic heading.card
• bcmls
1. Faf each charm.
Hare the lid nnli> a shcel
of Shrinty Dink. Then
draw designs in ibe circles
With the markers.
2. Dil nui the charms,
then ]iunoh a hole m the lop
and bottom of each.
3 Hollow die package di-
recLiutis to bake the charms.
4- Cut u lenglli of lhe
rLianoLilLuiient (ours Was 20
inches 1 and knot one end
(th is will lie lhe bottom.)-
AiltE llieasfs. ilien hiring the
inonofilBraeiii ilnvugli die
ItOliis uf a cfiann. .Add an
other bead. [lien atiutller
charm, and &0 tin. uni il all
thechiiUTift have been sh ung.
AlIlJ a final bead,
then tic the end into
a loo|] foi'Jiangjiis.
Fun for everyone
Ytni car perch lliesc
pretlv bird? in mvriaJ
places: pul one on the end
Of A skewer fnr a plant
poke, ii^rg orw in a win
dow or place several in a
nest for a centerpiece.
YOU WELL NEED
Styrofoam ball, l J a to
2'a incites in diameter
Bamboo skewer
Glitter paint and
paintbrush
Glue dots
Gfiogly eyes
Meissen's
Yellow pLaslic note-
hook divider lab
Needle-nose (aliens
20-gauge cruft wire
Feathers
Stick the Styro
foam hall on a skewer.
Fanil I Lie entire ball, then
sel ihe skewer in a. cup
arid Let it dry ovemighl.
Rciai ove Lhe skeweF.
then u?c [lie glue dots, in
artach the eyes to ihe ball
Fora beafc.cui a
Hiiia.ll triangle from dip
notebook tab. as shown,
tiontly upn the hall
wiih the skoWUr, (lieu in
sen ilte lniiik.
L se llie pliuii Ln
beiU the Craft wire in La
feel Poke the fed and
feathers imo the ball.
PhOTCSi CDURTCiVaP
F-amilYPun PAd%ilrH£
the milcrowave for 30 secotuLs. Siir them
wiilt a wooden spoon, thenmicruumve
foi 30 seconds, more.
Duslir Hoff man and Natalie Fortum n star
In "Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Eirporium”
TFK; plnctol^tKh HeLm said vshi were [ho timi fnnyoii
he iliougim of to play Mahoney. What jnade yon say yes?
PORT MAN: Zach sent me tlie scrip! in a white hoi
with a usd liNum luiJ a bcLiuliful ooift. Tic WrtKe llial lie
warned Ikis lllm to Iv- up there with all af tlic l lungs lli.il
children love most - -. things like apple juice and raisins.
It was ju!it the sweetest, sweetest Lstler. so E was sure
(that 1 wanted to Ik |ian of the film) hum the first
mliuite. r Hie scripl was just so magical.
TFK: f^owdidyOH into Malmnay's nhoes?
PORTMAN: Will, I learned Fnr a few iinrutlv;
before the film- [ also rock classes during the shooi.so
(lull wat ii fuO wiiy lo ^liirt Jcuming {aboul Miihoncv 1.
Also. [ itiougJiI a Id abmil my own cmporicnLs:s. 1 think
evoyonc tuts had bouts of insecurities and the fear of
losing scuiriconc vnu love. AL! of ilinsc tilings ata pieces
o-fM&hoocy'a life Him I could palate to,
TFK: Have you been kcqmig up wllli piflnis since
filming ended?
PORTMAN: Yes, I itciually just siting J Lesions agLiitl
because I was really upset lu pui all this woik vinAe
movie and (hen jusl Lcl 11 gp.
TFK: Whal WAS il like coning lo WCclE on a toy Htorc
si*T every day?
PORTMAN: It was grc:i. But I also dunk il wus re
ally IruHlrntiii^ for the kids (in the casll because on a
movie sct,yL-aj can t really move sfuff around. It’s- sort of
die will's I fmstrarton because yviu sec alL these ama?ing
ioy&, find yer, you can'i do anything widt any of ihem.
TFK: The wene where Malnincy un;E Mr Magorium
tue dancing on btihLile wrap is uniat! Wliait was it like io
film tiKT?
PORTMAN: It was »1'uhl r fhat was Z*.']t’s btikiaul
idea. When you get to pop bubble wrap, i1 lotally is one
of tluose ihingt wiicre you rliink. “Wow, iliis is such a
simple lliing. EliL iL ittLikes me SLh, happv." Y J ou fcnmy?
It's uhJ a jtiual feeling. Virtir. An
C-;WrTl™« 1^0
time r^H F:ir:;.(Tri-nmpLii^.ur.rjn
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