Hidden in Saint Petersburg's famed Mariinsky Theater are the world's tiniest ballet fans: the Russian Mouse Ballet Company. Despite being unable to control her tail, Esmeralda has just been assigned the lead role of Clara in a ballet debuting at Christmas: The Nutcracker. But in this story for readers 8 to 12, nine-year-old human Irina must hurry to save the mice, who don't know that they face extermination. Series of Unfortunate Events illustrator Brett Helquist supplies historically-informed drawings of these personable rodents and their theatre world.