Starred Review Thirty minutes before the curtain rises on The Nutcracker, Figaro, "the resident cat" at London's Royal Opera House, takes viewers on a backstage tour. Costumers make last-minute repairs while he explains their duties. Next, he describes the purpose, the construction, and the "breaking in" of pointe shoes. The tour includes the scenery and props departments, the ballet studio, a rehearsal room, and the dressing room, where dancers are checking their makeup and preparing to go onstage. In the orchestra pit, musicians await the conductor's arrival. As the performance begins, the text introduces the ballet's main characters and plot elements and then points out the stage managers and technicians whose work contributes to the magic onstage. The book's appealing back matter encourages children to develop their own talents and interests. Leaving space for paragraphs of text, the picture book's detailed, richly colorful illustrations depict scenes as different as set designers planning future productions and dancers, armed with metal swords, rehearsing a meticulously choreographed fight sequence. O'Hara shows the importance of the crew as well as of the dancers. Full of interesting bits of information, the text succeeds in engaging readers' awareness of the varied, complex, interconnected contributions that align to create a ballet production's seemingly effortless success. Bravo!