A children's book written by Mark Helprin and beautifully illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg. Set in an Austria-esqe country around the turn of the 20th century, it only loosely follows the story laid out in Tchaikovsky's ballet.
Within the frame story of an old man telling a young girl about the world outside their mountain home, the man describes his younger days as a scholar in the capital, serving as an advisor to the emperor. The villain, Von Rothbart, is first encountered when he orders the assassination of Prince Esterhazy of Damavand and his wife. Their infant daughter, Odette, is spirited away into the woods. After the death of the emperor the narrator becomes the tutor of the infant crown prince. He trains him secretly to become a good monarch, hiding this from Von Rothbart who, as regent, has seized power in the empire.
Later, while hunting in the forest, the prince has a vision of swans and encounters Odette, falling in love with her. Unfortunately, at the prince's coming-of-age celebration Von Rothbart tricks the prince by unveiling an astoundingly beautiful woman, Odile, whom the prince later marries. The tale finishes with the rebellion of the prince against Von Rothbart and the duel suicide of the prince and Odette, allowing their infant daughter to be spirited away, escaping death at the hands of Von Rothbart's men. The narrator then takes charge of the baby girl and so ends the story.
This book is the perfect example everything a children's book should be: an enveloping mix of fairy tale and historical fiction, subtle illustrations that seem to glow, showing the world as a vivid and beautiful place -- a place where even the tragedies of life can be beautiful.