Cop's Night Before Christmas

by Michael Harrison, David Miles (Illustrator)

Overview

It's Christmas Eve, and this police officer is on patrol. He encounters Sergeant Kringle, who takes over his patrol so the cop can go home to his family. This whimsical illustrated tale for young readers is a tribute to law-enforcement officers everywhere.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781589808003
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	09/02/2010
Series:	The Night Before Christmas
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	720,191
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Officer Michael D. Harrison founded a charity called Santa Cops in his Conover, North Carolina, precinct. Uniformed police officers receive donations of new toys and clothing, wrap the gifts, and deliver them on Christmas Eve to the children of needy families. The program was designed to foster a positive image of police officers in the community.

Harrison spent fifteen years as a sheriff's deputy and another fifteen as a deputy sheriff. He has supervised a patrol squad, worked with a narcotics investigation unit, and was an undercover officer. Harrison has also taught the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program to elementary students and a class on decision-making skills to sixth graders. He resides in Taylorsville, North Carolina.


David Miles is a freelance illustrator who has worked as a game and page-layout designer and has illustrated several children's books. He holds an associate's degree in fine arts from Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor and a bachelor's degree in illustration from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. He resides in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Editorial Reviews

In yet another thematic parody of "A Visit from St. Nicholas," this version focuses on a police officer who has to work on Christmas Eve, leaving his wife and son at home. The text, written by a working cop, offers an amusing twist with a hip Santa in a red police uniform accented by a jingle-bell belt. The unnamed beat officer faithfully carries out his duties until Sergeant Kringle arrives on the scene with his chopper and handcuffs and tough-guy attitude (but no police-issued revolver), sending the protagonist home to his family. The text has some funny moments, but it doesn't always scan or rhyme exactly. The illustrations seem dark due to the late-evening setting, but the gloomy palette helps convey the feelings of the officer who is missing his family on Christmas Eve. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews