The Night Before Christmas

by Clement C. Moore, Tomie dePaola (Illustrator)

Overview

Not a creature was stirring when jolly St. Nicholas came down the chimney...except the narrator of this well-loved rhyme. His eyewitness account of the arrival of the toy-filled sleigh and eight reindeer is beautifully illustrated by Deborah Jones's warm and glowing pictures, while soft-to-touch pages make this book as special as the season.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823443512
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	09/24/2019
Pages:	22
Sales rank:	190,369
Product dimensions:	4.90(w) x 6.40(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD940L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 Months to 3 Years

About the Author

Clement Moore (1779 - 1863) was a professor of classics at General Theological Seminary in New York. He wrote The Night Before Christmas, originally titled A Visit from St. Nicholas, for his children in 1822.

Tomie dePaola is the beloved Caldecott Honor- and Newbery Honor-winning author and/or illustrator of close to 250 books, including Strega Nona and Quiet. When The Night Before Christmas was originally published, it was Tomie's 100th book.

Tomie loved reading and books from an early age and knew, when he was four, that he wanted to write and illustrate stories when he grew up. He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Smithson Medal from the Smithsonian Institution, the New Hampshire's Governor's Arts Award of Living Treasure. the Regina Medal from the Catholic Library Association, and the Kerlan Award from the University of Minnesota. He lives in New Hampshire.

Read an Excerpt

'Twas the night before Christmas,
when all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring,
not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung
by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas
soon would be there.

Editorial Reviews

"From first to last, the book is a visual delight . . . A singular feat"—Publishers Weekly
 
★ "The familiar words of Moore's 1820 poem need no elaboration, but this newly illustrated full-color edition can be heaped unreservedly with praise. . . . a shareable Christmas treasure."—Booklist, Starred Review
 
"ideal for group viewing in a story hour."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

Folk artist and preacher Finster infuses his interpretation of the traditional holiday poem with his characteristic evangelical verve. Patterned with what look to be brush doodlings, his surreal compositions create a psychedelic party mood that contrasts sharply with the rather staid verse. Each spread is framed by a running word-border of such Finster preachings as "I am trying to get people back to God before the end of the earths [sic] planet." An eccentric dose of holiday cheer. All ages. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Spirin's (The Tale of the Firebird) luxurious watercolor-and-colored pencil compositions whisk readers to what looks like a snowy New England village in the 1800s for his graceful reimagining of Moore's poem. He renders every chimney, windowpane and bare tree branch with crisp style and care; Saint Nick is effortlessly jolly, donning blue boots with his traditional red fur garb. Each passage opens with a tiny spot illustration, accompanied by a vertical border piece on the side, shaped like a grandfather clock or a bookmark and depicting some village scenery. Youngsters will be pleased that the artist breaks with tradition, casting the narrator as a boy (instead of the father). An edition sure to be cherished, especially by Spirin fans and art lovers. All ages. (Sept.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

K-Gr 5 No nostalgia here! Marshall's cartoon-like illustrations for Moore's well-known and much-loved poem are thoroughly modern, often very funny and typical of the artist. A cozy Cape Cod house sits in the snow with the unstirring mouse nestled in the bright green wreath on its door. Plump dogs, cats, a chicken (and even a mouse) abound in the comfortably cluttered house in which stockings are hung and people sleep. The animals join Papa as he watches the arrival of the plump old elf down the road and up to the roof. After his unceremonious entrance but before his gift distribution, St. Nick (in his cowboy boots with stars) poses for a photograph taken by the mouse and raids the refrigerator with his reindeer hungrily looking on. As St. Nick's final wish for a happy Christmas is exclaimed, the animals settle down again amid the bountiful and brightly decorated packages. Although the format is predictable (one page of text next to a one-page illustration), this is a fresh look at an old narrative. It may not appeal to everyone, but should cause all (except perhaps Scrooges) to chuckle. Maria B. Salvadore , District of Columbia Public Library

School Library Journal

Rand illustrates Moore's famous poem in a large-format picture book that showcases his colorful paintings in a series of double-page spreads. Even children in the back row of a story-time group will get the full effect of the moonlit New England snowscapes and cozy, period interiors. Not a stretch for Rand, but he's comfortably in his stride here, and his fans will find plenty to like. In fact, almost anyone looking for a traditional, soft-focus interpretation of this Christmas favorite will find it an appealing picture book.

Carolyn Phelan

First published in 1984, Lobel's interpretatons of Moore's classic poem is soothing and peaceful. Dramatically moonlit views of a snow-covered city streetscape give way to richly colored, cozy interior scenes of a turn-of-the-twentiethcentury brownstone. We get glimpses of family members sleeping snug in their quilt-covered beds; we see family portraits (one of which bears a strong resemblance to Arnold Lobel) on the walls; a fireplace hung with stockings; a Christmas tree adorned with candles. The only face shown is Santa's, as that traditionally portrayed gent goes about his toy-delivering business. A gorgeous aerial view of the Brooklyn Bridge completes the book. MARTHA V. PARRAVANO

November/December 2020 - Horn Book Magazine

Rabbit Ears pairs this story with a celebrated actors and adds a visually appealing picture books to accompany it. While everyone will be familiar with Clement Moore’s poem, Meryl Streep gives a personal touch. The Night Before Christmas is nicely personalized by her enthusiasm. The music composed for the program adds additional dimension though it lacks the distinction of some of the music in this others storytelling series. R.F.W. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine

NOV/DEC 97 - AudioFile

2021-08-18
Following in a hoary tradition, another artist sets his work to Moore’s classic Christmas poem.

A modern home is the setting for this rendition. A dog sleeps curled up in the hallway beside boots, children’s drawings, and a shovel, all backlit by the lights of a Christmas tree. A Christmas elf sits on the mantle above the stockings along with a portrait of a hooded woman holding a glowing star. The White family lies sleeping until the male narrator is awoken by the clatter from outdoors. He and the dog rush to the window and share the magical moment of spotting Santa driving his reindeer. They watch as Santa lands in the fireplace, distributes toys, and sits with his pipe and enjoys cookies before shooting back up the chimney and flying off into the night. The illustrations use saturated color, sharp lines, and bright highlights for an animation-style sheen. Close-ups of Santa depict a round, pink-faced, blue-eyed man who will appear jolly to some readers, unsettling to others. With an opening scene that’s familiar (to White, middle-class readers) and pets and mice sprinkled throughout, this visual tale will delight those who like to pair classic texts with more modern settings. Those contemporary trappings aside, this book’s sensibilities are in tune with the original text’s times. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Cozy fun for the right audience. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews