The Night Before Christmas

by Rachel Isadora, Rachel Isadora (Illustrator)

Overview

The gorgeous reimagining of the classic Christmas tale with Rachel Isadora's signature twist!

Caldecott Honor winner Rachel Isadora sets her colorful, unique version of this well-known Christmas poem in Africa, capturing the anticipation and excitement of the holiday in her stunning collages. Children will pore over the enchanting artwork--brimming with special touches like traditional African toys and a Santa who sports dreadlocks--as they chime along with the familiar rhyming text.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101652879
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	10/01/2009
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	36 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Rachel Isadora lives in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

Employing her trademark aesthetic, Isadora sets Moore's classic poem in Africa—her Santa Claus wears bright leopard-print pants and has gray dreadlocks. Mama's “kerchief” is a pink floral do-rag and the narrator is dressed in African attire, as he springs from bed to see the silhouette of Santa's sleigh (the reindeer are adorned with decorative beads) race across the sparse, snowy terrain. The gifts Santa pulls from his bag include a sock monkey, a zebra and three colorful dolls. The dynamic visuals offer a refreshing and original vision of this familiar verse. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

The vibrant spreads are lively...Children will enjoy poring over the details in repeated readings.

Booklist

[B]eautifully evoke[s] the familiarity of Christmas holiday traditions within a distinctly nontraditional setting.

Horn Book

Gr 1-3–Santa’s Christmas Eve journey takes him to Africa in this charming version of the poem. Isadora uses collaged papers and oil paints to create a vibrant African village, dusted by snow. The tiny house barely supports the sleigh, and Santa (with zebra fur on his jacket, leopard-spotted pants, and a vibrant Kente-cloth belt) comes down the wood stove’s chimney, leaving traditional African presents for the slumbering children. Full of details, rich color, and an exuberant spirit, this book will provide opportunities for discussion as well as a new cultural landscape for the “right jolly old elf.”–Anne Connor, Los Angeles Public Library

School Library Journal