A Creature Was Stirring [Hardcover]

Clement Clarke Moore (Author), Carter Goodrich (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

'Twas the night before Christmas, and in this great house the creature who stirred was a boy, not a mouse.

And while upstairs his parents were dreaming and snoring, with Santa so close, sleep seemed pretty boring.

Esteemed New Yorker cover artist Carter Goodrich retells the story of 'Twas the night before Christmas from the child's point of view.

With Clement Clarke Moore's classic poem one one side of every page, and a child's comedic rhyming on the other, this magical book about seeing and dreaming of Santa Claus will inspire readers of all ages to believe.

Against a luminous backdrop of midnight and silver, memories of Christmases past and present converge in a modern classic born in the tradition of The Polar Express.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

K-4–With Moore's classic poem on one side of each spread and humorous rhyming commentary from a modern young boy on the other, Goodrich gives a delightful new twist to this holiday chestnut. The colored-pencil and watercolor pictures, done in a cartoon style, are visually delicious. The artist's use of moonlight hues and soft textures makes objects seem to glow from within. His dynamic, cinematic compositions lend suspense to the scenes and reflect his extensive work in film illustration. A first-rate adaptation that will enhance the enjoyment for all who love the original.–Maureen Wade, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

This Christmas charmer extends the familiar poem beginning "'Twas the night before Christmas" with a series of couplets that alternate with the stanzas in Moore's original verse. A little boy confesses that, despite what everyone thinks, he was the only creature stirring in the house that Christmas Eve. He tries to sleep, frets about Santa catching him awake, notices the slippery sleigh sliding down the sloping roof, and creeps out his bedroom window to park it at a more stable point. Then he slips back inside, hoping that he wasn't noticed. Santa acts out his part in the original rhymes on the left-hand pages while the boy's adventures take place on the facing pages. The cool blues, purples, and grays of the evening scenes are warmed here and there with blushes of rosier hues, while the rounded forms, soft-textured shading, and expressive characters create an appealing visual interpretation of the verses. This child-centered reinvention of the Christmas classic is fun for reading aloud. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers; 1ST edition (October 3, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689863993
• ISBN-13: 978-0689863998
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 9.8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #805,622 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful book for kids, adults, and art lovers!, October 3, 2006

By 

Donna M. Travers - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Creature Was Stirring (Hardcover)

Kids will enjoy this story, parents too, and everyone can marvel at the fantastic illustrations. Carter Goodrich is an amazing artist. In "A Creature Was Stirring" he captures a great Christmas feeling with his colors and the few characters of the book are full of life and personality. He has a particularly interesting take on Santa. The story is cool too, it offers a fresh spin on the old "'Twas the Night Before Christmas", telling the story from the perspective of a little boy, which I am sure kids will love. The original text is used in the story as well, so you get a nice new version with the classic there too, good deal.

Buy this if you want a great Christmas story for your kids and the child inside you, and also if you have any interest in Carter Goodrich, illustration, animation design, or great drawing and painting in general.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars delightful twist on a classic, December 12, 2006

By 

Louise Wyatt (Putney VT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Creature Was Stirring (Hardcover)

Magic abounds in Carter Goodrich's splendidly illustrated second story tucked alongside the familiar 'Night Before Christmas.' A little boy's insomnia culminates in his own brief flight in Santa's sleigh, while stockings are stuffed at the hearth below. Night and snow and reindeer and pillows are all illustrated with a deft colored pencil/watercolor mix that intrigues the artistic eye. Goodrich shows a new side of himself, a pleasant surprise to fans of his New Yorker magazine covers.

5.0 out of 5 stars a creature was stirring, February 1, 2010

By 

Jennifer L. Murto "mamaof4" (fernandina beach, fl) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Creature Was Stirring (Hardcover)

This is such a great book. You get the original version on the left side of the page and a funny little twist on the right side of the page. I thought it was hilarious and shared it with everyone at our school. My kids were laughing at every page.