The Night Before Christmas: A Classic Illustrated Edition [Hardcover]

Clement C. Moore (Author), Cooper Edens (Compiler), Harold Darling (Compiler)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up | Series: Classic Illustrated

Written one Christmas Eve and first published anonymously in 1823, this perennial classic was intended to be a gift from a father to his children. Instead, it has become a gift to the world. This Classic Illustrated Edition features the original text and beautiful reproductions of works by some of the most notable illustrators of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Equally at home on a child's bedside table and a collector's bookshelf, it is a glorious tribute to the most magical night of the year.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Clement C. Moore's beloved poem about Santa's arrival on Christmas Eve has been illustrated by hundreds of artists since its first publication in 1823. Two collectors of antique children's books have selected a variety of these charming pictures from Arthur Rackham, Jessie Willcox Smith, Thomas Nast, and other renowned children's illustrators of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Most of the images are from versions of the poem; a few are from antique postcards or magazines. Source notes for all the illustrations are included. Santa is dressed differently by each artist, but he is always "chubby and plump--a right jolly old elf" who brings joy to all good little girls and boys. This attractive edition of The Night Before Christmas will be enjoyed most by collectors of children's books or lovers of things Victorian. Youngsters who are already familiar with the poem will delight in comparing the different old-fashioned Santas and the children of long ago "nestled all snug in their beds." A charming holiday gift to leave under the tree on Christmas Eve for anyone who believes in the magic of Santa Claus. (Ages 5 to adult) --Marcie Bovetz

From School Library Journal

PreS Up?Adults who love nostalgic Christmas images will be charmed by this title, which includes samples of the work of some of the great children's book illustrators of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Edens and Darling selected the illustrations from their own collection of antique picture books, choosing the pictures they felt best illustrated each stanza. Children, however, might be disconcerted by the many different versions of Santa Claus, some of which are frankly kind of creepy looking. Artistic styles vary dramatically and sometimes the transitions from one scene to another are abrupt. While it is interesting to see the many interpretations of Santa juxtaposed, most children will prefer an edition of the story with a single illustrator who gives a unique and consistent vision of Santa and the night before Christmas. Illustrators for each page are listed in the back of the book.?AC
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 44 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (September 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811817121
• ISBN-13: 978-0811817127
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 9.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,273,964 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Clement Clarke Moore was a professor of religion and the author of several scholarly works. What he is most remembered for, however, is his poem "An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas," later called "The Night Before Christmas," and written as a Christmas gift for his six children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!", November 9, 2005

By 

Luan Gaines "luansos" (Dana Point, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Night Before Christmas: A Classic Illustrated Edition (Hardcover)

The particular charm of this much-loved Christmas poem is found in the illustrations, late nineteenth and early twentieth century full-color plates from a collection of antique picture books. The original text is familiar, beautifully balanced by page after page of images that evoke another era, when life was simple and children fell asleep on Christmas Eve with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads, slumbering boys and girls protected by a hovering trio of angels, "mama in her kerchief and I in my cap", Santa whipping his reindeers through the snowy night sky and a brightly decorated tree surrounded by toys and packages to delight the children on Christmas morning. Over the years, this popular holiday poem of Jolly Old Saint Nick has been printed in many forms, editions of every size for every age; this 2005 Chronicle edition is perfect as a small gift for a favorite child or as a stocking stuffer, easy for small hands to hold, the illustrations as enchanting as the poem. Luan Gaines/ 2005.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Small Book!!, November 19, 2007

By 

Susan Roy "Frequent amazon flyer" (Deerfield Beach, Florida United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Night Before Christmas: A Classic Illustrated Edition (Hardcover)

I have this book at my home, where I have read it many times for my own children growing up. When I ordered this as a gift for my employer's new baby, I was shocked to see how small this book is when it arrived.

This is the size of a pocket book, and does not lend well to sitting a child on your lap and allowing them to read along. The illustrations however beautiful, are too small for young children, and even some adults reading this book!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great Classic Book, just very small, January 7, 2008

By 

R. Harden (Georgia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Night Before Christmas: A Classic Illustrated Edition (Hardcover)

Ordered this book to read to my son and wanted it to be a classic, old looking book but thought it would be bigger - it is tiny! I would have preferred it be bigger, never thought to look at the measurements since it was a children's book, just assumed it would be good size.