The Night Before Christmas [School & Library Binding]

Clement Clarke Moore (Author), Gennady Spirin (Illustrator)

Book Description

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

A classical look at old Saint Nick

The poem "The Night Before Christmas" has become so much a part of Christmas that it’s hard to imagine the holiday without it. Originally published as an "Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas," it appeared in 1823 in the newspaper, the Troy Sentinel. It has since been reprinted hundreds of times, acted out on stage, and read over the radio and on film and CD. The author, CLEMENT CLARKE MOORE, is said to have written the poem for his children on Christmas Eve, 1822. Our modern image of Santa Claus as a bearded, plump, jolly figure can be traced back to Moore’s famous description of St. Nick: "He had a broad face, and a little round belly, that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly."

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreS Up–Spirin's richly colored and ornate colored-pencil and watercolor illustrations opposite each page of text place this version of the classic poem in a nostalgic, 18th-century European town. Resembling medieval illuminated manuscripts, an embellished capital letter or a fanciful scene or figure in the first word of each verse sets the mood for each page. Readers are drawn into the magical wonder of the season through the artist's skilled use of color, detail, and shadow. The traditional portrayal of Santa as a jolly old elf is more apparent in this rendition than in other current editions. Special notes on the last page give a brief history of the poem and reveal a minor dispute over its true authorship. A warm, inviting, and beautifully illustrated book.–Maureen Wade, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Spirin stays close to the conventional, nostalgic views, setting his scenes in a yesteryear European village visited by a Santa straight from central casting, all sparkling blue eyes and bushy white beard. Dabbed with gold and scrolled with fine brushwork, the paintings beautifully contrast the colors of moonlight and firelight, while the lustrous scenes of the reindeer team, pulling its ornate sled, imbue the title with an Old World, fairy-tale richness. A final note addresses the recent controversy over Moore's authorship of the poem. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• School & Library Binding: 29 pages
• Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Corp/Ccb (August 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761452982
• ISBN-13: 978-0761452980
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #816,228 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most gorgeous illustrations ever of this classic, December 16, 2006

By 

motivated mom (silver spring,md usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Night Before Christmas (School & Library Binding)

I have several versions of this wonderful old tale---even those saved from my own childhood. But when I saw this for sale at Union Station, I had to have it. The illustrations are breathtaking! Look for the shadows that Mr Spirin, a prize winning Russian artist, paints into his scenes. Have you ever seen the underneath of Santa's richy embellished sleigh as it is "parked" on a rooftop? Look for the cats who are also coming downstairs to "see what was the matter". My kids are teens now, but I bought it for them for when they have kids. It is the very essence of the Spirit of Santa's yearly wintertime journey!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Provides some classic, lovely embellishments perfect for libraries seeking something fresh and appealing., December 9, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Night Before Christmas (School & Library Binding)

Ages 4-8 will relish a new spin on Clement Clarke Moore's classic, which uses Gennady Spirin's lovely, artistic panels to illustrate the simple holiday classic. While the story's been reprinted hundreds of times so undoubtedly you have at least one version in your library, this NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS provides some classic, lovely embellishments perfect for libraries seeking something fresh and appealing.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful illustrations, December 16, 2008

By 

raboof "Lauren in Tokyo" (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Night Before Christmas (School & Library Binding)

Sticking closely to the text as originally published, Spirin retells the familiar old poem that we all know and love. The use of "Dunder and Blixem" instead of "Donder" or "Donner" and "Blitzen" may be strange for some people since the newer names are much more familiar in popular culture. But otherwise, the book is what you remember.

The illustrations are very beautiful and intricate. Each page is really a work of art. Besides the main pictures, there are also emblems on every other page. These are small, Christmas-themed designs that have all sorts of fun detail.

My only gripe is that the poem is supposed to be the recounting of Santa's visit by the family's patriarch, but the drawings clearly show a young boy watching Santa with wonder. The disconnect is lost on the children reading the story, I'm sure, but I found it a perpetuation of an incorrect reinterpretation of the poem.

Even still, so what? The story is classic, the drawings are beautiful, and the book binding is sturdy. You won't go wrong with this version of The Night Before Christmas.