The Night Before Christmas [Library Binding]

Clement C. Moore (Author), Mary Engelbreit (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Readers young and old are invited into the enchanting world of Mary Engelbreit in this sparkling edition of Clement C. Moore's classic poem. It is the night before Christmas, in a house so cozy and colorful, so filled with expectation, so dusted with Christmas magic that only this beloved illustrator could have created it. Shhh. A mouse is asleep in its snug den and children are dreaming as sugarplum fairies flutter around their bed. Then there's the jingle of bells. . . .

For this merry celebration of Christmas, Mary Engelbreit has filled every page with bewitching details, rich color, and memorable characters. These include a bevy of mischievous elves, an adorable mouse, and a lovable, bespectacled Santa. The images in Mary's joyous vision will bring discovery and delight to generations of readers.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Engelbreit's visions of sugarplums translate to a busy-bright patchwork of checks, plaids, paisleys and chintzes in this oversize (11" x 11") volume. Her interpretation of Moore's poem features a cast of rambunctious elves who accompany an exceptionally jolly St. Nick as he leaves assorted old-fashioned candies and toys inside a home decorated in a spectrum of Engelbreit's trademark patterns and prints. Kids-and adult fans of the artist-will enjoy poring over the copious details. All ages.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-The full text of the familiar poem is illustrated in Engelbreit's crisply decorated style. A large trim size allows each highly embellished spread to hold a plethora of detail. From the opening stanza's view of the non-stirring mouse's hole (a cracked teacup is his bed, a potholder his doormat, and a paintbrush is his broom) and throughout the verses, the artist adds lots of elves and ornamentation. Santa is not pictured as "dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot"; he's wearing a checked coat with fur trim and what appear to be leather bowling shoes. He does twinkle a lot, though, and that may be enough for some readers.-S. P.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Library Binding: 40 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (October 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060081619
• ISBN-13: 978-0060081614
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 10.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,361,252 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

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Illustrations, December 9, 2004

By 

apples2apples (OhiO) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Night Before Christmas (Hardcover)

I love the illustrations of Mary Engelbreit, but actually it was our 2 year old son who picked out this book. Hour after hour, day after day, he crawls into our laps and has us read to him. This is his favorite book, which isn't bad because we love it too. The pictures are detailed, full of little surprises, and warm and delightful.

This version of the story has been so beautifully illustrated, I never tire of looking at it. (Mary Engelbreit, Jan Brett, and Tasha Tudor have all done a wonderful job of illustrating their own renditions of this classic tale by Clement Moore.)

We bought the DVD for our son for Christmas, and it's also wonderful. Our son watches it over and over.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy This Book for Your Family., December 16, 2005

By 

Mia "Bridget's Mommy" (Coatesville, PA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Night Before Christmas (Hardcover)

My husband wanted a copy of The Night Before Christmas to read to my daughter. I decided to purchase this version of the book because of the wonderful reviews about the illustrations. The illustrations are bold, colorful and beautiful. My 12 month old daughter's eyes lit up when my husband began reading this book to her. She is mesmerized by the pictures. I would give this book as a gift.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book., October 15, 2003

By 

Just Another Opinion (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Night Before Christmas (Hardcover)

I am a huge Engelbreit fan, and I just love this book. Every page is dazzling. My two year old loves it as well; he just gets lost in every illustration. He points to this and that and just can't get enough of just LOOKING. Engelbreit's bright colors and attention to detail just shine in this book. They just don't come any better than this!