The Night Before Christmas (Tenth Anniversary Edition) [Hardcover]

Clement Clarke Moore (Author), Jan Brett (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 11, 2008 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

With over 600,000 copies sold, Jan Brett’s New York Times bestselling edition of Clement Moore’s classic Christmas poem celebrates its tenth anniversary with a note from Jan and an exquisitely redesigned jacket with red foil trim, making this a delectable holiday treat.

A new generation of readers will find Jan’s visual interpretation of this favorite poem, set in a snowy New England village, both familiar, as St. Nick visits a Victorian family, and surprising, with Jan’s addition of two stowaway elves from the North Pole.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Another holiday keepsake from a master." -Publishers Weekly, starred review

“This eye-filling volume offers a wealth of detail, perfect for sharing in the days counting down to Christmas.” —Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Jan Brett lives in Norwell, Massachusetts.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile; 10 Anv edition (September 11, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399251936
• ISBN-13: 978-0399251931
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 11.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #406,492 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

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXQUISITE!, November 12, 2009

By 

Elaine Campbell "Desert Dweller" (Rancho Mirage, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

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

This book is simply a beautiful thing. The illustrations bring Clement Moore's poetic story to brilliant life. Santa, the elves, the reindeer all seem so real one begins to feel like one is flying through the night sky with twinkling stars right with them. I never realized before what a perfect poem is Mr. Moore's. Not one word ill-chosen, not one phrase that doesn't belong, it glides along to the finale of the story. One only wishes one could return to the North Pole with this entourage, and that the book would keep on going.

The illustrations are truly breathtaking. We again have the Jan Brett trademark of the framing of her illustrations, done so naturally that the framework seems to be part of the story and pictures as well. I especially love her depiction of the marvelous reindeer - all so spirited and intent on their purpose.

Though they say nary a word, there are two stowaway elves on this nighttime sky journey. They assist in the packing and the distributing of various and sundry colorful gifts (into stockings, of course, waiting by the chimney to be filled). Oh what happy children there will be in the morning. Santa and his helpers, the elves, did their work well.

I can't think of a more perfect gift for any child age four to eight at Christmastime, or any other time for that matter, than this lovely, lovely book.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cute, November 7, 1998

By A Customer

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

I have been a Jan Brett fan all my life. Granted I'm only 12, but still. Having visited Stockbridge, where the book takes place, made this even more interesting. The best part by far was the fact that when flipping through the pages, I noticed, on page 18, my name attached to a pair of cowboy boots. Having written Ms. Brett a letter a few years ago, I was excited to relize that my sister's name is also included. Putting 2+2 together, I relized that smattered throughout the book were hundreds of names of children, most likely fans who wrote Ms. Brett. Bravo Jan Brett, for acknowledging your fans!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected, December 27, 2010

By 

Valerie Gilliss (CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

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

I ordered this book for my husband to read to our daughter on Christmas Eve - a tradition passed down through his family. When we received it, we read through it, and although the pictures are beautiful (classic Jan Brett illustrations) the illustrator decided to add her own "twist" on the classic poem by depicting trouble-making elves wreaking havoc in Santa's sleigh. The main pictures don't match the story, and the illustrations that do go with the words are shown in the small side panes. I suppose it might be a nice copy for an older kid, but for young children this seems like it would be confusing. We will be returning this book and continuing our search for a beautifully illustrated, classic version of the poem.