Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Little Golden Book) (Hardcover)

by Rick Bunsen (Adapter), Arkadia (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
The fearless leader of Santa's sleigh was a character created by Robert L. May in his book, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, in 1939 as part of a giveaway from Montgomery Ward. Though the text, which gives a nod to Clement C. Moore, is somewhat forced, the book gets a boost from David Wenzel's illustrations of a warm, appealing Santa.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal
K-Gr 3-This newly illustrated edition of the well-known story uses May's original, lengthy but satisfying rhymed text, written in 1939. Wenzel's watercolor illustrations are vibrant and richly detailed with a nostalgic, old-fashioned quality. Michael Emberley's watercolor, cartoonlike pen-and-ink drawings in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Applewood, 1994) are amusing but crowd the pages. Of the two books, Wenzel's illustrations are a better fit for the text. While a tad too long for storytime, it's a solid representation of the tale.-M. W.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 24 pages
• Publisher: Golden Books; 1st edition (August 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307988295
• ISBN-13: 978-0307988294
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 6.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #390,871 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The original, December 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Hardcover)

I loved this book as a child back in the fifties, and was delighted to find it still available. It begins similarly to "The Night Before Christmas": "'Twas the day before Christmas, and all through the hills..." and continues in verse, telling the familiar story for the very first time, with more wit and charm than any watered-down Disney version could possible supply. I'm so glad that my small nieces will now have a chance to enjoy it. Too bad Robert L. May is not often given the credit he deserves for this Christmas treasure.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a great book! BUT NOT THE ORIGINAL RUDOLPH STORY , November 9, 2004

By	carolyn "shopperextrodinaire" (Canal Winchester, OH) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This is such a great book. It's not the original Rudolph - if you're looking for that one, it's written by Robert May and was commissioned by Montgomery Ward in 1939. It can usually be found locally in bookstores, and when amazon has it in stock. It's a better story than this one - this one is just a little spin-off of the Rankin-Bass production we see on television, as the cover depicts. It has the Yukon Cornelius, snow monster, etc. in it. I still get goosebumps whenever I see Rudolph coming back to the Island of misfit toys to pick them up with Santa's sleigh - but that's only in the movie and not in this book. Some things you never forget as a child and have to pass down to your own.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Robert L. May's original Rudolph, December 13, 2008

By	Judy K. Polhemus "Book Collector" (LA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Hardcover)

Note: This review is for the book with the blue cover and Rudolph in a picture frame. A red seal on the bottom right corner reads: "The Original Story of Rudolph." Apparently, the various reviews are getting dumped in one Rudolph slot.

Although the story is original with Robert L. May in 1939, the illustrations were created by David Wenzel in 2001. This combination is my favorite of all the Rudolph books.

The book is over-sized, for one. I have the paperback version, which is 9" x 11". The hardback is slightly larger. This larger size makes it easier for children in a school setting to see the illustrations.

Another reason this book is a winner is the color and quality of the illustrations. The reindeer are soft and cuddly looking (even though they call Rudolph names just for having that freaky red nose--so they think). To counteract all the brown of the reindeer, Wenzel splashes a deep, lovely blue around the scene. Even though he is made fun of, Rudolph tries to keep a good attitude. He know he's been good and leaves Santa cookies and cocoa and goes to bed.

Meanwhile Santa is back at the Pole, totally worried about the weather. The fog is so bad the deer have a hard time seeing and almost collide with a huge plane. By the time Santa gets to Rudolph's house, it is pitch dark. But in Rudolph's room, Santa can see and discovers the answer to his prayers--A reindeer with a guiding light. Rudolph is delighted to help.

Of course, at the end, the other reindeer cheer him for being such a help. They are proud to be his friends.

The moral: You CAN be different! It is OK!
Everyone has a talent. When you discover it, don't be shy about using it.

Overall, a great addition to every reading home!