Bruce Whatley's The Night Before Christmas

The cherished classic is brilliantly illustrated in full-color, capturing all the magical enchantment and joyful good cheer of Saint Nick's annual visit. A timeless Christmas tradition for children of all ages. 8 3/4" x 11 1/2".

Sharon Salluzzo - Children's Literature

Santa always knows just the perfect present, and so it is in Whatley's unusual interpretation of this classic Christmas poem. Santa spies a photograph of a boy dressed as a cowboy. The man indicates to Santa that it is a picture of himself, and when he was a child, he dreamed of being a cowboy. Santa presents him with a cowboy figure that appears to be of more recent vintage and looks somewhat like a cross between Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. Unusual angles and interesting perspectives abound in the illustrations. The reindeer are memorable for their expressions, and St. Nick is a kindly-looking fellow. This is the board book version of a picture book published in 1999. 2004 (orig. 1999), HarperFestival/HarperCollins, Ages 3 to 5.

Clement C. Moore (1779–1863), an American scholar and poet, first wrote The Night Before Christmas in 1822 to entertain his children. A friend submitted it to a local newspaper, The Troy Sentinel, where it was published on December 23, 1823. Moore's delightful description of St. Nicholas and his eight flying reindeer has since become the definitive portrait of Santa Claus.