The Night Before Christmas : A Visit from St. Nicholas

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Folk artist and preacher Finster infuses his interpretation of the traditional holiday poem with his characteristic evangelical verve. Patterned with what look to be brush doodlings, his surreal compositions create a psychedelic party mood that contrasts sharply with the rather staid verse. Each spread is framed by a running word-border of such Finster preachings as "I am trying to get people back to God before the end of the earths [sic] planet." An eccentric dose of holiday cheer. All ages. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Spiffy acrylic paintings of a wintry urban landscape dotted with tangy candy-colored buildings give the classic poem some modern zip. The artist's whimsy shines in an "Identification Chart: How to Recognize Santa!" and the exploits of the household's black cat (and its white mouse pal). By book's end, even the lone straggler on the holiday tree lot has been touched by Christmas magic. Among the few good contemporary treatments of this poem, Grover's is a winner. All ages. (Oct.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

A 1937 edition of The Night Before Christmas with illustrations by Reginald Birch is now available in a miniature, stocking-stuffer edition. Booksellers take note: the publisher has sold more than 1,000 of its 10-copy miniature red-sleigh countertop displays. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature - Leila Toedo

This favorite holiday tale is captured in a beautiful antique reproduction. A particularly appealing feature is the introduction, which gives a historical account of the origin of Saint Nicholas and how the author came to write the poem.

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

In this GltterGlow board book version of the famous story, kids shine a light on the pages for a few minutes and then take the book into a dark area and look at the glowing pages. The text has been abridged and is appropriate for the younger crowd, which may find the sugary sweet illustrations appealing. Also in the series are Deck the Halls, Jingle Bells, and Silent Night.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 5 No nostalgia here! Marshall's cartoon-like illustrations for Moore's well-known and much-loved poem are thoroughly modern, often very funny and typical of the artist. A cozy Cape Cod house sits in the snow with the unstirring mouse nestled in the bright green wreath on its door. Plump dogs, cats, a chicken (and even a mouse) abound in the comfortably cluttered house in which stockings are hung and people sleep. The animals join Papa as he watches the arrival of the plump old elf down the road and up to the roof. After his unceremonious entrance but before his gift distribution, St. Nick (in his cowboy boots with stars) poses for a photograph taken by the mouse and raids the refrigerator with his reindeer hungrily looking on. As St. Nick's final wish for a happy Christmas is exclaimed, the animals settle down again amid the bountiful and brightly decorated packages. Although the format is predictable (one page of text next to a one-page illustration), this is a fresh look at an old narrative. It may not appeal to everyone, but should cause all (except perhaps Scrooges) to chuckle. Maria B. Salvadore , District of Columbia Public Library

Carolyn Phelan

Rand illustrates Moore's famous poem in a large-format picture book that showcases his colorful paintings in a series of double-page spreads. Even children in the back row of a story-time group will get the full effect of the moonlit New England snowscapes and cozy, period interiors. Not a stretch for Rand, but he's comfortably in his stride here, and his fans will find plenty to like. In fact, almost anyone looking for a traditional, soft-focus interpretation of this Christmas favorite will find it an appealing picture book.

Kirkus Reviews

Brett (The Hat, 1997, etc.) glorifies an old-fashioned Christmas in her lavish and detailed edition of the classic poem. Elves under animal furs nestle in the back of Santa's sleigh while the reindeer labor under their own finery. The family they visit lives in an ornate Victorian mansion. Snow perches picturesquely on tree branches, and elaborate borders throughout the book highlight beloved tree ornaments as well as secondary actions: the reaction of the house's dog and cat; the alerting of the parents to the clatter of reindeer on the roof the rousing of the children and their approach to the loot Santa has left behind. This eye- filling volume offer a wealth of detail, perfect for sharing in the days counting down to Christmas. (Picture book. 3-8)