Christian Holidays - Christmas, General & Miscellaneous Holidays, Poetry - Holidays, Poetry - General & Miscellaneous

The Night Before Christmas

Name: The Night Before Christmas
Author: Peter Paul and Mary
ISBN: 9781936140060

by Peter Paul and Mary, Clement C. Moore, Eric Puybaret (Illustrator), Peter Yarrow (Performed by), Noel Paul Stookey

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Overview

America’s most-loved holiday poem is now presented by one of the world’s favorite musical groups, and illustrated by the artist of the best-selling Puff, the Magic Dragon. Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without a reading of Clement C. Moore’s classic verse, which has brightened the season ever since it was first published in 1823. And now this heartwarming poem is more dazzling than ever before. Acclaimed painter Eric Puybaret enchantingly captures the story’s magic and wide-eyed wonder: a cozy home with stockings hung by a mantel; visions of sugarplums dancing in the dreams of sleeping children; a miniature sleigh pulled by eight prancing reindeer; and of course, jolly Santa, with his merry dimples and twinkling eyes, coming down the chimney with a bagful of toys. Along with the beautiful book comes a specially created three-track musical and narrative CD, including Moore’s tale stunningly set to music by Noel Paul Stookey, an enchanting reading by Mary Travers over a special score composed by Peter Yarrow with Peter and Noel joining Mary one last time in her final performance, plus the classic Peter, Paul and Mary holiday favorite, “A’ Soalin.” Families will gather together to read and listen and experience Moore’s wondrous world as never before.

The well-known poem about an important Christmas Eve visitor.

Synopsis

America’s most-loved holiday poem is now presented by one of the world’s favorite musical groups, and illustrated by the artist of the best-selling Puff, the Magic Dragon.

Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without a reading of Clement C. Moore’s classic verse, which has brightened the season ever since it was first published in 1823. And now this heartwarming poem is more dazzling than ever before. Acclaimed painter Eric Puybaret enchantingly captures the story’s magic and wide-eyed wonder: a cozy home with stockings hung by a mantel; visions of sugarplums dancing in the dreams of sleeping children; a miniature sleigh pulled by eight prancing reindeer; and of course, jolly Santa, with his merry dimples and twinkling eyes, coming down the chimney with a bagful of toys.

Along with the beautiful book comes a specially created three-track musical and narrative CD, including Moore’s tale stunningly set to music by Noel Paul Stookey, an enchanting reading by Mary Travers over a special score composed by Peter Yarrow with Peter and Noel joining Mary one last time in her final performance, plus the classic Peter, Paul and Mary holiday favorite, “A’ Soalin.” Families will gather together to read and listen and experience Moore’s wondrous world as never before.

Publishers Weekly

In the elegant paper-over-board 'Twas the Night Before Christmas: A Visit from St. Nicholas by Moore, illus. by Jessie Willcox Smith, the 19th-century artist's pen-and-ink spot art graces four lines of text on the left of each oblong spread, while silhouetted full-color paintings appear on the right. This is a beauty. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

About the Author, Peter Paul and Mary

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS:
PETER, PAUL AND MARY became famous for their ability to convey powerful personal and political messages through a repertoire of songs that resonated with millions of Americans in the 1960s. Their debut album, released in 1962, remained in the Top 10 for ten months, and the Top 20 for two years. Their first hit single, “Lemon Tree” was swiftly followed by "If I Had a Hammer," which became an anthem of the Civil Rights movement” and was performed by the trio at the 1963 March on Washington where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his legendary “I Have a Dream” speech. Their classic song, “Puff, The Magic Dragon,” has been a favorite of children for almost fifty years, and the book version was a number one bestseller. Over a span of more than fifty years, Peter, Paul and Mary touched the lives and hearts of tens of millions of people, won five Grammy Awards, produced thirteen Top 40 hits, and received eight gold and five platinum albums.

ABOUT THE ARTIST:
ERIC PUYBARET has created the perfect setting for The Night Before Christmas with his captivating art. He also brought to life the magic of “Over the Rainbow” and the imaginative world of “Puff, the Magic Dragon,” both best sellers. Renowned in his native France, his work has been reviewed as “elegantly rendered” by the New York Times, “graceful and whimsical” by Publishers Weekly, and “lovely . . . and indeed magical” by Kirkus Reviews.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
CLEMENT C. MOORE is the author of A Visit from St. Nicholas (now more commonly known as The Night Before Christmas). He was born in 1779, and became a professor of Oriental and Greek literature at what is now Columbia University. The poem was first published in the New York Sentinel on December 23, 1823.

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly

Puybaret (Puff, the Magic Dragon) infuses Moore's classic poem with whimsical details: the family's warm house is filled with folk art–style decorations and twinkling fairies, as a gnomelike Santa unloads his gifts, then prepares to rise up the chimney. The full-bleed artwork, layered shapes, and vibrant palette (Santa's coat shines against a glacier blue sky and green sleigh) make the paintings appear almost three-dimensional. An accompanying CD includes recordings by Peter, Paul, and Mary. Ages 5–8. (Oct.)

Children's Literature - Phyllis Kennemer

The luminous paintings for this holiday favorite have a familiar feel because the traditional scenes and format are similar to many previously published versions. These pictures seem to glow with a special joy of their own, however. Jewel-like colors and flowing forms dance on the pages as they portray an enchanting Christmas Eve event. The reindeer are covered in luxurious blankets of green and gold; an enthralled dog awakes to observe the magic; and the toys shimmer in the moonlight as a tiny fairy oversees the proceedings. Santa's look is enhanced with a flowing handlebar mustache and a long pointed hat. A fifteen-minute three-track musical and narrative CD is included in the back cover. It features an upbeat version of the poem sung by Noel Paul Stookey, a reading of the poem by Mary Travers, and "A'Soalin" performed by Peter, Paul and Mary. A lovely Christmas gift for families with children of all ages. Reviewer: Phyllis Kennemer, Ph.D.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 3—The traditional Christmas poem is accompanied by lush acrylic paintings that use deep reds, greens, and blues to create a magical, yet cozy, setting for Santa's visit. Every detail, from the flowing capes on the reindeer to the comfy furnishings to the enchanting ornaments on the Christmas tree, evokes a feeling of serenity and anticipation. The book includes a CD with three tracks: a low-key lyrical rendition of the poem by Noel Paul Stookey, a reading of the poem by Mary Travis with musical accompaniment, and a recording of "A'Soalin" by Peter, Paul, and Mary.—Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library

Kirkus Reviews

It can be hard to make a new picture-book version of this old Christmas chestnut stand out. This edition manages the feat through the combination of Puybaret's deeply saturated, jewel-toned acrylics and the accompanying CD, which features the spoken-word narration of the late Mary Travers, with musical accompaniment from Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey, a sung version from Stookey and Peter, Paul and Mary's 1963 classic, "A'Soalin." Even soundless, the book's a lovely one, the paintings infused with deep blue undertones that will prove restful in this relentlessly red-and-green season, composed with just-right whimsy (the reindeer all sport different types of hats, for instance) and depicting vaguely Tyrolean interiors that charm; page turns work smoothly with the familiar text. Add in the generous trim, and this one's worth making room for. (Picture book. 2 & up)

Publishers Weekly

School Library Journal

Gr 2-4-An ideal showcase for Hawkes's artistic abilities. The collection contains three traditional pieces ("Jolly Old Saint Nicholas," "The Friendly Beasts," and "A Visit from St. Nicholas"); an excerpt from The Wind in the Willows; and a story by Albert Bigelow Paine, "Christmas at the Hollow Tree Inn." The dense text may be better suited to family sharing than independent reading. Full-color paintings are lush and luminous with lots of clever details. However, with its limited number of selections, this title may not be a first choice for libraries looking for holiday anthologies. Michael Forman's Christmas Treasury (Pavilion, 2000) is a far more comprehensive volume.-T. T. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Hawkes (Handel Who Knew What He Liked, p. 1352, etc.) illustrates this large-format anthology of Christmas stories and poems with his luminous, detail-filled paintings featuring muffler-wrapped field mice, a comical dog in a Santa suit, and a traditional St. Nicholas traveling across a midnight-blue sky. A selection from The Wind in the Willows finds Mole and Rat returning to Mole's house, where they are serenaded by a troop of caroling mice who are then invited in for a delectable holiday feast. "Christmas at the Hollow Tree Inn" by Albert Bigelow Paine tells the story of an enterprising dog who plays Santa Claus for his circle of animal friends, and Moore's "A Visit from St. Nicholas" completes the collection with old-fashioned illustrations of a snowy New England village. The Christmas carols included are "Jolly Old St. Nicholas" and "The Friendly Beasts." No new ground is broken in this volume, but Hawkes's illustrations are appealing, especially his costumed animal characters, and readers will be drawn to the attractive cover with the title in raised golden letters. (Picture book. 5-8)