The Night Before Christmas

Front Cover
Little, Brown and Company, 1997 - Juvenile Fiction - 24 pages
As St. Nick and eight tiny reindeer descend through a brilliant night sky, the famous Christmas poem begins. The father narrates the words just as Clement Moore wrote them, and artist Jan Brett captures the spirit of the story in glorious illustrations. Visually she extends it for children who will delight in watching two mischievous stowaways from the North Pole enthusiastically exploring the sacks of gifts on the roof. St. Nick, inside the house, is unaware, until the toys spill down onto the lawn -- then he turns with a jerk, and sees them. Antique toys and exquisite ornaments frame the borders, in which the father, St.Nick, or the family cat and dog can be found watching the action. A unique and beautiful edition, which all the family will cherish for years to come.

About the author (1997)

Poet and Educator Clement Moore was born on July 15, 1770 in New York City, and was later educated at Columbia College. Moore was a biblical scholar and professor at the Episcopal General Theological Seminary. Moore is best known for his poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas", better known in more modern times as "Twas the Night Before Christmas". In 2013 this same title became a New York Times High Profile Title. Clement Moore died in Newport, Rhode Island on July 10, 1863.

Author and illustrator Ruth Sanderson was born in Ware, Massachusetts on November 24, 1951. She graduated from the Paier School of Art in 1974. She has illustrated over 70 books and has written and illustrated 12 books. She has won numerous awards including the 1980 National Science Teachers Award for Five Nests, the 1992 Young Hoosier Award and the 1994 Irma S. Black Award for The Enchanted Wood, and the 2003 Texas Bluebonnet Award for The Golden Mare, The Firebird, and the Magic Ring.

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