The Night Before Christmas

October 1, 2003
Anita Lobel's 1984 rendering of Clement C. Moore's The Night Before Christmas is reissued in a small, hand-size hardcover edition. The New York City setting-inspired by Lobel's former home in Brooklyn-supplies a unique urban appeal.

September 1, 2021
Following in a hoary tradition, another artist sets his work to Moore's classic Christmas poem. A modern home is the setting for this rendition. A dog sleeps curled up in the hallway beside boots, children's drawings, and a shovel, all backlit by the lights of a Christmas tree. A Christmas elf sits on the mantle above the stockings along with a portrait of a hooded woman holding a glowing star. The White family lies sleeping until the male narrator is awoken by the clatter from outdoors. He and the dog rush to the window and share the magical moment of spotting Santa driving his reindeer. They watch as Santa lands in the fireplace, distributes toys, and sits with his pipe and enjoys cookies before shooting back up the chimney and flying off into the night. The illustrations use saturated color, sharp lines, and bright highlights for an animation-style sheen. Close-ups of Santa depict a round, pink-faced, blue-eyed man who will appear jolly to some readers, unsettling to others. With an opening scene that's familiar (to White, middle-class readers) and pets and mice sprinkled throughout, this visual tale will delight those who like to pair classic texts with more modern settings. Those contemporary trappings aside, this book's sensibilities are in tune with the original text's times. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Cozy fun for the right audience. (Picture book. 4-8)

COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2020
First published in 1984, Lobel's interpretation of Moore's classic poem is soothing and peaceful. Dramatically moonlit views of a snow-covered city streetscape give way to richly colored, cozy interior scenes of a turn-of-the-twentieth-century brownstone. We get glimpses of family members sleeping snug in their quilt-covered beds; we see family portraits (one of which bears a strong resemblance to Arnold Lobel) on the walls; a fireplace hung with stockings; a Christmas tree adorned with candles. The only face shown is Santa's, as that traditionally portrayed gent goes about his toy-delivering business. A gorgeous aerial view of the Brooklyn Bridge completes the book. Martha V. Parravano

(Copyright 2020 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)