The Night Before Christmas
Illustrated by Richard Jesse Watson

Summary

'Twas the night before Christmas,
when all through the house
not a creature was stirring,
not even a mouse.

These familiar words have never before been illustrated with such style. Magnificent paintings by American artist Richard Jesse Watson infuse traditional images with pizzazz and flair. From cozy interiors to snowy landscapes, each scene is packed with the details of Christmas. Watch for the remarkable cast of elves who populate these pages. Best of all, see Santa Claus himself as you've never seen him before, complete with an exclusive interview.

Spilling over with all the joy and generosity of the season, here is an edition of Clement C. Moore's classic Christmas poem that is perfect for families of today. Ho! Ho! Ho!

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Praise

"PreS Up—Watson presents a modern, hip, and playful version of the classic poem with Santa cruising in a rocket-ship-style sleigh into an ordinary American '50s town, dressed like a biplane aviator. Multicultural elves, including one with dreadlocks and carrying a boom box and another in an Asian jacket carrying an origami paper crane, decorate the text side of each spread. Watson's imaginative style, dynamic composition, and use of perspective are stunning and exciting, and call to mind Chris Van Allsburg's work. His use of blue hues in the realistic tempera-and-watercolor paintings makes one feel the chill of the night, while bright, warm patterns convey the coziness of three children snuggled in bed under their traditional American quilt. An additional bonus is the appended tongue-in-cheek interview between St. Nick and Watson where readers learn about how Santa got his reindeer and his customized Polaris sleigh. This imaginative version will be great for booktalks, storytime, and bedtime."
— Maureen Wade, The School Library Journal Los Angeles Public Library (Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

*Starred Review* "There's fanciful magic in Watson's version, which features almost photo-realistic paintings of Santa and his wild, mechanical sleigh: one of the most amusing spreads shows the sleigh's cockpit dashboard, complete with an "Elf Com" button and a hot-beverage dispenser. A team of diverse elves (or gnomes?) helps with the work, from dusting the chimney soot from Santa to overseeing present distribution with a tiny megaphone. Full of wonder, whimsy, and cheer, this easily earns a place on the crowded holiday shelves."
— Gillian Engberg, Booklist (Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved)

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