This gift edition of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas or Account of A Visit From St. Nicholas is unlike most of the editions of the classic Christmas story in poem. It is not particularly big, just the right size for a child's hands. It does not have flashy color illustrations. While it's a hardbound book, it costs less than $10.00. It is also not attributed to Clement C. Moore, the man usually cited as the author.
The book's illustrations, beautifully rendered in black pencil by artist Matt Tavares, capture the atmosphere of a quiet Christmas Eve, suddenly interrupted by a strange noise and the arrival of St. Nick.
In a note from the illustrator at the beginning of the book, Matt Tavares explains the uncertainty about the actual author of the Christmas poem and the reasons for the decision to list the author as "Anonymous." Tavares also explains that although over the years the words of the poem have been changed, "the words in the edition you are about to read appear exactly as they did when 'Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas' was first published anonymously in the TROY SENTINEL on December 23, 1823."
The gift edition of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas or Account of A Visit From St. Nicholas is an appealing book, with smooth sturdy paper, illustrations for every verse, and an illustration of St. Nick by a candle-lit Christmas tree on the cover. Compare prices. (Candlewick Press, 2006 this format. ISBN: 9780763631185)
Additional Versions of the Christmas Classic
Jan Brett's illustrated version can be found in a picture book edition and as part of
Jan Brett's Christmas Treasury. There's an edition of
The Night Before Christmas illustrated by Mary Engelbreit. More unusual versions include:
The Night Before Christmas: A Magical Cut-Paper Edition and
The Night Before Christmas, a retelling set in Africa.
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