The Night Before the Night Before Christmas

Natasha Wing usually captures the excitement and fun of each holiday that a child experiences, however this poor book is riddled with anxiety on each page. I wish she would re-write this book to capture the true magic and fun of Christmas that is known by children, we don't need a children's book that focuses on adult related worries that may go along with holiday shopping and planning.

The old classic Christmas poem, "The Night Before Christmas" is probably one of the most repeated and parodied works ever. The different versions of this poem must number into the hundreds; if not the thousands. I can remember that a group of us wrote our own version when I was in high school which was based on a "Beatnik" theme and included some very good illustrations which alas, was not appreciated one little bit by the folks who ran the school and the local PTA. (Hey, it was their loss).

Anyway, this little book is yet another and I have to tell you right now that I love this little version.

"Twas the night before the night before Christmas,
with too much to do.
Our tree wasn't up yet,
and Mom had the flu."

Let me state right now that the art work in this one is comical in nature and an absolute delight. The artist, Mike Lester has captured the spirit of this little verse and the circumstances perfectly.

"Dad tied the tree to our car.
`This will just have to do.'
Mom nodded glumly
and sneezed, `Ah-ah0CHOOO!'

We dragged in our tree
through the front door.
It dropped half its needles
all over the floor."

I think one of the reasons that this book is so appealing is that there is much truth on each page and children are able to identify with it instantly. I dare say that the sort of situations addressed here are played out in numerous households, to one extent or another, throughout the country each year.

"When he plugged in the cord,
not a single light lit.
Did we have extra bulbs?
Yes...but none of them fit."

When all is finall ready, the family enters their home only to find that the family cat has pretty well destroyed tree, decorations and all. Is Christmas ruined? Is all lost?

Of course not.

The family has the true sense of what Christmas is all about - what a lovely ending!

This one is a great group read - kids love this thing.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

My daughters teacher gave this book to each of the students for Christmas ... I had never heard of it before.

This was the most requested Christmas book, it had to be read at least five times a night - and the whole family had reading time at once (a rarity)! We laughed so much every time it was read.

Cleverly written, great illustration. This book is about everything that needs to be done before Christmas morning; how wrong things can go; and simply being together.

A new holiday classic for my family!

...this is their favorite Christmas story.

As a housewarming gift, I picked up a pair of Christmas books for my friends' children last year. This year, their mother again thanked me for "The Night Before the Night Before Christmas." It had become her kindergartener's and pre-schooler's favorite. In fact, it was the only story the pre-schooler wanted to hear.

For fun, I ordered myself a copy. It is now my favorite too. Following the cadences of "The Night Before Christmas," readers are invited along to witness a typical, loving family's Christmas challenges. Page after page of endearing illustrations will enchant readers of all ages. Not even the most dedicated Grinch can resist.

Don't wait another year to pick up this great story.

My second grader came home with this book as homework last week, and couldn't wait to read it to us. It is a funny look at all of the things we have to do to get ready for Christmas and the troubles that those things bring. My only complaint is that I really wish there was a Kindle version. I tried to buy a copy tonight and it isn't available. Maybe by next year?

This is a very cute, fun, interesting story. My kids love it, and I admit it's one of my favorite Christmas books (that we read year-round). The pictures are great, and the rhyming is perfect. You will want to read this one over and over (and it's definitely one that all parents can relate to!). But in the end, it keeps bringing home the message that Christmas isn't about all the "stuff", it's about love and family and togetherness, which is what our kids really need to know.

This twist on Clement C. Moore's Christmas poem is one that parents can really identify with! It's about all the things that can and will go wrong during Christmas preparations, like burnt cookies. Yet the spirit of the holiday wins out. My daughter really likes this book and I think it is a pleasure to read to her. I don't agree with the editorial review that it, "...scans awkwardly and does not easily lend itself to sharing aloud." I love the illustrator's style too. It's a very cute and clever book that is worth having in your Christmas library.

This book has become a holiday tradition in our house. The whole family gets a kick out of it. I rarely write reviews so the fact that I took the time to do this is evident that this is a good book and worth purchasing for your children or grandchildren, or any child you spend Dec 23 with!

My 3 year old daughter loves this book! She wants to read it every night before bed. It is a great story of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season set to the night before Christmas. Short and easy for the little ones to understand. I have also purchased this as a gift and they loved it as well!

We love this book. My three year old daughter loves the story and illustrations as do I. It also hits home as a parent during this frantic time of seeming unbridled avarice. Love is the best gift of all. Buy this book today and snuggle up with the ones you love for a hilarious spin on the classic poem. Happy Holidays!

This book was a Christmas gift from my daughter's kindergarten's teacher, and I'm so glad she picked this one for us. The kids (3 and 5) loved it, and I laughed so hard, I could hardly read the story! I plan on looking for more books by this author. My kids have a good home library, but not many of the books are *funny*, and I think it takes a special writer to create humor that appeals to both kids and adults.

I purchased this on here after reading the reviews, and oh my gosh - this book is HILARIOUS! We laughed our heads off as we read! I highly recommend this - the pictures are funny and the storyline is a comic twist on the classic Night Before Christmas story, by Clement Moore. This is definitely one of my favourite picks for this Christmas season from the stack of books we purchased on here! I will be bringing it to our family reunion during the holidays, as I know the rest of the family will get a kick out of it! I highly recommend this truly delightful book - you will laugh!