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The Night Before New Year's
The Night Before New Years by Wing, Natasha. Published by Grosset & Dunlap,2009, Binding: Paperback
Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
About the author
Natasha Wing
74 books137 followersWhy am I a writer? When I was a young girl, I wanted to be a teacher. I’d line up my stuffed animals in front of a board and teach them the alphabet and how to count. In high school I wanted to be a tennis player. I was on the tennis team, and played at our neighborhood tennis club. Then in college I thought digging dinosaur bones would be a cool job. It wasn’t until I was working at my own public relations agency that I decided I really wanted to write children’s books. I was so inspired by the magic of reading a book that I wanted to see if my active imagination could create magical moments for kids all over the world. I started to write, then sent my stories to publishers, and sold my first manuscript in 1992. I’ve been writing ever since.
Why I write now.
I love the freedom of being my own boss, of coming up with ideas on my own and writing that first draft to see if my idea has any spark. I’m not so crazy about the revising process although there are thrilling moments when I figure out a better way to say something, or when I nail dialog, or work through a complicated plot line. The most exciting moment is when an editor says they want to publish my manuscript. Then I know all my hard work has paid off, and that soon, children will enter my imaginative world through a book.
Why I write now.
I love the freedom of being my own boss, of coming up with ideas on my own and writing that first draft to see if my idea has any spark. I’m not so crazy about the revising process although there are thrilling moments when I figure out a better way to say something, or when I nail dialog, or work through a complicated plot line. The most exciting moment is when an editor says they want to publish my manuscript. Then I know all my hard work has paid off, and that soon, children will enter my imaginative world through a book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
December 31, 2017
In the vein of the Night Before Christmas. Most of the rhyme is fresh and there are pages where she copies the original which I guess.
The art was fun and the story was good. There aren't many stories about New Year's Eve. My kids now want to stay up till midnight and we are all like - no way, wait till next year. they enjoyed all the things you get to do for New Year's. They wanted to have a shopping day like in the book to decorate for New Year's.
A Fun little book.
The art was fun and the story was good. There aren't many stories about New Year's Eve. My kids now want to stay up till midnight and we are all like - no way, wait till next year. they enjoyed all the things you get to do for New Year's. They wanted to have a shopping day like in the book to decorate for New Year's.
A Fun little book.
January 4, 2020
I was pleasantly surprised by this one, because I was disappointed with the others in the series that I've read. I round the rhymes and writing to be weak and wish she had diverged from Twas the Night Before Christmas. It's too easy to base your rhymes on someone else's work; I like when she structures new rhymes and sentences and doesn't just copy the original word for word, because that isn't right.
The illustrations are colorful and cute and draw your eye. I liked the story and the content and the activities the family did. It's a good learning experience for kids on what New Years is and what you do to celebrate it.
I really liked her rhymes this time for the most part.
"'Twas the last day of December,
what we call New Year's Eve.
A whole year had flown by,
it was hard to believe."
"We cheered, "Out with the old,
and in with the new!""
I didn't like the instances where she used the original words verbatim. I have a real problem with ripping it off completely.
"A banner was hung by the ceiling with care. In hopes that Baby New Year soon would be there."
They noticed it was quiet as a mouse. They sprang from the couch to see what was the matter. And then "When what to our wondering eyes should appear." The kids snuggled in their beds with visions of fireworks dancing in their heads. I was irritated that so much of the original was reused and want her to come up with her own lines.
They bought decorations, banners, horns, and confetti, and put them up in the house. They gave a toast at supper and said New Years resolutions. I was disappointed the two boys fell asleep before midnight because they meant to take a short nap but ended up sleeping the rest of the night. But it gave the older boy the resolution to stay up next year, so at least he finally had a resolution. Overall I think I enjoyed this one the most out of her series.
The illustrations are colorful and cute and draw your eye. I liked the story and the content and the activities the family did. It's a good learning experience for kids on what New Years is and what you do to celebrate it.
I really liked her rhymes this time for the most part.
"'Twas the last day of December,
what we call New Year's Eve.
A whole year had flown by,
it was hard to believe."
"We cheered, "Out with the old,
and in with the new!""
I didn't like the instances where she used the original words verbatim. I have a real problem with ripping it off completely.
"A banner was hung by the ceiling with care. In hopes that Baby New Year soon would be there."
They noticed it was quiet as a mouse. They sprang from the couch to see what was the matter. And then "When what to our wondering eyes should appear." The kids snuggled in their beds with visions of fireworks dancing in their heads. I was irritated that so much of the original was reused and want her to come up with her own lines.
They bought decorations, banners, horns, and confetti, and put them up in the house. They gave a toast at supper and said New Years resolutions. I was disappointed the two boys fell asleep before midnight because they meant to take a short nap but ended up sleeping the rest of the night. But it gave the older boy the resolution to stay up next year, so at least he finally had a resolution. Overall I think I enjoyed this one the most out of her series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2014
Want the perfect book to help ring in the New Year? Well look no further. This story is written in rhyme and includes you in this family's preparations to celebrate the happy event. They decorate their home, buy sparklers, streamers, and party hats, gorge on homemade cupcakes, and play games that the whole family can participate in and enjoy.
The little ones are allowed in on the festivities but do you think they can stay awake until that clock starts chiming in the new year? They start looking kind of droopy and tired as the evening progresses...will they make it?
This is a fun story for beginner readers and a winner as a read-aloud. The illustrations are bright and colourful with lots of detail and pizzaz. The illustrator captures the expressions of the family members perfectly, especially of the child who gets to eat three whole cupcakes! Heavenly. I am sure this is a book you will want to add to your holiday collection!
The little ones are allowed in on the festivities but do you think they can stay awake until that clock starts chiming in the new year? They start looking kind of droopy and tired as the evening progresses...will they make it?
This is a fun story for beginner readers and a winner as a read-aloud. The illustrations are bright and colourful with lots of detail and pizzaz. The illustrator captures the expressions of the family members perfectly, especially of the child who gets to eat three whole cupcakes! Heavenly. I am sure this is a book you will want to add to your holiday collection!
December 31, 2015
Okay. Set up like Twas the Night Before Christmas; good for its age group (preschoolers).
January 5, 2020
This was pretty cute overall. I liked the originality of the rhymes for New Years, and I think it captured the holiday well.
Some lines are too similar to the night before Christmas.
Ex.:
'A banner was hung by the ceiling with care in hopes that Baby New Year soon would be there.'
'There was no sound of barking, no little-boy chatter. So we sprang from the couch to see what was the matter.'
'When what to our wondering eyes should appear, but two party poopers - Make that three now, oh dear.'
I did like the end of the sentence though.
The kid looked comical on the last page, with his finger pointing and his hat on, saying his resolution is to stay up next New Year's Eve.
I was reading the back cover after I finished, and noticed it said a brother and sister,& I was like wait what? I thought it was two boys. I flipped back in the book, sure they said it was a boy, and I was right. 'My brother and I went upstairs for a five-minute nap.'
'My brother chased our puppy.'
Definitely no sister in here. That's a pretty big mistake. Then I thought is the older sibling supposed to be a boy? So I flipped back through and it didn't look like a boy at all, with that short hair and clothing, except for the page where they're outside and the kid is wearing a pink jacket. Otherwise the kid didn't resemble a girl at all.
Some lines are too similar to the night before Christmas.
Ex.:
'A banner was hung by the ceiling with care in hopes that Baby New Year soon would be there.'
'There was no sound of barking, no little-boy chatter. So we sprang from the couch to see what was the matter.'
'When what to our wondering eyes should appear, but two party poopers - Make that three now, oh dear.'
I did like the end of the sentence though.
The kid looked comical on the last page, with his finger pointing and his hat on, saying his resolution is to stay up next New Year's Eve.
I was reading the back cover after I finished, and noticed it said a brother and sister,& I was like wait what? I thought it was two boys. I flipped back in the book, sure they said it was a boy, and I was right. 'My brother and I went upstairs for a five-minute nap.'
'My brother chased our puppy.'
Definitely no sister in here. That's a pretty big mistake. Then I thought is the older sibling supposed to be a boy? So I flipped back through and it didn't look like a boy at all, with that short hair and clothing, except for the page where they're outside and the kid is wearing a pink jacket. Otherwise the kid didn't resemble a girl at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 6, 2022
Cute book of a family holding out for the big moment of the year, when we introduce the new year.
December 30, 2020
Cute for storytime and it follows Moore's The Night Before Christmas.
February 16, 2019
The art is beautiful
November 27, 2017
This is a book for a younger age group (maybe ages 4-8) and the format reminded me of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. The rhymes make it a fun read and children can relate to wanting to stay up until midnight see in the New Year. Great bedtime story for this time of year.
May 5, 2016
The genre of this book is a picture book. I think the intended audience for this book is for ages 4 to 8 years of age. The book is told using rhyme and details one boy's mission to stay up until midnight for New Year's Eve. While he tries to stay awake with his family, both him, his brother, and his dog, are unable to keep their eyes open until midnight and fall asleep early. I gave this book a 4 because I thought it was very engaging and well told. The plot was simple but enjoyable. I liked that the text and language were told using rhyming, because I think it kept the story engaging and interesting. I thought the pictures were good. The illustrations were realistic in nature which I think helps children connect and relate to a story or book. I liked that the story contained more than one character. It was told in the first person which was effective and it did a good job of staying engaging and interesting throughout the text. I think a book like this could be used to teach children about holidays. It could also be useful in teaching children about families and perhaps about family traditions. I think this book would be appealing to young readers because a lot of kids want to stay up for New Year's and thus it is relatable and as a result children may more easily connect with the story.
November 20, 2009
A cute story about a brother and sister who try their hardest to stay up till midnight on New Years' eve!.
January 14, 2015
4.5 stars
Read
December 28, 2016This was a fun book similar to the popular Christmas story.
The kids enjoyed the rhyming text.
The kids enjoyed the rhyming text.
December 24, 2022
Some parties are worth staying up late for.
New Year’s Eve tends to be an adult-oriented holiday, so I was curious to see how certain traditions from it would be reimagined for preschoolers. Ms. Wing did a wonderful job of explaining what grown-ups do to ring in the new year and how kids can join in on the festivities by drinking sparkling juice or playing with noisemakers. One of my favorite scenes happened early on when the entire family went to a party supply store to buy festive hats, horns, and other stuff for their party. It was such an exciting moment for the main character as he continued to figure out this holiday.
It would have been nice to have a little more plot development. For example, I would have liked to know if this family follows any of the superstitions about what one should or shouldn’t do on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day like ensuring their home was clean and their fridge was filled with food to bring them good luck for the next year. There was a lot of space to include little things like this, and I would have gone with a full five-star rating if they had been.
I adored the warm relationships between the parents and kids in this picture book. Both of the parents were tuned into the needs of their children and did everything they could to ensure their entire family had a wonderful New Year’s Eve celebration at home together. The kids’ excitement for this tradition was adorable and contagious. They were just barely old enough to understand why it’s a special day, so their occasional misunderstandings of what one usually does to ring in the new year were as amusing for readers as they were for their patient parents.
The Night Before New Year’s was a sweet and heartwarming read.
New Year’s Eve tends to be an adult-oriented holiday, so I was curious to see how certain traditions from it would be reimagined for preschoolers. Ms. Wing did a wonderful job of explaining what grown-ups do to ring in the new year and how kids can join in on the festivities by drinking sparkling juice or playing with noisemakers. One of my favorite scenes happened early on when the entire family went to a party supply store to buy festive hats, horns, and other stuff for their party. It was such an exciting moment for the main character as he continued to figure out this holiday.
It would have been nice to have a little more plot development. For example, I would have liked to know if this family follows any of the superstitions about what one should or shouldn’t do on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day like ensuring their home was clean and their fridge was filled with food to bring them good luck for the next year. There was a lot of space to include little things like this, and I would have gone with a full five-star rating if they had been.
I adored the warm relationships between the parents and kids in this picture book. Both of the parents were tuned into the needs of their children and did everything they could to ensure their entire family had a wonderful New Year’s Eve celebration at home together. The kids’ excitement for this tradition was adorable and contagious. They were just barely old enough to understand why it’s a special day, so their occasional misunderstandings of what one usually does to ring in the new year were as amusing for readers as they were for their patient parents.
The Night Before New Year’s was a sweet and heartwarming read.
May 4, 2026
Hi everybody. I am back with a new update.
This book is about a girl named Natasha. It’s about the
Night before New Year’s.
In the beginning they were putting away their Christmas
Decorations. It was on New Years Eve.
In the middle they were outside. They were getting fresh
Air in the snow.
In the end it was daylight. It was New Years Day.
I hope everybody had a good day. I will be back with the
Next update I’m not sure when.
Bye for now.
This book is about a girl named Natasha. It’s about the
Night before New Year’s.
In the beginning they were putting away their Christmas
Decorations. It was on New Years Eve.
In the middle they were outside. They were getting fresh
Air in the snow.
In the end it was daylight. It was New Years Day.
I hope everybody had a good day. I will be back with the
Next update I’m not sure when.
Bye for now.
April 30, 2020
I didn't like the illustrations in this book as much as i did others. But a happy book for new years but i do not think your child will like this book and remember it for the rest of there life. This book is nothing special that i think you would need to buy it. That is why i give it a two star rating.
September 5, 2023
Join a family on New Year's Eve in this cute book. I love Natasha Wing's books and have pretty much all of them. They are really great, and wonderful to amp up the holiday spirit. I hope you like them as much as I do! Thank you so much for reading! Follow @bronteandwilder on Instagram for more fun book recommendations
January 14, 2024
I loved this. I used this book for the first book in my New Year's storytime and I realized that the verse was styled in the same way as The Night Before Christmas, which made it easy to say out loud.
February 22, 2024
I enjoyed this; the second book I’ve read from this series. Informative but family oriented. Rhyming. Follows along the traditional “Twas the Night Before Christmas” text similarly. Fun, colorful illustrations.
July 15, 2024
7/12/24: This was a cute story that was read to my grandchild. They liked it for sure. It was a strange time of year to read, but they really don't care about that. I liked the trying to stay up of young kids, we, as adults, don't always make it to the new year tbh.
December 21, 2018
This is a fantastic book for a New Years themed storytime. I like how the book rhymes and the words are very simple for little ears to understand.
December 31, 2018
Cute spin off of the night before Christmas.
January 10, 2019
This book was TERRIBLE!!!! It didn't even follow the rhythm. MY poem was SO much better. >:(
If I had kids I would educate them WAY better.
Ugh.
~Junomes
If I had kids I would educate them WAY better.
Ugh.
~Junomes
November 26, 2019
This is a fun take on the Night Before Christmas. It touches on recalling the past year, the American tradition of watching the crowd in Times Square, and the struggle of making it to midnight.
January 2, 2020
This is my favorite of Natasha Wings' "The Night Before" books! It is so creative and reminds me so much of home.
March 17, 2020
set to the rhythm of Twas the Night Before Christmas, two children try to stay up through New Year's Eve. Cute. Preschool and up
November 12, 2020
A nice one time read.
December 23, 2020
Got this for my almost 3-year-old nephew and he will be so excited to read along with mom and dad. The story went quickly, and the illustrations were very cute.
December 29, 2020
There aren't too many good New Year's or New Year's Eve picture books for kids...this one is good if kids are allowed to stay up to midnight on New Year's Eve. A bit clunky in places with the rhymes, but overall OK.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews