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The Night Before Christmas
Jan Brett's take on this Christmas classic is a visual masterpiece!
The quintessential holiday poem tells the tale of Christmas's most anticipated visitor, complete with dashing reindeer and gleaming presents. Jan Brett expands on the magical spirit of the classic poem in her beautiful imagining of the iconic story of Santa's visit (spunky elves and reindeer escapades included!).
Complete with her classic borders and detailed picturesque scenes, the board book edition of this holiday staple will be perfect for reading aloud in merry excitement.
"Another holiday keepsake from a master." - Publishers Weekly , starred review
The quintessential holiday poem tells the tale of Christmas's most anticipated visitor, complete with dashing reindeer and gleaming presents. Jan Brett expands on the magical spirit of the classic poem in her beautiful imagining of the iconic story of Santa's visit (spunky elves and reindeer escapades included!).
Complete with her classic borders and detailed picturesque scenes, the board book edition of this holiday staple will be perfect for reading aloud in merry excitement.
"Another holiday keepsake from a master." - Publishers Weekly , starred review
30 pages, Board book
Published October 13, 2020
1 person is currently reading
95 people want to read
About the author
Jan Brett
127 books1,035 followersWith over thirty three million books in print, Jan Brett is one of the nation's foremost author illustrators of children's books. Jan lives in a seacoast town in Massachusetts, close to where she grew up. During the summer her family moves to a home in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts.
As a child, Jan Brett decided to be an illustrator and spent many hours reading and drawing. She says, "I remember the special quiet of rainy days when I felt that I could enter the pages of my beautiful picture books. Now I try to recreate that feeling of believing that the imaginary place I'm drawing really exists. The detail in my work helps to convince me, and I hope others as well, that such places might be real."
As a student at the Boston Museum School, she spent hours in the Museum of Fine Arts. "It was overwhelming to see the room-size landscapes and towering stone sculptures, and then moments later to refocus on delicately embroidered kimonos and ancient porcelain," she says. "I'm delighted and surprised when fragments of these beautiful images come back to me in my painting."
Travel is also a constant inspiration. Together with her husband, Joe Hearne, who is a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Jan visits many different countries where she researches the architecture and costumes that appear in her work. "From cave paintings to Norwegian sleighs, to Japanese gardens, I study the traditions of the many countries I visit and use them as a starting point for my children's books."
--from www.janbrett.com
As a child, Jan Brett decided to be an illustrator and spent many hours reading and drawing. She says, "I remember the special quiet of rainy days when I felt that I could enter the pages of my beautiful picture books. Now I try to recreate that feeling of believing that the imaginary place I'm drawing really exists. The detail in my work helps to convince me, and I hope others as well, that such places might be real."
As a student at the Boston Museum School, she spent hours in the Museum of Fine Arts. "It was overwhelming to see the room-size landscapes and towering stone sculptures, and then moments later to refocus on delicately embroidered kimonos and ancient porcelain," she says. "I'm delighted and surprised when fragments of these beautiful images come back to me in my painting."
Travel is also a constant inspiration. Together with her husband, Joe Hearne, who is a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Jan visits many different countries where she researches the architecture and costumes that appear in her work. "From cave paintings to Norwegian sleighs, to Japanese gardens, I study the traditions of the many countries I visit and use them as a starting point for my children's books."
--from www.janbrett.com
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 11, 2021
3.5 stars.
Jan Brett's colourful and detailed illustrations accompany the classic poem. Although Brett's distinctive style is wonderful and I enjoyed the details in the borders, I didn't enjoy this quite as much as the other reindeer based story I recently read by this author, some pages were slightly overly busy and colourful but this was a nice version of this well loved tale.
Jan Brett's colourful and detailed illustrations accompany the classic poem. Although Brett's distinctive style is wonderful and I enjoyed the details in the borders, I didn't enjoy this quite as much as the other reindeer based story I recently read by this author, some pages were slightly overly busy and colourful but this was a nice version of this well loved tale.
January 1, 2021
Jan Brett's 10th Anniversary Edition of The Night Before Christmas is one of my very favorite versions of the classic story. The illustrations are amazing and this book is a joy for children and adults alike,
December 27, 2023
This was a great version of this poem. My kids loved the details on each page, especially the pets’ reactions to Santa, and finding names of loved ones among all the gift tags on the last few pages. Great book!
December 13, 2020
I love Jan Brett books. I also had a collection of “The Night Before Christmas” picture books. This one met my expectations, or maybe came slightly below expectations, given I hold Jan Brett’s illustrations in such high regard.
December 25, 2023
What a wonderful way to reimagine Clement Moore’s Victorian poem and bring it to life by retelling it with these superbly crafted illustrations full of vivid color, lavish detail, and delightful action. A perfect bedtime story to read on the night before Christmas, especially to the skeptics who don’t believe in St. Nicholas, which will make visions of sugar-plums dance in their heads. “Merry Christmas to All, and to All a Good Night.”
December 30, 2023
Jan Brett's illustrations are always impressive, but I especially love how closely she chose to follow the actual words of the poem, rather than defaulting to the most common current perceptions of Santa Claus as most illustrated adaptations of this poem do. It's a real visual treat.
December 14, 2020
Love this classic poem, beautiful illustrations.
December 14, 2023
I think this has become my favourite version of this classic. The illustrations are SO BEAUTIFUL!
December 5, 2024
#Gift1998 Illustration of one of my favorite poems. I like how Jan Brett always has a side story pictured in the margins of the pages. She has also pictured Santa as more of an elf like size.
April 7, 2025
A great read when nearing the holiday season!
November 26, 2025
1998 - HB - Children's book
December 29, 2025
My son is obsessed with this gorgeous illustrated version of the famous Clement Clarke Moore poem. Each detail has been painstakingly labored over and lovingly rendered.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews