Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
Boston : Houghton Mifflin, [2005], c1912.
Description
Everyone knows the famous words: "'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house . . ." Clement C. Moore's famous poem was written in 1822 and has been a holiday classic ever since. This edition, with gorgeous illustrations by Jessie Willcox Smith, was first published in 1912 and is considered by many to be the definitive version of the story.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Cynical_Ames
Still awesome.
*Re-read.
*Re-read.
LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
'Twas the Night Before Christmas, illustrated by Jessie Willcox Smith.
Clement C. Moore's delightful Christmas poem, chronicling a visit from jolly old St. Nicholas on Christmas Eve night, is here presented with the artwork of celebrated late 19th/early 20th-century illustrator Jessie Willcox Smith,
This particular presentation of this classic poem, with Smith's illustrations, was apparently first published in 1912 - the poem itself first saw print in 1823 - although this reprint was done recently, in 2014. Long familiar with Smith's illustrations for various classic novels - Heidi, At the Back of the North Wind, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm - I think 'Twas the Night Before Christmas: A Visit from St. Nicholas is my first picture-book from her. Of the five illustrated versions of the poem that I have read in recent years, it ranks up there with the one by Charles Santore (my personal favorite), despite being in an entirely different style. The presentation and artwork here are old-fashioned (the poem itself has the original line about settling "our brains for a long winter's nap") but appealing. Recommended to anyone looking for a traditional presentation of this poem, as well as to fans of Jessie Willcox Smith.
Clement C. Moore's delightful Christmas poem, chronicling a visit from jolly old St. Nicholas on Christmas Eve night, is here presented with the artwork of celebrated late 19th/early 20th-century illustrator Jessie Willcox Smith,
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and the result is charming! The illustrations vary in their kind - sometimes they consist of decorative first letters and small black and white drawings; sometimes they are full-color page illustrations, paired with a stanza of text on the facing page; and once, there is a glorious two-page depiction of St. Nicholas landing on the snowy rooftop in his sleigh - but they are all lovely.This particular presentation of this classic poem, with Smith's illustrations, was apparently first published in 1912 - the poem itself first saw print in 1823 - although this reprint was done recently, in 2014. Long familiar with Smith's illustrations for various classic novels - Heidi, At the Back of the North Wind, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm - I think 'Twas the Night Before Christmas: A Visit from St. Nicholas is my first picture-book from her. Of the five illustrated versions of the poem that I have read in recent years, it ranks up there with the one by Charles Santore (my personal favorite), despite being in an entirely different style. The presentation and artwork here are old-fashioned (the poem itself has the original line about settling "our brains for a long winter's nap") but appealing. Recommended to anyone looking for a traditional presentation of this poem, as well as to fans of Jessie Willcox Smith.
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Language
Original publication date
1823
Physical description
21 cm
ISBN
9780618615100