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A review by sarahcvo
The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore
4.0
This review is for the 2020 edition illustrated by Loren Long.
I really liked the creative choices Long made here. He depicts Santa visiting four different homes (a farmhouse, a city apartment, a trailer in a trailer park, and a house in a tropical climate), and includes diversity of skin colors, socioeconomic status, family configurations, and ability (one child is in a wheelchair). There are so many fun details to find and compare, such as what treats are left for Santa and the ornaments on the trees at each house. I also appreciated that one family appeared to be interfaith - there was a Hanukkiah on the fireplace mantel next to a Nativity scene, they put sufganiyot instead of cookies on a plate, and Santa brought dreidels in his sack. And Long's Santa is different from traditional depictions; for, as he points out in his author's note, the text refers to "a little old driver", a "miniature sleigh" and "tiny reindeer." So here, Santa is short and round, like a true "jolly old elf." The endpapers are also great, as they provide prologue and epilogue to the story. Overall, a beautiful book.
Update: toddler loves this book, too!
I really liked the creative choices Long made here. He depicts Santa visiting four different homes (a farmhouse, a city apartment, a trailer in a trailer park, and a house in a tropical climate), and includes diversity of skin colors, socioeconomic status, family configurations, and ability (one child is in a wheelchair). There are so many fun details to find and compare, such as what treats are left for Santa and the ornaments on the trees at each house. I also appreciated that one family appeared to be interfaith - there was a Hanukkiah on the fireplace mantel next to a Nativity scene, they put sufganiyot instead of cookies on a plate, and Santa brought dreidels in his sack. And Long's Santa is different from traditional depictions; for, as he points out in his author's note, the text refers to "a little old driver", a "miniature sleigh" and "tiny reindeer." So here, Santa is short and round, like a true "jolly old elf." The endpapers are also great, as they provide prologue and epilogue to the story. Overall, a beautiful book.
Update: toddler loves this book, too!