Night Before Christmas

Clement C. Moore (1779–1863), an American scholar and poet, first wrote “The Night Before Christmas” in 1822 to entertain his children. A friend submitted it to a local newspaper, the Troy Sentinel, where it was published on December 23, 1823. Moore’s delightful description of St. Nicholas and his eight flying reindeer has since become the definitive portrait of Santa Claus.Loren Long is the illustrator of the New York Times bestselling picture book Love by Matt de la Pena, as well as the author-illustrator of Otis, Otis and the Tornado, Otis and the Puppy, An Otis Christmas, and Otis and the Scarecrow. He is the #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator of President Barack Obama’s picture book Of Thee I Sing and the reillustrated edition of The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper. He lives in Ohio. To learn more, please visit www.lorenlong.com.

"A visual treatment of an old poem that’s both nostalgic and fresh...Bring this one ho-ho-home. " — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)Readers see a diverse quartet of families asleep in their beds on Christmas Eve and view Santa soaring through the sky to deliver presents to each abode. The eclectic architecture, décor, holiday decorations, family configurations, and pet menageries shape a welcoming and inclusive portrait of Christmas Eve peace, wonder, and anticipation. — Publishers Weekly (starred review)Long’s inclusive take on Moore’s poem focuses on four different families in four diverse dwellings....Details in the warm and expansive acrylic and colored-pencil illustrations clearly delineate each setting as well as draw viewers in and keep them riveted. — Horn Book (starred review)