The Story
The classic Christmas poem The Night Before Christmas is an important part of the American Christmas tradition. Legend states that Clement Clarke Moore wrote it as a Christmas gift for his children and that he did not wish it to be published, however, a family member sent in anonymously to the Troy Sentinel who published it on December 23, 1923. The poem was an instant success and has since been reproduced in nearly every medium available to man.
At publication, the poem was anonymous, a common practice among writers at the time who did not want their readers to think they were too frivolous. As a result, no one was too surprised when Clement Clarke Moore stepped forward, claimed it as his poem, and included it in a book of his own verse. He said he had not claimed it before because it was embarrassing to him that a ‘mere trifle’ of his could become so popular.
In 2000, Don Foster, a professor at Vassar, wrote an article for the New York Times that claimed that Clement Clark Moore was not the author but rather it was written by a Henry Livingston Jr., a Dutchman who lived in Poughkeepsie, New York during the 1800’s. However, since there are no original handwritten signed copies of the poem, we may never know who the original author was. What we do know is that the poem is an enduring classic that enchants people the world over.
The Illustrations
Gennady Spirin’s illustrations provide a beautiful counterpoint to the beloved text. His illustrations are rich and detailed. Rather than portraying the speaker as an adult (as suggested by the text and often illustrated as such by other artists), he illustrates the speaker as a child, which allows him to indulge in the open-eyed-awe that an encounter with Santa Claus would produce.
The illustrations are a combination of shadow and magic. When the speaker looks out the window, we see the cherubic face of a child and above his head; we see the wonderful shadow of a reindeer. When the sleigh lands on the roof, we see its bulk above the tracery of tree-branch shadows. When Santa enters the house, he fills the frame with his girth and Spirin treats us to a Victorian style portrait of his face.
In Conclusion
For those who love Clement Clark Moore’s poem and wish to have a Christmas tradition of reading the poem The Night Before Christmas, Gennady Spirin’s book is an excellent choice.
For another good Christmas picture book, try Cricket at the Manger.
To read other children’s picture books illustrated by Spirin, read Jack and the Beanstalk.
Spirin, Gennady. The Night Before Christmas. Marshall Cavendish Children, 2006. ISBN 978-0-7614-5298-0
