The night before Christmas /

Ages 3-8. Primitive style illustrations aptly carry the mood of one of the season's most popular poems. For presentations with an ethic influence introduce What a Morning! The Christmas Story in Black Spirituals and Ann Tompert's The Silver Whistle, set in Mexico.

Like Whatley (see above), Tudor also whisks readers to New England, this time to a quiet spot in early-19th-century Vermont. Her cozy, nostalgic watercolor scenes, often lit by candle or roaring fire, are viewed as if through a large oval peephole. Loose ink lines and slightly hazy figures succeed in creating an aura of holiday fantasy. A spunky, elfin Saint Nicholas, a menagerie of perky pets (including the corgis, of course) and a very busy family of mice partying beneath the floorboards add a sense of fun. All ages. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

PreS Up‘A very pretty but essentially traditional rendering of the familiar holiday poem. Warm colors dominate the palette with golden browns that glow in the interior scenes and cool blues for the snow and night sky. Although the scenes are beautiful, the people are stiff, with hard faces and uncomfortable positions; even the sleeping children don't look restful. There are so many other versions of the poem available with their own marks of graphic originality, such as Ted Rand's illustrated version (North-South, 1995) or The Grandma Moses Night Before Christmas (Random, 1991), that they make this an unnecessary purchase. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.