The Night Before the Night Before Christmas
by Natasha Wing
illustrated by Mike Lester
Date: 2002
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library
It's December 23, and Christmas is just around the corner. But one family is having trouble getting its act together. Once again, Natasha Wing follows the rhythms and meter of Clement Moore's classic Christmas poem, yet gives it her own entirely original twist.
(synopsis from Goodreads)
Yes, I know I'm reviewing a Christmas book in the middle of January. Shut up.
I take issue with the synopsis saying that "Wing follows the rhythms and meter of Clement Moore's classic Christmas poem". The rhythms, maybe. The meter? No. Some sections are so clunky that they'd be next to impossible to read aloud without tripping over your own tongue. There are parts that have too many syllables, others that have too few... and in both cases, the flow suffers.
The story of a harried lead-up to Christmas is relatable, but some parts of it just weren't believable: i.e. Patrick. The kid is drawn as a baby, most likely too young to even walk. And yet, he's some sort of wunderkind who can whine: "But I want to see Santa." The fact that he promptly pees on the jolly old man just further proves that he's a baby... so his grammar is ridiculously advanced for someone his age.
The pictures are just okay. They're colourful, but kind of rough in places.
I think I like the idea for this book more than the execution. Oh, well. At least I don't have to worry about getting on the wait list at the library for this book next December!
Premise: 3/5
Meter: 2/5
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 2/5
Originality: 3/5
Enjoyment: 2/5
Overall: 2.29 out of 5
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