The Night Before Christmas
This revved-up version of the classic poem follows St. Nick on his much anticipated journey around the Big Blue Marble and ends with an exclusive interview with the jolly-maker, himself. Watson's cast of elves, along with the ultimate aviator, flying his unique high-and-low-tech sleigh, make this New York Times bestseller a favorite holiday read.
This book was set in Port Townsend, where Dasher, Dancer, Prancer and team flew over every rooftop. St. Nick did a fly-by of our 125 year-old courthouse, syncing his watch with the time on the clocktower.
I used my father as inspiration, since he was an early aviator and built experimental airplanes in the 1920s. Using bailing wire, Harley Davidson motorcycle engines and hand-carved propellers, Dad made and then test-flew the contraptions himself. My father had thirteen crash landings. After his last crash my mother informed him it was either planes or her.
St. Nick's cockpit is equipped with an espresso maker to aid in his epic globe trot, along with Mrs. Claus' honey-do shopping list. Read more about the technology in the Q & A at the end of the book.
I made the model “Polaris” to boost the project into reality— crafted with papier mache and found-objects. Having a model helped me visualize light and shadow on the shapes of the vessel
As you can see my first interview with Santa made me pretty nervous, but it inspired me to make my own rocket control panel on a black board. I loved drawing dials, gages and things that a pilot might need.
Santa’s advance team of hot shot alpinist elves prepare the chimney for St. Nick’s decent, followed by the inside crew to vacuum off the soot.
Book Reviews:
New York Times Bestseller List—Top ten children’s books
Starred Review**”There’s fanciful magic in Watson’s version, which features almost photo-realistic paintings of Santa and his wild, mechanical sleigh: one of the most amusing spreads shows the sleigh’s cockpit dashboard, complete with an “Elf Com” button and a hot-beverage dispenser. A team of diverse elves helps with the work, from dusting the chimney soot from Santa to overseeing present distribution with a tiny megaphone. Full of wonder, whimsy, and cheer, this easily earns a place on crowded holiday shelves.” Gillian Engberg American Library Association Booklist
“…Watson presents a modern, hip, and playful version of the classic poem with Santa cruising in a rocket-ship-style sleigh into an ordinary American ‘50s town, dressed like a biplane aviator. …Watson’s imaginative style, dynamic composition, and use of perspective are stunning and exciting… His use of blue hues in the realistic tempera-and-watercolor paintings makes one feel the chill of the night, while bright, warm patterns convey the coziness of three children snuggled in bed under their traditional American quilt. An additional bonus is the appended tongue-in-cheek interview between St. Nick and Watson…” Maureen Wade, Los Angeles Public Library School Library Journal
_________________________________________________________________________________The Night Before Christmas, by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Richard Jesse Watson
HarperCollins 2008 ISBN10:0060757442 ISBN13:9780060757441
Friends and family posed as elves, each wearing turned up shoes, inspired by traditional Eastern European opanci dance shoes.
My extraordinary editor, Maria Modugno, posing as one of the elves.