Robert Sabuda's The Night Before Christmas

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Overview

Award winner Robert Sabuda brings Clement Clarke Moore's classic tale of The Night Before Christmas to life in this festive pop-up edition, sure to become a perennial family favorite.

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More About This Book

Overview

Award winner Robert Sabuda brings Clement Clarke Moore's classic tale of The Night Before Christmas to life in this festive pop-up edition, sure to become a perennial family favorite.

Read More Show Less

Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble
The Barnes & Noble Review
Robert Sabuda, the master of pop-ups, has again returned with a Christmas book that's simply breathtaking. This time, he's engineered Clement Clarke Moore's beloved classic holiday poem, The Night Before Christmas.

In six luxurious spreads, with flaps that hide even more pop-ups, Sabuda has brought St. Nick's Christmas Eve visit to life. Each of the spreads has a strong matte-colored background, with pop-ups that effectively use stark white in combination with primary colors, reminiscent of his popular The Christmas Alphabet. With the opening line, " 'Twas the night before Christmas...," a clock unfolds, revealing a mouse springing to life and the clock's hands moving to midnight. Open the flap, and three little mice sleeping in bed have wheels turning behind their heads, showing "visions of sugarplums" dancing in their heads. Other impressive pop-ups include a team of eight reindeer jumping out of the page toward the reader with Santa in tow, a flap that shows St. Nick coming down the chimney with a bound, and the finale: A little white and powder-blue town unfolds, with a pull-tab that lets Kris Kringle sail merrily through the clouds overhead.

If you loved Sabuda's previous work, including The Wizard of Oz, you'll adore this new Christmas treasure. The pop-ups themselves are bold and amazing, using movements that impress with each turn of the page. Ideal for gift giving to anyone who appreciates paper engineering and stunning artwork, The Night Before Christmas will knock your stockings off just in time to hang them on the mantel. One not to miss. Matt Warner

Publishers Weekly
Those wishing to give the holiday some gleeful pop need look no further than Sabuda's (The 12 Days of Christmas; The Christmas Alphabet) latest marvel of intricate paper engineering. In a slight twist, a tiny mouse family, tucked in and dreaming of shimmering sweets, wakens to sleigh-and-reindeer clatter. In Sabuda's signature style, a rainbow of solid-colored panels comprises the backgrounds, giving contrast to the white (save for St. Nick's suit) three-dimensional constructions. The pop-up of Santa's reindeer dramatically leaping toward readers is a stunner. All ages. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
School Library Journal
K Up-Ingenious paper engineering sets off the well-known poem to fresh advantage in this arresting presentation. With his signature use of white paper and flaps revealing movable parts and pop-ups, Sabuda offers surprises on every page. A mouse watches the big hand of a clock strike midnight, the team of reindeer plunges dramatically toward readers, Santa's feet are seen springing up from the fireplace an instant before his head emerges from the chimney. In the final scene, an entire village, all in white, stands up on the page and, with the pull of a tab, Santa's sleigh streaks across a starlit sky. As with The Christmas Alphabet (Orchard, 1994), clever techniques, original design, and a unique graphic style set this work apart from most movable books. Due to its fragile nature, libraries may wish to keep it for displays, storytimes, and as an example of the pop-up at its most striking, rather than for circulation.-S. P. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780689838996
  • Publisher: Little Simon
  • Publication date: 10/1/2002
  • Pages: 12
  • Age range: 4 - 8 Years
  • Product dimensions: 8.40 (w) x 8.50 (h) x 1.40 (d)

Meet the Author

Robert Sabuda
Robert Sabuda
Children's book creator and pop-up book pioneer Robert Sabuda is a master at making both classic and original stories come to life, from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland to his own magical Winter's Tale.

Biography

Pop-up books are true oddities of children's publishing. They are charmingly quaint and old-fashioned, yet eternally popular. They've been around for ages, but precious few creative souls set out to become pop-up artists. This, however, is not the case with Robert Sabuda, who seems to have been born to make pop-up books.

Sabuda made his first step toward becoming one of the most ingenious pop-up artists in contemporary publishing as a very young child. He grew up in a household where books were held in the highest regard and reading was always encouraged. He has fond memories of being read to by his mother when he was a little boy. Sabuda's first encounter with a pop-up book occurred in a dentist office. Anxious about his appointment, young Robert's mother read a pop-up book with him to take his mind off the dentist's chair. He was instantly hooked.

Sabuda's background as a gifted artist also played a key role in his future career. As a kid, he was fortunate enough to be encouraged in his artistic pursuits by his teachers and his parents, his father being a mason and carpenter. He inherited from his dad a lifelong fascination with construction and avidly studied the pop-up books he received as gifts to find out what made them work. Imaginative and curious, he even made his own pop-ups out of discarded manila envelopes his mom brought home from her office.

This childhood hobby would prove invaluable, as an older Sabuda set out on a career in children's books. He got his start as a journeyman illustrator working with such writers as Eugene Bradley Coco (The Fiddler's Son; Wishing Well) and Jay Patrick Lewis (Earth Verses and Water Rhymes). He even worked on adaptations of Walt Whitman classics geared toward young readers.

Sabuda's first solo effort was Saint Valentine (1992), a retelling of the ancient tale of a humble Roman physician who brings about a miracle. The focal point of this charmingly simple story is Sabuda's illustrations, a series of intricate, exquisite mosaics made of marbleized and hand-painted paper that simulate the look of early Christian art. Proof of a craftsmanship rarely seen in children's books, Saint Valentine and its sequel, Tutankhamen's Gift, revealed the illustrator's uncanny talent for creating unconventional art.

In 1994, Sabuda discovered his niche with The Christmas Alphabet, a seasonal delight filled with eye-catching pop-ups and crafted with an elegance as appealing to adults as to children. The Christmas Alphabet was the first in a long line of remarkable paper-engineered wonders covering a wide range of subject matter. He would adapt famous tales (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Alice's Adventures in Wonderland), tackle contemporary issues (the Help the Animals series), and tell completely original stories (Winter's Tale).

Some of Sabuda's finest work has been done in collaboration with his partner and good friend Matthew Reinhart. Between them, these two pop-up geniuses have produced stunning work, including two wonderful science-oriented series, the Young Naturalist's Pop-up Handbook and the Encyclopedia Prehistorica. And although each has become increasingly involved in independent projects, they continue to influence each other in subtle and dramatic ways.

In explaining the attraction of the pop-up genre to today's technologically savvy kids, Sabuda says,. "I think [kids] are drawn to pop-up books because so much in their world today to them seems like magic, electronically," Sabuda told Barnes & Noble.com. "So, when they see one of my pop-ups books and they open it, they're amazed that it's occurring just by turning the page... that there's no electronics or bells or whistles to make that happen. I know that just from a creative part, they love seeing that magic occur."

Good To Know

As a boy, Sabuda took tap lessons at a local dance school, where he also furthered his artistic abilities by designing backdrops.

Shortly after graduating from Pratt Institute in New York City, Sabuda made ends meet by designing boxes for women's underwear.

Sabuda's first work in children's publishing was as an illustrator of coloring books, which books based on such popular movie characters as the very non-kid-friendly Rambo.

Sabuda shared some fun facts about himself in our interview:

"My first job was as a hardware stock boy and I LOVED it. To this day, when someone says 'Home Depot,' I start salivating like Pavlov's dog."

"I'm inspired to create the work that I do because I really don't know how to do anything else. Besides it's a bit of a curse, too. I always have so many ideas that I feel like I'll never get to them all."

"I don't know how to drive a car and have no desire to learn."

"My partner (author/illustrator) Matthew Reinhart and I just got an 1830's farmhouse in up state New York. Having it renovated has been a great project. It's like working on a huge pop-up that you can live in."

"To unwind, I do yoga, but my practice is pretty average. But I can do a headstand, away from the wall, which for me is a really big deal!"

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    1. Hometown:
      New York, New York
    1. Date of Birth:
      March 8, 1965
    2. Place of Birth:
      Pinckney, Michigan
    1. Education:
      B.F.A., Pratt Institute, 1987
    2. Website:
      http://www.robertsabuda.com

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 20 )
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Sort by: Showing all of 20 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 11, 2003

    An Advocac y of Children's Literacy

    When I read the reviews on this book, I just knew I had to have it for my 2 children - ages 8 & 5. The popups are extraordinary, but very young children should be encourged NOT to touch them, as they are very delicate. My children loved it, and I hope that it is something that they will be able to pass onto THEIR children. My children love reading and take very good care of their books, but this is one book that Mom will take care of for safe keeping. I would recommend this book for ages 4 & up.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 23, 2003

    The Most Magical Book Created

    When i read the other reviews I was intrigued by it. When I first opened it it was late at night all by myself. It made me feel like a kid again. This is by far the most wonderful pop up book out there, full of magic and wonder. It is very elaborate and detailed. The reindeer page was very cool, they seemed to jump right out at you!!! And the last page is simply amazing with a full 2 pages of a snowy christmas village all in white with a santa sleigh and reindeer that fly across the clouds. Absolutely incredible book. My 2 and 5 year old ask constantly for this book to be read to them. One thing to mention, when you read that it is fragile, take this to heart. Young ones should be encouraged to look and not touch, which will be EXTREMELY hard for them because of the wonderful pop ups! Lol! :)

    2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 26, 2002

    Captivating Pop-Up Book!

    ¿The Night Before Christmas,¿ is Mr. Sabuda¿s pop-up version of Clement Clarke Moore¿s classic tale of Santa¿s visit on Christmas Eve. The phrasing has been altered; still the story is the same, except mice play the human roles. It is a delightful rendition that will appeal to both the young and old alike. Different from any other pop-up book I¿ve seen, the backgrounds in Mr. Sabuda¿s books are generally solid in nature with white pop-up¿s that are often accented with color. This makes a wonderful contrast of positive and negative space that is unusual, and unexpected yet, striking. In this book, the artist has added more color to the pop-ups than in his earlier holiday works. Creatively conceived, the detailed execution of the pop-ups is what REALLY captures the viewer¿s attention, and carries this book. They are SO fantastic I have to continually remind myself it is only paper. For instance, when Santa calls out to the reindeer, ¿No, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen! . . .¿all eight reindeer literally fly off the page in sleigh formation with Santa trailing behind. It¿s brilliant! In addition, the finale is gorgeous! It is nearly an all-white scene with Santa in his sleigh, bidding adieu to a quaint little neighborhood down below. The backdrop displays a snow-capped mountain with a pull-tab that allows the viewer to draw Santa and his reindeer across the sky, ¿Happy Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight.¿ ¿The Night Before Christmas,¿ is a hardbound book that measures 8 ¼¿ x 8 ¼¿ x 1 ½¿. Highly imaginative, both conceptually and artistically this book will make a valued addition to any Christmas collection. CAREFUL, young one¿s will be mesmerized by the pop-up action, and will want to grab. Probably best for children four-years and up.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 4, 2005

    The Night Before Christmas

    Mike Colaianni Mr. Quigley/ Mrs.Farrar English 14 January 2005 The Night before Christmas By Clement C. Moore The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore was a joyful rhyme about how Saint Nicholas came down the chimney on Christmas Eve the night before Christmas. It¿s also a pop up book, and because of this you might not want to give it to young children because they might rip it out. You might want to read the book to your young ones and show them the pop-outs and the colorful illustrations. The book was written in 1822 and put on the shelves literally the night before Christmas. There are six different versions of this book. The age group for this book is ages four through nine. It is a 4 ½ star book, which means it¿s very good. The book has an unlimited amount of joy and happiness when Santa delivers all his presents. This book costs 12.95, which is a good price for a good book.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 1, 2004

    A Great Book that will Last

    Christmas 2001 - I recieved a pop-up version of Twas the Night Before Christmas. Not only was I intrigued, I knew that this would be something to look at year after year, and it would never get old. Intricate designs and surprises at every turn of the page, this book is delightful and amazing to anyone who wants the traditional poem exciting.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 10, 2002

    Gorgeous and Clever!

    This book is incredible. The wonderful pop-ups will amaze anyone of any age (children should be old enough to be careful with book, though).

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 20, 2010

    A Christmas Classic in the hands of a genius!

    Robert Sabuda is a genius! I recommend anything he has done!

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  • Posted February 15, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    Cut-outs are truly amazing!!!

    Growing up, my mother always read The Night Before Christmas to me on Christmas Eve, so I continue the tradition w/ my daughter. My mother found Robert Subuda's version when she was first born and we have used it ever since. We accidentally left it our my parents house and didn't have it this year so we rushed to Barnes and Noble on Christmas Eve b/c it is now our MUST HAVE. I cannot express to you the beauty and intricacy of the cut-outs. I love it just as much as my daughter. If you love The Night Before Christmas, you MUST GET THIS BOOK!!!

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  • Posted January 17, 2010

    BEAUTIFUL WORK OF ART

    Robert Sabuda is a true artist his books most of which are already classics, are turned into a work of art with his unique paper cutouts and
    pop ups that are really beautiful. It is amazing how the pop ups go into
    the book. Not for really young children, but I did buy it for the grandchildren's room at our house. His books are collectibles. I have
    several others, The Twelve Days of Christmas, Peter Pan and a two of his
    winter books. Definitely worth it, different and beautiful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 2, 2010

    Not the best of the fold-out books

    I am a big fan of fold-out books, but this is the least impressive to me. I think it is because the cutouts are mostly white, including the reindeer. Only Santa gets some red. I would save my money and buy a regular "night before Christmas" book for the kids and get another fold-out book like the one about Cookies, which is still my favorite.

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  • Posted December 27, 2009

    So nice

    The designs in this book are beautiful. It can be for all ages, but young children would need adult assistance to prevent ripping of the designs. I buy a pop up book every year for my neice and nephews. They really enjoy them.

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  • Posted February 9, 2009

    Wonderful for a holiday tradition!

    I bought this book for a friend of mine to share with her 3 year old son. I love Robert Sabuda books! He is so imaginative and creative - who doesn't love a pop-up book! I love that it is an interactive book as well! Around my home for the holidays, we have all the Sabuda Christmas books, 12 Days of Christmas, The Night Before Christmas, Winter's Tale, Christmas Alphabet - they are great when we have all the kids over!<BR/><BR/>Definitely something I look forward to every holiday season!

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    Posted November 8, 2010

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    Posted November 30, 2009

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    Posted May 4, 2010

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    Posted November 11, 2009

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    Posted December 17, 2008

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    Posted January 6, 2009

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    Posted August 1, 2010

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