Santa's Sleigh: The Night Before Christmas Day draws on the beloved rhythms of Clement Clarke Moore's classic to tell its own cozy Christmas Eve story. Andrew Manderson's simple, rolling rhymes pair with Isil Gul's felt craft illustrations to create a picture book that feels both familiar and fresh.
A young boy lies awake on Christmas Eve—and finds himself face to face with Santa Claus. What unfolds is a gentle encounter steeped in the traditions we know (the reindeer, the chimney, the laden sleigh) while offering small surprises of its own. Gul's textured wool-and-felt artwork wraps the whole thing in softness, perfectly suited to reading by the glow of the tree.
The rhyming text invites participation and repetition, making this a natural choice for holiday read-alouds with younger children. It doesn't try to reinvent Christmas—it simply celebrates it, one warm spread at a time.
A welcome addition to the seasonal pile.
