Dinosaurs' Night before Christmas » (Book and CD)

Anne Muecke spent much of her childhood roaming the halls of the American Museum of Natural History, and volunteered as a docent in the dinosaur halls after their renovation in 1996. She lives in New York City.

Nathan Hale has painted dinosaur murals in museums around the country. He has also written and illustrated two picture books, Yellowbelly and Plum Go to School and The Devil You Know. He lives in Provo, Utah.

The dinosaur fossils in the museum come to life (and sing, dance, and eat gingerbread) in this rollicking twist on the classic poem 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. And with the enclosed CD, children of all ages can enjoy dinosaur-themed Christmas party music, and hear the story read aloud by the Today Show's Al Roker! A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book goes to support the American Museum of Natural History in New York, where the story is set.

Children's Literature

Young dinosaur fans will delight in this fantasy in which the dinosaur fossils come to life on Christmas eve "sprouting rainbows of colorful feathers and scales/From the tops of their heads to the tips of their tails!" In his pajamas, the little barefoot boy who lives across the street from the museum climbs out of bed, crosses the street, finds the museum door unlocked, enters, and joins the dinosaurs in their celebration. This parody of Twas the Night Before Christmas includes a visit from Santasaurus and his eight dino-deer. The first illustration showing the dinosaurs in their skin might be a little startling and scary for preschoolers but will be deliciously scary/fun for children a little older. The dinos gathering and swirling on subsequent pages will be interesting and intriguing and definitely not scary. There is a CD of dinosaur Christmas-themed songs and a reading of this story by Al Roker. The five songs come from Dinosaur Holiday, an award-winning album previously produced by Museum Music with the American Museum of Natural History. Muecke's dinosaur lyrics are beautifully sung by a range of performers to the tune of traditional Christmas carols. There is quite a jazzy rendition of the tune of Jingle Bells called Hey, Duckbills! And a stirring rendition of the tune of the "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's Messiah called The Allosaurus Chorus. Those who just cannot get enough of dinosaurs will enjoy both the CD and the book. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of this book helps to support the scientific and educational endeavors of the American Museum of Natural History. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo