The Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton

GENRE: modern Gothic tale/dark fantasy

SUMMARY:
Kidnap a Santy Claus, put him in a sack...this is kooky genius, Tim Burton's children's classic. This is stunningly illustrated storybook version of Burton's beloved holiday fantasy. Meet Jack Skellington, the spookiest skeleton in the whole of Halloweentown. He's in charge of making Halloween the scariest holiday on earth - and he's so good at it, it's boring. Where's the fun in scaring people silly when you know you've used all the tricks and treats under the sun a thousand times already? So when Jack discovers Christmas town, he decides that the bright lights and twinkly trees of the festive season are just what Halloween needs! With the help of the denizens of Halloween town, Jack sets out to kidnap Christmas - but is the world ready for a scary Father Christmas?

THIS MISS REVIEWS:
I bought this booklet (it’s only 48 pages long) last Christmas. As I’ve said in my previous review, I love Tim Burton’s movies, and I’m especially fond of his Gothic-fairy-tale movies like Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, The Corpse Bride and The Nightmare before Christmas (which he did not direct, but produced).

I bought the book after watching Christopher Lee’s narration of the story on YouTube. (You can watch the narration HERE, it’s really brilliant.) I am so glad to have this book on one of my bookshelves. It’s a really good story in verse that flows very smoothly, and is very delightful and entertaining. Of course, it is a bit spooky and macabre, in Burton’s usual style, but it is also very magical and a great short read. It features amazing illustrations done by Burton himself. It’s also a bit educational, in my opinion. One really should not mix up holidays; you need to understand holidays and their essence to appreciate them. The booklet is both a visual feast and a very delightful read. If you like Tim Burton, you’ll almost definitely like this, too.

I decided to review this little booklet to promote it, I guess, to shed some light on it. Tim Burton is a great director, but he’s also an amazing story-teller, in my opinion. I’m really happy I don’t only get to watch his work, but also read it.

You can buy the booklet HERE.

THIS MISS RATES: