Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

by Robert L. May, Denver Gillen (Illustrator)

In 1939 Robert L. May, a copywriter working at Chicago's Montgomery Ward & Co., wrote a holiday story at the request of his employer. Almost two and a half million copies of the little tale about a reindeer with a shiny red nose were given away to all the children who visited Montgomery Ward stores that year. The rest is history. Over seventy years later, the beloved classic is once again available in a hardcover faithful facsimile of the 1939 Rudolph, with original text and original Denver Gillen illustrations.

Genres: Christmas, Childrens, Picture Books, Classics, Holiday, Fiction, Fantasy

32 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 1939

About the author

Robert Lewis May (1905–1976) was an American advertising copywriter who created Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer while working for Montgomery Ward in 1939, drawing on his own shy childhood and writing the story amid his first wife’s terminal illness; the poem became a massive commercial and cultural success, spawning millions of copies, song and film adaptations, sequels, merchandise, and an enduring Christmas legend. Educated at Dartmouth and influenced by Alfred Adler’s ideas on inferiority and self-assertion, May worked for several major department stores before and after the Depression, later regaining the copyright to Rudolph and briefly leaving—then returning to—Montgomery Ward as Rudolph’s popularity fluctuated. He wrote additional children’s books, oversaw a wide range of Rudolph-related enterprises, and remained active in civic organizations; after the death of his second wife, he converted to Catholicism, remarried, and died in Evanston, Illinois, in 1976.

Reviews

[jv poore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Re-reading my mom's Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer by Robert L. May, published in 1939 by Maxton Publishers. Cannot believe it is still in such great condition.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture book is an oversized 75th anniversary production featuring the poem by Robert L. May that was a (largely failed) attempt to piggy-back on the (justly deserved fame) of “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clark Moore. It features sumptuous illustrations by Antonio Javier Caparo that take us back 75 years (in a good way!).

Did you know that Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was an invention of the Montgomery Ward department store? Ah, American capitalism and its inventions for children. But seriously, this book is very good and May’s poem follows the same basic story of the song you probably know better.

This is the version of the song I grew up with:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0byH9...

The 1964 movie featuring Burl Ives that I watched on tv that year and many times since:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zzMl...

PS: Yes, it is true that Burl Ives, once an itinerant traveling musician, asked my (flapper, artist, elementary school teacher) aunt, may she rest in peace (though maybe with a dose of wildness I knew and loved her for in addition to that peace), to marry him, in a western Michigan nudist camp. True!! She turned him down, didn't think he would come to anything as great as he claimed he would. (My mom, RIP, told me this cherished story, which I pass on as a holiday gift to you).

[Manny · Rating 4 out of 5]

You're all very polite, but I get the impression that some of you are just a tiny bit sceptical about the posts where I pass on the many messages I receive from God and His angels. Well, if you're so obsessed with reproducibility and verifiability and all that rationalist methodological shit, here's an excellent parody of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer which I just received directly from God, and I am reliably informed that many other people have received it too.

Now do you believe me?

Rudolph the Red-Faced Horndog
Had a very tiny wang.
And if you ever saw it
You would barely see it hang.
All of the other Trump aides
Knew he was a drunken sham.
They knew that not-poor Rudolph
Gained from every Russian scam.

Then one fine Election Eve, Borat came to say,
“Rudolph with your wang so small,
You’re the biggest dick of all!”

Then all the Trump aides ditched him,
And they shouted out with glee,
“Rudolph, the Red-Faced Horndog,
You’ll go down in infamy!”

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where most reindeers' noses are brownish and tiny,
Poor Rudolph's was red, very large, and quite shiny.

Robert L. May was working as a copywriter for Montgomery Ward & Co. when he was asked to come up with an idea for a children's book. And, in 1939, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was born. Ten years later, May's brother-in-law, turned the story into a song, and about fifteen years after that, the beloved stop-motion television special first aired. But . . . that's another story.

This one, written entirely in rhyme, is familiar, but different enough to hold a child's attention, even if they have the song memorized.

I really like the artwork by Denver Gillen. It's simple, yet charming and effective.



It's worth checking out, though be warned - you'll have a hard time getting rid of the earworm - especially this time of year.

[Karina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are you ready for Christmas?? Everywhere I went before Thanksgiving said I needed to be ready so here I am! Reading a classic and enjoying it.

The reindeer were just horrible little turds to Rudolph but he SHOWED them up! Oh what? Your nose doesn't light up? Cool! Go fudge yourself Donner! (My kids are doing an eye roll-- here she goes with the mom jokes) Lol.

Lesson-- everyone has a talent that'll be called upon them sometime. Don't go wasting it on feeling sorry for yourself.

[Kelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, this was just the sweetness I needed this season. This is an authentic reproduction of the original 1939 edition, written in brilliant rhyming prose, complete with nostalgic illustrations penned in a simpler time. I grew up waiting every year for the Rankin Bass special on tv, but I had never thought to consider where or when Rudolph entered Christmas folklore. Rudolph has just always been. Mr. May unwittingly left an indelible mark on Christmas. What a gift to children everywhere. This is brilliant. A holiday classic not to be missed.

[Loretta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore all things "Rudolph"! My love of "Rudolph" started when a little. Every Christmas, without fail, I had to watch the animated cartoon version on TV with Burl Ives narrating. If I missed it, I would be sad because watching it always made me feel in the Christmas mood!

This version of the book is completely different than the animated version on TV. There are several different spins within this story which are quite enjoyable! The artwork is very 50's, which for me, is an added bonus!

There's a small intro telling the reader how Rudolph came to be which I had no idea of. Seems Rudolph was the brain child of Robert L. May in 1939, who was an advertising copywriter for a big anchor store of it's day, Montgomery Ward (think Macy's). May was thinking of a new way to reach kids and he came up with "what about a reindeer with a shiny red nose who helps Santa deliver presents on Christmas Eve"? And that's how Rudolph came to be!

On further research, I read that Montgomery Ward handed out free copies of the book to children who came to the store. Apparently Montgomery Ward made a killing with this advertising!

Hard cover copies are very rare. I found my hard copy on the free cart at the library! Needless to say I was quite stoked!

If you can find this book I highly recommend it to all!

Merry Christmas to all! 🎄🎅🏻🦌

[Diane in Australia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the ORIGINAL softcover that was distributed by Montgomery Ward in 1939. I am privileged, and thrilled, to own TWO copies of it.

5 Stars = I love it for sentimental reasons.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rudolph the Red-nose Reindeer! Who would have to review that? Not me, I can't think of a word to say about the book except when I read it I was home again, in my dreams anyway. I was sitting on that awful orange and brown sofa in my mom and dad's living room with the orange and brown shag carpeting (also awful). There's a desk in one corner, and a barrel filled with magazines in the other. Across from me are two chairs with a green end table between them and the telephone is on the table, one of those all connected together so you can't walk away from the chair you are sitting on when talking. And you dial the thing too. Against one wall is the piano that I have spent an amazing amount of time at, and in the other corner, is a Christmas tree. The tree is sitting on a platform with a train around it, a train I never saw except at Christmas and have no idea where it disappeared to during the rest of the year. The lights on the tree are colored lights of course, none of those all white trees for my mom. In the kitchen we are making cookies, lots and lots of cookies. We make so many cookies I have no idea what happens to them all. We fill tin cans with cookies. Chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter, sugar, oatmeal, any kind of cookie you can think of we have in tin cans. It takes us days and days to finish them all. And on Thanksgiving afternoon, after all the turkey and stuffing, corn, potatoes, apple sauce, pumpkin pie, etc. are gone, mom drags us out into the mountain to cut "greens" to make decorations for the porch. We come home with lots of pine branches, and mountain laurel, which I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to cut down in the first place, but she needs it for wreaths. Caroling, church, snow, days home from school (yea!), presents, family (lots of family), friends (lots of friends), parties, the birthday of Jesus. These are the things I thought about as I read this book. As for the book, we all know the story, he went down in history. Happy reading.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

We read this for Christmas; based on the classic Christmas song.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little reindeer with a bright and shining nose finds himself the object of ridicule in this Christmas poem from 1939, made famous by the subsequent song and films based upon it. Made fun of by his peers, the eponymous Rudolph tries to be a good little deer all the same, and one foggy Christmas Eve night, when Santa is having trouble delivering his gifts, Rudolph's incandescent nose comes in very handy, changing its owner's fate forever...

Although I grew up singing the 1949 song based upon this poem - apparently it was composed by Robert Lewis May's brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, a Jewish man famous for writing many popular Christmas songs - I never encountered the original story as a girl. This facsimile reprint done by Applewood Books in 1991, with the original rhyming text from May, and the original artwork of Denver Gillen, is my first experience with that original. Reading it, I was conscious of the many references made to that earlier Christmas poem from 1823, The Night Before Christmas , and I enjoyed seeing the story (as I knew it from the song) fleshed out a little. Apparently the entire thing started as a Christmas booklet distributed by the Montgomery Ward Department Store! The artwork is cute, with that vintage style that utilizes a few color washes, and features cute stylized figures. All in all, a fun little Christmas picture-book, even if it is not destined (any more than the song) to become a personal holiday favorite of mine. Recommended to anyone looking for the original story of Rudolph.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was far better than May's sequel, IMO, and I actually quite enjoyed it and the little rhyme scheme was fun rather than annoying. It's neat to see the similarities and differences between this original telling and the subsequent song and classic stop-animation film. I was a little disappointed as I checked out the Applewood Books version (they are known for their reprints of classic books) because it did not have the original illustrations but rather ones to "enhance the enjoyment of a new generation of children" but, oh well. (The illustrations were cute enough, mind you, but I was hoping for a facsimile of the original!)

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the original story of Rudolph and my favorite of the stories, the movie does not follow this book. But this one is the classic story!

[Evie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the original story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, written by Robert L. May in 1939 for Montgomery Ward. Out of all the versions of it currently available in print, this is most definitely my favorite one - all thanks to Antonio Javier Caparo absolutely stunning watercolor illustrations.



Who doesn't know The Red-Nosed Rudolph? Santa Claus' brave little helper, spirited and dedicated. His story is a moving one, it pulls on your heart strings and reminds you to always believe in yourself and to never stop trying. Rudolph story is a true classic, filled with magic and Christmas spirit. It fills your heart with joy and warmth, it excites and entertains, and it teaches us that dreams really do come true!



This gorgeous 75th Anniversary Edition feels and looks like a pricey collectors item, in that it's really magnificently designed, embellished with golden accents on the cover and dust jacket, and printed on a high quality glossy paper. It's completely fantastic and it makes for a perfect Christmas gift.



Caparo's illustrations are beyond enchanting and mesmerizing. They are so rich in details, so full of life, so heartfelt and captivating, you find yourself staring at them completely awestruck and spell-bound. They are simply beautiful and I can't tell you how much I love them. Combined with May's timeless, heartwarming story, they create something truly special and worth cherishing.

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer is a story I will be reading to and with my daughter every year around Christmas time. We will make big steaming mugs of hot-chocolate, we'll grab a plate of home-baked cookies and a warm blanket, and we'll cozy up against each other and get swept away into the world of magic, Santa Claus, sparkling snow, shining stars and presents. And Rudolph will be our guide.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in 1939, you can't get much more classic than the tale of Rudolph!

And it's the *real* tale of Rudolph. Perhaps you already knew this, but I was surprised to discover that the traditional claymation movie doesn't follow the story. I've been fed an alternate reality since my youth. Ah! *wink* So I'm glad I read this - and I know you'll enjoy it (and knowing the truth) too.

This version is the best as it's a replication of the original booklet that came out in 1939. There are pictures on every page that possess that old-school charm.

Ages: 4 - 9

Cleanliness: nothing to note.

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[The Celtic Rebel (Richard) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful version of the Rudolph story that I enjoyed as a child and have loved sharing with my children and grandchildren. The illustrations are great and the story as always has a lesson for all who hear it -- every misfit have their worthy place in the world. That's a lesson even as adults we need to be reminded of. The big thing I love about the Rudolph story, esp. this one, is the nostalgic feeling I get every time I read it. Until I read Rudolph and The Night Before Christmas -- it's just not Christmas for me.

[Classic reverie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following my friend, Karina, I decided to read this Christmas classic which prior to my reading I only known about Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer from the TV cartoon version and song which as a kid I loved watching and still would enjoy the older versions. I was surprised that the story is quite different in words for the most part, though the sentiment is the same. I loved the illustrations in this Kindle version and the story was wonderful!

[Kath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert May is the original author who invented Rudolph. This is the real Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. My father grew up down the street from the Mays, and heard this story as a child, so when the book was published, it became a treasure to our family. I highly recommend getting an original edition.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

This original story written by an employee of Montgomery Ward Department Stores in 1939, and its theme based on the tale of the Ugly Duckling, has become a favorite holiday tale for children of all ages. A homely and outcast reindeer becomes the commander and lead for Santa's sleigh on a Christmas eve hampered by dense fog, and becomes a hero.

[Nostalgia Reader]

While this story is quite different from the movie, the underlying story is still the same, and is written in lovely Suessian rhymes; it's the perfect companion to the Grinch. I'd highly recommend it, especially if you love vintage reindeer illustrations.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful when you're six or seven years old, up to maybe 11? In combination with Gene Autry singing on the old 78 rpm, "Ru-dolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer/ Had a very shine-yy nose / And if you ever saw-wit,/ you would even say IT GLOWS..."
Why I say it may be good to age eleven: the theme of course is rejection by one's peers, "They never let poor Rudolph / Play in any reindeer games." Rejection by peers is a common misgiving of kids and early adolescents--as well as, according to the adds for acne medicine and hair and skin and nail and clothes products, many adults as well.
But, Then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa drafted Rudolph as a headlight. Then all the reindeer loved him, he having become an Historic Figure in the Reindeer-Christmas world. This is a story of a social difference, and a physical handicap working to great social advantage.
And it was written long before handicaps gained any status as general concerns. I must have read it around 1950. Yikes. The (slightly) greater part of a century ago.

[Lisa Burris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This classic, told in verse, is quite different than the glitzier Rankin Bass TV special we all know. This special edition is a reprint of the original, and it is fun to see the illustrations just as children first saw them in the 1940s. It's a wonderful picture book that may be a bit long for younger children, but will certainly become a holiday favorite.

[Julian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful art and the classic Rudolph story. I loved how relax Rudolph's parents are so relaxed when the little devil leaves in the middle of the night to work with Santa. I'm not a fan of rhyming books, but this is sweet and a great Christmas read. A classic.

[Gina House · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and festive classic! I loved the nostalgic stop motion animated TV special from the 1960s when I was young...and I still love it now. Reading a story about Rudolph (which was similar, but not the same as the TV special) made me feel young again. Although it's not my favorite Christmas story, I still enjoyed reading it. As I always say...the colorful Golden Book illustrations make the book even more worth while. I love them! A lovely addition to my Christmas children's book collection!

[Mayke ☕️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable Christmas book.

[Christine · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is poorly designed, and completely useless to be used as a read aloud for baby time, which was my initial plan when I saw a board book form a Rudolph. Board books are meant for infants and young children, whoever designed this has never read a board book with an infant before, or possibly spent any extended time with an infant.

While board books are generally read by a parent to a child, the book is too long for an infant or small child to be will to sit through and pay attention to. The font is also tiny which makes it near impossible to juggle holding/entertaining an infant while reading the text. The illustrations while objectively gorgeous, are useless to an infant, the dark colors are unappealing and their eyes have not developed enough to pick up the details in the illustrations much less appreciate them.

The story should have been cut down and modified for the intended audience of the book. If you plan to use a board book of Rudolph, find a different version that just has the words to the song and was actually intended for infants.
Otherwise buy a full size book and read it with older children that the story was originally intended for.

[McLean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had, until today, never read the original book / poem of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

It is amazing. It is one of the most beautiful pieces of ridiculous doggerel in the English language. The lengths to which the author is willing to go to ensure a rhyming couplet are inspiring.

It is an enjoyable story. That alone would make it worth reading. But it is all the more worth reading as an astounding exercise in bending the English language to one’s will. The rhymes and line breaks are an inspiration to anyone who has ever felt a moment’s hesitation in writing poetry, worrying they may be trying too hard to make the rhyme work.

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The claymation Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer movie is one of my favorite Christmas movies, and whenever my dad and I watch it, we basically don't because we're too busy reciting the movie ourselves. Earlier this month, we happened to watch an older cartoon that predates that movie and was based directly on the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer poem, so for Christmas we got our own copy of this original version.

It's very different from the movie, but I enjoyed the story and the illustrations. While reading, I was having a little trouble getting into the rhythm of the poem, but that wasn't a major problem that affected my reading experience. (I still do prefer the Burl Ives movie, though.)

[Emma (littledollreads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is the Holiday season and I am going to try to read some books to match that fact. I was scrolling through audible when I came across this one and as I sat there I realized that I had never actually read the original story of Rudolph. It was only 30 minutes and I listen to books at double speed so I was like, what the heck, and decided to listen to it before bed. It was adorable and so Christmasy. I didn't know that it was going to rhyme when I started listening and that was such a fun surprise. I had a great time with this one, perfect for readers of all ages it is a true holiday classic.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a reproduction of the original 1939 edition that gave birth to the Rudolph myth. Prior to reading this book, I had no idea that Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer had been imagined for the Montgomery Ward department store. I had been expecting an illustrated version of the classic Christmas song with old-fashioned drawings, so I was surprised. While the text's content is basically the same as the song, there are some differences. Personally, I prefer the song, but I really enjoyed the illustrations.