The Nightmare Before Christmas

by Lauren Clauss (Adapter), Jeannette Arroyo (Illustrations)

Tim Burton's classic film The Nightmare Before Christmas -retold for the first time as a Little Golden Book!

Jack Skellington is the King of Halloween Town... but after so many years of the same spooky thing, he's become bored of scaring. When Jack accidentally discovers Christmas Town, he hatches a crazy scheme to take over a new holiday for the year. But can the master of monstrous scares spread Christmas cheer like jolly old Saint Nick? And what will Halloween Town's power-hungry Oogie Boogie do when he discovers Jack's plan? Tim Burton's classic film The Nightmare Before Christmas has enthralled audiences young and old for over 25 years with its catchy songs, quirky animation, and relatable theme of self-acceptance. For the first time, readers can experience it in the classic Little Golden Book format, perfect for Disney fans ages 2 to 5 and Little Golden Book collectors of all ages to celebrate Halloween and Christmas!

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

24 pages, Hardcover

First published July 13, 2021

Reviews

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Nightmare Before Christmas was a fun adaptation of the 1993 film of the same name.

The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of my favorite Disney movies from when I was a kid. When I saw there was a Little Golden Book version of the movie, I knew I wanted to pick it up to see how it compared. The illustrations are spot on to the movie and I liked how closely they were able to match the style. The book hits the bigger plot points of the movie while toning down anything that's too scary for children. This book would be a great way to introduce a younger audience to the movie before they're old enough to watch it.

Overall The Nightmare Before Christmas was a delightful read and I would highly recommend it for fans of the movie.

[Johnboy Parker · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

I figure I end the Halloween week with Jack and Sally
Nightmare before Christmas always

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute illustrations. Short version of the movie so it keeps a child's attention better. A cute read for children that a parent can also enjoy.

[Yolanda Sfetsos · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I've mentioned many times, The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of my favourite movies. I've watched it a hundred times and don't get tired of it. So reading yet another book adaptation this Halloween season is always awesome.

We all know the story: Jack is the Pumpkin King who gets bored of doing the same thing every year, so when he stumbles on another holiday, he decides to make it his own. By forcing it on everyone in Halloween Town, while involving Sandy Claws and essentially making him a target.

And of course there's Sally. Always Sally.

This version of the story moves quickly but hits all the right notes. The illustrations are beautiful and the way everything is positioned on each page is perfect!

LOVED IT! 💕 🎃 💕

[Jose Marquez Castillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

5🌟
Una novela grafica muy breve de la historia de Jack, ideal para contarsela como cuento algún niño. A pesar de que la historia está bastante resumida rescato mucho el arte, las ilustraciones son preciosas, rescatan mucho la esencia de la película. Ojalá en un futuro saquen una versión extendida.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

*read during Dewey's Summer Reverse Readathon 2021*

[Danica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute and short rendition of the story. The artwork was well done. How can I give this anything less than 5 stars🎃👑

[E. D. Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!
It was pretty to the point and written well and I actually really enjoyed the illustrations. Very cute.

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super classic Halloween story that’s really good.

[Beatriz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable! Told really well, super cute for both adults and kids

[Eugenio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hits all the beats from the movie! No complaints.

[Kat Sheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Updated Dec 2024:
Lyric still loves this book and I like rereading it to him.


I love Read this to my little one.

As a goth mom, this was a must-have.

[Theresa F.]

This book manages to summarize the movie's plot effectively, even including some of the motivations of major characters like Jack Skellington and Sally. And the illustration style is sufficiently in keeping with the tone of the original film. Santa does look a touch 'manically evil' in his last illustration.
However, the main reason I chose to read this book was so I could get the overall gist of the story without having to watch the film in its entirety. I know that The Nightmare Before Christmas has become a holiday classic, but Tim Burton's stylistic approach and choice of subject matter just never appealed to me. I don't typically enjoy creepy or spooky.
Did I like it? More than I expected to, given how little enthusiasm I had for the original story.
Would I reread it? No.
Would I recommend it? I think this book would be a good choice for parents who want to introduce their young children to The Nightmare Before Christmas if those children aren't yet mature enough to handle the disturbing imagery in the film itself.

[Sarah · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

Picked this up from the library to help explain to my kiddo, who's too young for the film, who the tall skinny skeleton in some of the nearby Halloween decorations is. I'd told the story from memory a few times and I found that this adaptation sanded off similar edges (though did a better job of keeping Sally in the story--really, trying to remember what she did made me realize she's pretty useless).

I know it's meant for people who already know the story, but it totally skips explaining what Halloween Town is and name-drops characters who aren't explained or even on the page. The Moana Litte Golden Book had the sense to give up Hei Hei and Pua. So even though this book has pictures, kiddo still preferred my (surprisingly similar) out-loud story.

[Sheri Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect book to share with little ones the love of Halloween. It is a quick read and is also a great choice for kids learning to read.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful drawings and my son loves when I read him this story.

[Mandi Hidalgo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore The Nightmare Before Christmas so I had to have to Little Golden Book. The artwork is cute and it's a great little read based on the movie and original Tim Burton tale.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I much prefer this artwork to the original, hahaha. This is a cute little retelling.

[Enelinda Vera · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this book before and like the movie I love it 😀

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of Wyatt’s favourite movies, but I’ve never actually watched it. Perhaps we’ll do a family watch before Christmas this year.

[Cash · Rating 5 out of 5]

The artwork in this is so beautiful 😩

[Leslie Carnahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ummmm excuse me.... Since when do Little Golden Books have artwork THIS stunning?

[Mandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another cute NBC book for kids. All 3 of my kids love this movie and this book. The illustrations are great!

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lindo resumen.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

🤭🖤

[Tammy Jo Passions · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an adorable Halloween storybook with fun illustrations.

[Hope Mullins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had never taken the time to read this book but I’m glad I did today.

[Rebekah Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Nightmare Before Christmas by Lauren Clauss is pure nostalgia wrapped in storybook form. I absolutely LOVE this story and have since I was a child, and revisiting it through this Golden Book adaptation only deepened that affection. It captures the charm, heart, and whimsy that made the original story so unforgettable.

I'll happily admit that I'm not ashamed to say I have a collection of Golden Books, because they remind me of being a child and bring me a sense of joy. This one fits perfectly among them. The simplified storytelling and familiar visuals make it accessible, comforting, and endlessly rereadable--whether you're sharing it with kids or enjoying it quietly on your own.

What really stands out is how strongly it taps into emotion. Nostalgia is a powerful thing, and this book understands that completely. It brings back memories of discovering the story for the first time, of seasonal magic, and of loving something so fully that it never really leaves you.

This is more than just a retelling--it's a keepsake. I'm happy to add this to the shelf, where it belongs among stories that continue to bring joy year after year.

[Robin Pelletier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this super cute and surprisingly close to the movie children's book. I loved the illustrations and placement of the text. If you love all things Nightmare Before Christmas, this is the picture book for you!

[Karla Jennings · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun short story of the 1993 film the nightmare before Christmas a great gift for young children and fans of the films ( also gotta mention that the art was amazing