The Nightmare Before Christmas

Written by Tim Burton

A skeleton's quest to spread joy leads to chaos and a lesson on Christmas's true meaning.

4.9/7 Bookroo experts·4.5/5 Goodreads · 6,981 ratings

48 pages· 1,336 words· Est. 11 min read-aloud· ~530L

$17.99Save 6%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Jack Skellington, a restless resident of Halloweenland, seeks to bring joy by taking over Christmas. His plan to replace Santa goes awry, unleashing fear with eerie gifts and skeletal reindeer. As his well-intentioned scheme spirals out of control, Jack must navigate the chaos to uncover the true spirit of Christmas. Will he find redemption and restore holiday cheer, or will his spooky antics doom the festive season forever? Dive into this whimsical tale of misadventure and discovery, where the line between fright and delight blurs in unexpected ways.

From the publisher

Featuring an updated design and removable sticker, a 20th-anniversary rerelease traces the story of Halloweenland inhabitant Jack Skellington, who kidnaps and replaces Santa Claus only to discover the true meaning of Christmas. Movie tie-in.

At a glance

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 48
Words: 1,336
Reading age: 6–8
Audience: Picture
Lexile: ~530L

Themes & topics

Books about Christmas Books about holidays Books about Santa Claus Books about Halloween Books about Christmas and advent

What readers & critics say

Reviews

4.9

out of 7

4.8

“A newer classic, I appreciate how incredibly clever it is, without loving the macabre aspects, particularly around Christmas. This is better suited for Halloween than Christmas for our home.”

Marmee

Trusted reviewer

5.0

“While not a huge Tim Burton fan myself, I do think this is a fun, beautifully illustrated book! The story is great, especially with kiddos who have just experienced and enjoyed Halloween and are now looking forward to Christmas.”

B is for Bookworm

Trusted reviewer

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