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Summary: If I knew there was a monster...
Review: ... I would have never purchased this book.
I love the idea of giving my little 2 and a half year old a universal approach to tales and stories from all over the world. I new Rudoph qualified. I had no idea that there was a monster in the story; note that it was the one thing that impressed her, and she asked me what it was.
I wouldn't suggest it to anyone that wants to introduce the idea of Santa Clauss to their child.
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Summary: The original
Review: I loved this book as a child back in the fifties, and was delighted to find it still available. It begins similarly to "The Night Before Christmas": "'Twas the day before Christmas, and all through the hills..." and continues in verse, telling the familiar story for the very first time, with more wit and charm than any watered-down Disney version could possible supply. I'm so glad that my small nieces will now have a chance to enjoy it. Too bad Robert L. May is not often given the credit he deserves for this Christmas treasure.
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Summary: The Original Story. . . Not the Movie!
Review: I was very impressed with this book . . . a beautiful book, wonderfully illustrated, containing the original story, which did not have the Abominable, or Herbie, or Yukon Cornelius, like the later movie. I remember as a child in 1951 listening to the original story on 78rpm records put out by RCA and have attempted for years to find the original story. Although I did notice some subtle differences in the words . . .the original referred to Rudolph's, er, "forehead" (Santa was too polite to call it a big red nose) . . most of the text stayed true to what I had memorized. Definitely a book not only for children, but for us baby boomers who remember the original. A must-have to hand on from generation to generation.
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Summary: Only if you liked the cartoon
Review: If you liked the cartoon, you'll like this book. It's a straight up retelling with illustrations right from the old Christmas special. If you didn't like the cartoon, don't bother with this book. You won't find anything new here.
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Summary: Fa la la la la
Review: Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer is a beautiful story about understanding and appreciating others, and having belief in ourselves. If one really tries, they can find negativity in any story. Focus on the important lessons of faith, hope and charity Rudolph's story embodies and it will bring a little light into your life. Merry Christmas to all!
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Summary: Opening a New Window on Rudolph
Review: Thanks to the Ace Collins book on Christmas songs, I happened to gain a deeper appreciation of the story of Rudolph than was ever thought possible before. I was delighted that this book was the original story of Rudolph that inspired the watered-down retelling as in the famous Johnny Marks song. It presents basically a fresh telling of the original story in a warm, genteel, unaffected and homely way, without the gimmicks of this otherwise-popular old TV special, in rhyming verse that resembles Clement C. Moore's famous Night Before Christmas poem.
The positive and fresh manner in which this story is told allows us to feel the spirit of Christmas and charity within a short while. Unlike the song, it does not dwell at all on the reindeer's jeerings and allows us to sympathise with Santa Claus and the perils of the foggy Christmas Eve, while knowing that Rudolph would eventually offer to help Santa on his Christmas rounds. It also manifests itself when we are able to see Rudolph's positive character shining through as brightly as his nose, when he does not let his nose affect his psyche. The language is also simple and direct without being too cliched, sometimes with unexpected twists in thr rhyming words, and there is always something new to discover when reading this original Rudolph story, no matter how many times we have heard the song.
On the whole, I would greatly urge all sensitive lovers of Christmas to seize a copy of this wonderful Rudolph book, because it frees the ubiquitous story from the bounds of the overplayed song and presents it in a whole new light, with a few felicities of its own. And I would also recommend the other two Rudolph sequels that Robert May wrote, Rudolph's Second Christmas and Rudolph Shines Again, which I discovered also on Amazon, because they develop Rudolph's adventures further and also his character development.
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Summary: Bigotry Among Reindeer -- I Have Never Liked This Story
Review: The first time I saw this movie, I was four. I disliked it intensely and thought it was too sad. First, we have the bigotry among the reindeer. They were prejudiced against any deer whose nose wasn't jet black. Then, we have poor little Herbie, the aspiring dentist whose toothy dolls with donkey teeth just aren't catching on. Lastly, we have the Island of Unwanted Toys. I found that part so upsetting. To this day, I remember saying, "I don't like this part. The island is where you go when you're bad, like a hospital." (This was during the days when tonsillectomies were a dime a dozen). That part always made me sad and in the few times I watched this movie or read the story, I would always leave on that part. No, I didn't like this story under any conditions. I liked it better when Santa only had 8 reindeer, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Cupid, Donder, Blitzen, Comet.
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Summary: Bigotry Among Reindeer -- I Have Never Liked This Story
Review: This charming re-telling of the classic TV special is dutifully captured in a Little Golden Book with its vibrant art and enchanting prose. This a great story to read to your children during the holidays!
Rating: 
Summary: A Classic Story
Review: This charming re-telling of the classic TV special is dutifully captured in a Little Golden Book with its vibrant art and enchanting prose. This a great story to read to your children during the holidays!
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Summary: What a great book! BUT NOT THE ORIGINAL RUDOLPH STORY
Review: This is such a great book. It's not the original Rudolph - if you're looking for that one, it's written by Robert May and was commissioned by Montgomery Ward in 1939. It can usually be found locally in bookstores, and when amazon has it in stock. It's a better story than this one - this one is just a little spin-off of the Rankin-Bass production we see on television, as the cover depicts. It has the Yukon Cornelius, snow monster, etc. in it. I still get goosebumps whenever I see Rudolph coming back to the Island of misfit toys to pick them up with Santa's sleigh - but that's only in the movie and not in this book. Some things you never forget as a child and have to pass down to your own.
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