Booky Advent Calendar Day 23 - "The Nightmare Before Christmas (20th Anniversary Edition)" by Tim Burton (Disney Editions)

It's not often you get a story that comfortably covers two glorious celebrations - both of which we absolutely love to bits. Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" gets a good solid airing at Halloween but also at Christmas, and this 20th Anniversary Edition of the original story is perfect for reading at bedtime as we get closer and closer to the big day.

If you're one of the handful of people who has no idea who Jack Skellington is, or has no idea what happened when the two holiday seasons of Halloween and Christmas clashed together so spectacularly in Tim's story and the utterly gorgeous movie that it spawned, then treat yourself to the book and the film and tuck into a glorious festive tale.

Jack Skellington is the big cheese in Halloweenland. Each and every year, Jack and his ghoulish crew plan Halloween celebrations and festivities. But Jack is becoming jaded, tired of dreaming up new ways to spook and scare people.

By chance, Jack discovers a magical forest filled with mysterious doors, portals to other holiday words. Drawn to the sparkliest and most colourful door, adorned with a tree and baubles, Jack accidentally falls through and finds himself in Christmas Land.

Caught up with the festive preparations, Jack falls hook line and sinker in love with the idea of becoming Santa for the year, and putting his own dark spin on Christmas! Time for Santa to take a holiday (or rather be kidnapped and put in a big sack by Lock, Shock and Barrel, three of Jack's most fiendish cohorts) and for Jack to take over!

But will Jack's perfect vision of a gruesome Christmas come to pass?

It's quite interesting seeing the original story that spawned the movie. Tim Burton re-drew sections of the tale and this celebratory anniversary edition shows off the rough and scribbly style that was so masterfully transformed into the glorious stop-motion movie that we all know and love. Nevertheless, despite its rough appearance it's a timeless story full of amazing characters - and good old St Nick himself to save the day. We love it!

Charlotte's best bit: Charlotte absolutely loves Jack's ghostly dog Zero, and the bit where Zero and his glowing pumpkin nose takes his place at the head of Jack's skeletal reindeer sled

Daddy's Favourite bit: I've lost count of the amount of times I've seen this movie, I even have a pair of Jack Skellington slippers at home (and several mugs, and goodness knows how many times I've drawn Jack and Sally myself too!) - A hugely appealing story full of dark and gothic charm and this book captures it perfectly!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Disney Editions)