Jim Henson: The Guy Who Played with Puppets

by Kathleen Krull, Steve Johnson (Illustrator), Lou Fancher (Illustrator)

Sesame Street and The Muppet Show introduced Jim Henson's Muppets to the world, making Kermit the Frog, Oscar the Grouch, and Big Bird household names. But even as a child in rural Mississippi, listening to the radio and putting on comedy shows for his family, Jim recognized the power of laughter to bring people together. On Sesame Street, Jim's Muppets transformed children's television by making learning fun for kids everywhere. A visionary, Jim always believed that puppets could reach a wider audience. In 1976, he proved it, drawing millions of family viewers to The Muppet Show. With his feature film The Dark Crystal and his Star Wars characters—including Yoda—Jim continued to push the boundaries of what was possible in puppetry until his death in 1990 at the age of 53.Kathleen Krull, recipient of the Children's Book Guild 2011 Non-fiction Award and many other accolades, once again does what she does so well—illuminating the life of an important figure in history, art, and culture with her informative but approachable writing style.

Genres: Biography, Picture Books, Nonfiction, Childrens, History, Biography Memoir, Juvenile

40 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 23, 2011

Reviews

[Chalice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, but the illustration of Big Bird is a masterpiece.

[David Cousins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kathleen Krull’s Jim Henson: The Guy Who Played with Puppets is a fantastic book. This is an illustrated biography written for upper elementary students explaining the history and brilliance of the man behind the hit series Sesame Street and The Muppets.
With the advent of so much technology directed towards student learning, this book is a pleasant reminder that high quantities of technology are not necessarily the answer. Jim Henson exudes the belief that sometimes simple is better. The authors of this book deliberately show how Henson’s creations are direct connections to his life growing up. This book will help children realize the creativity and drive does not have to come from the fancy 21st century technology.
I would use this book as a jumping off point for various other discussions. This book could easily be used to discuss life in the early 20th century, various animals, communications industry, or they history of puppetry. This would be a wonderful book to use to discuss visual arts such as sculpting and drawing.
This is a WOW book for me because of the clear explanation of creativity and perseverance. The authors exquisitely explain that becoming a master puppeteer and a household name did not come easily for him. I also loved how the author used the fact that his creativity came from the world around him. He did not follow a modern track of science, technology, or engineering.

[Veronika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative book about Jim and his life. Quite wordy for a picture book but it served its purpose well. Used this for a program where we talked about Jim Henson as an artist and then made our own muppets/paper bag puppets.

*Read for Making Masterpieces 12/3/24

[allyson dunn-worthy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felt more book report-y than children's book. Nice illustrations, dry reading :(

[Madison Henson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was astonished and unexpectedly that's creator by, Jim Henson. He seem hard work and studied children who preschooler, how active to cause them laugh, listen his stories. It been popular development and successful.

[babyhippoface · Rating 5 out of 5]

Know where Jim Henson got the name Kermit for his famous frog? From his childhood best friend. I learned that from this picture book.

This is a terrific introduction to the life of Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets. It begins with his childhood spent entertaining family and friends with his storytelling skills, moves to his teenage years working as a puppeteer on a television show, then his time studying art and home economics classes in college, and his professional career as Muppet-maker and the creative genius behind Sesame Street and the movies Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal. I'm not sure why they chose to use watercolor illustrations rather than photographs of the Muppets, but I'm glad they did. (Elementary biographies with photos always seem to become dated quickly, in my opionion, and just about everyone knows what the Muppets look like anyway.) These lovely paintings have a soft, misty quality that makes them seem timeless.

Elementary kids who need to do a biography report should grab this book, because it has enough detail to be helpful, but not so much they'll get bogged down. Every kid knows about Kermit and Sesame Street, so he's an interesting subject for students. I'd say it's just about the perfect elementary biography.

[Angie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book caught my eye because the newest Muppet movie is being released on Thanksgiving. While Jim Henson was an extraordinary man, this book was less than extraordinary. His work on Sesame Street isn’t mentioned until page 24, even though I would consider this his greatest contribution, and the intended audience of this book (children) would probably agree. It is, at best, a brief overview of Henson’s childhood and professional life, with his personal life barely mentioned. Conversely, the illustrations are amazing! There is a picture on every page and the detail is remarkable. My favorite illustration featured Jim, holding an Emmy award, surrounded by the residents of Sesame Street.
I wanted to give it more than one star simply because of the material, but I just don't think that's fair.

[Whit Preston · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved how this book is readable to both children and adults alike. The tone is playful throughout but somber and bittersweet when mentioning Henson's death in 1990. I also LOVED the additional sources page that consisted of additional books and websites to consult. And while this book is not an exhaustive tome of Henson's life and legacy, it is a great starting pointing for anyone interested in learning about all things associated with Henson.

[Mark Zaino · Rating 5 out of 5]

What sweet little storytelling of one of the greatest creative minds of the 20th century. It is certainly well written and researched; from his childhood to adulthood, and the colorful funeral that made great note in the 20th century.
The last page is a page full of the research materials utilized to tell this sweet and amazingly illustrated book.

[Sarah Hurd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why are my eyes red? Uh... it must be allergies. Not because I cry like a baby when I think of how sad it is that Jim Henson passed away at such a young age. It was a lovely book for young children who are just being introduced to the wonderful world of the Muppets.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sesame Street and The Muppet Show introduced Jim Henson's Muppets to the world, making Kermit the Frog, Oscar the Grouch, and Big Bird household names. But even as a child in rural Mississippi, listening to the radio and putting on comedy shows for his family, Jim recognized the power of laughter to bring people together. On Sesame Street, Jim's Muppets transformed children's television by making learning fun for kids everywhere. A visionary, Jim always believed that puppets could reach a wider audience. In 1976, he proved it, drawing millions of family viewers to The Muppet Show. With his feature film The Dark Crystal and his Star Wars characters—including Yoda—Jim continued to push the boundaries of what was possible in puppetry until his death in 1990 at the age of 53.

Kathleen Krull, recipient of the Children's Book Guild 2011 Non-fiction Award and many other accolades, once again does what she does so well—illuminating the life of an important figure in history, art, and culture with her informative but approachable writing style.

[Emily Sammartino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jim Henson was a young boy who loved to entertain and make people laugh. When he grew up, he took his passion for tv, entertainment, and puppets and combined them together to create shows that brought families together and still run to this very day. As I’m sure most people have, I grew up watching Sesame Street and the Muppets, both being a major part of my childhood, but I never knew who created the show and honestly even cared. The story of Jim Henson is one that shows that belief and staying true to one’s self leads to accomplishing your dreams. Everyone thought Henson was crazy and weird and doubted him every step of his journey, but he never let their thoughts and opinions affect his dreams and goals in life. Henson brought joy and laughter to many people’s lives, including mine, paving the way for others and allowing his legacy to live on. While I never cared to who Jim Henson was before, I do care now as he has had an impact on my life and I never knew it before.

[Abby Gallier · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cool story! Jim Henson, creator of the much loved Muppets, was fascinated with puppets at an early age. His father wanted him to study science in college, but he got his degree in home economics. He made his first puppet from his mother's old green coat, and went on to create a t.v. show with over 400 puppet characters, and multiple popular movies as well. He drew inspiration from his own children, and worked with the creator of Sesame Street to grow the minds of young children with puppets. This book tells a great story about Jim Henson's life, and would make a good read aloud for elementary students.

[Bradley]

It's odd for me to say this on Jim's biography, yet wildly appropriate. The power woman have in shaping our lives and the world. I think the battle is more about representation rather than the force that feminine is. I think of Jim's grandmother, the TV producer who reached out for Sesame Street, Jim being 6 men out of 500 woman in school classes, his wife and the many other players in his life.

Jim's imagination was beautiful. I'm not surprised to find the introverted man found inspiration in nature, from children and most of the people he worked with. One gentle life that touched many. Laughter and imagination the true tools of magic employed by a wizard like Jim Henson.

[Bmw800 · Rating 4 out of 5]

C'mon! Who had a greater influence on 80's childhoods then Jim Henson? I am so grateful our young minds were in good, creative genius hands. (Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Star Wars, etc.)

Thank you for sharing your talent & taking risks, Mr. Henson!

[Marigold Bookhound · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations, but the writing lacks the zest I would like to see in a story about Jim Henson. I think, had the story been formatted in more concise pieces, it would be more appealing for the target younger (and older) audiences, as this is a children's book.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book. Nice art & a ton of information on Jim Henson, the Muppets, & Sesame Street. Even Labyrinth & Dark Crystal are briefly referenced!! Now I want to read more about Jim Henson. Thanks for the inspiration!

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved learning about Jim Henson. His Muppets are iconic, and it is inspiring to read about how he pursued his passion and used his talents to create quality family entertainment and children's shows.

[Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice biography of a man how made a difference in so many lives. Nice read of an example for children to follow their passion.

[David Rough · Rating 4 out of 5]

This quick look at Jim Henson was a nice summary of his life. For any young reader who likes the Muppets, this easy read will fill in many facts about this creative individual.

[lena sheldon · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love u jim

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you (or someone you know who's around 8 years old) doesn't know anything about the life of Jim Henson, this beautifully illustrated book will give you a pretty basic primer. It seems to leave out the negative bits of Henson's life, but I suppose it's for kids.

[Richie Partington · Rating 5 out of 5]

7 June 2011 JIM HENSON: THE GUY WHO PLAYED WITH PUPPETS by Kathleen Krull and Steve Johnson & Lou Fancher, illustrators, Random House, August 2011, 40p., ISBN: 978-0-375-85721-8

"On hot, humid nights, they watched fireflies flickering and listened to frogs croaking nonstop in the swamps. Listening, watching, singing, and telling stories -- that was entertainment."

Debbie Harry and Kermit the Frog sing "Rainbow Connection" in 1981.

There are so many exceptional picturebook biographies, but it is hard to think of a biographical subject who has had a positive impact on more Americans than did Jim Henson, the guy who created the Muppets. Harry Houdini might have been the ultimate magician of my parent's generation, but in my lifetime, there isn't anyone who has approached the magic Jim Henson made with his puppets in his all-too-brief lifetime. Given Henson's pivotal role in creating "Sesame Street," with characters like Ernie and Bert, Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, and Cookie Monster, I'd be satisfied to do for kids in my lifetime what Henson did for millions of them on any given day.

The beginning of a Muppet show episode with Julie Andrews.

Jim Henson began his puppetry career very young. As a child, he learned how to tell entertaining stories, was "filling notebooks with creatures he made up", setting up little performances for his family, and working on school plays. By age sixteen he was operating puppets on television, and by time he was in college, he had his very own TV show.

Diana Ross and the Muppets sing "Reach Out and Touch Somebody's Hand."

As a child in the 1960s, I'd frequently see Henson's Muppets on TV variety shows. Then...

"One day in 1968, he got a phone call that would change his life. It was from a TV producer named Joan Ganz Cooney. She told him about studies showing the vast difference that preschool education made in children's lives. Poor children usually had no access to it -- but they did have TVs. Could TV be used to teach? And would his Muppet company help her new show for preschoolers?"

Of course, what came of this collaboration changed the world for the better, educating and entertaining millions of young children, and introducing them to a cast of characters who were not all white.

It is so great that young readers who grew up watching Sesame Street can experience this enjoyable introduction to the life of this amazing, one-of-a-kind hero. I especially like how so much of the focus of this wonderful book is on the creative pursuits -- in which any child can engage -- that led to Henson's success.

Richie Partington, MLIS
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[Casey Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jim Henson The Guy Who Played with Puppets, is a biography about Jim Henson, the creative genius behind Kermit the Frog and over 400 other puppets known as the Muppets. The biography starts off with Henson's early life on his grandparent's farm. Since there was no TV, imagination and the great outdoors were what entertained Henson and his other relatives. Even at an early age, he was making puppets and doing little shows for his family. As Jim got older and went to college, puppets started to become a career for him. He was hired to do little shows that ran twice a day in Washington D.C. and around this time the Muppets were born.

After college, Henson's Muppets were in dozens of commercials and even on The Ed Sullivan Show. His success was rising but in 1968 everything changed, at TV producer named Joan Cooney ask Jim to create a television show for children who could not afford preschool, the show was called Sesame Street. Jim's creativeness was able to finally flourish in this new setting. Sesame Street became the longest running child's show and won dozens of awards. Henson helped many others with their own projects such as Yoda and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Henson eventually died at the age of fifty three yet at his funeral only lively colors could be seen as well as a New Orleans Jazz band.

The biography is for primary aged students because of the simplistic diction as well as the topic. The illustrations are very good. The artwork is realistic yet has the cartoonish look that one would expect when reading about the Muppets creator. The illustrations went with the text very well and could even possibly be a book of their own. I fully recommend this book for all people because of the nostalgic feeling for older readers and the general topic for younger readers.

[Lady Lioness · Rating 3 out of 5]

I specifically sought out this book as I've liked other books by Krull and the Muppet movie is being released in nine days. However, I was mildly disappointed. The book focuses mainly on Henson and his puppetry, with very little other details. Sesame Street is introduced on page 24 and Krull continues covering it until page 30 (all the odd pages have wonderful full-page color illustrations). The traditional Muppets get a brief mention at the top of page 32, but the rest of the page crams together the Henson movies and his work on Star Wars & the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies. Fraggle Rock gets nary a mention. Then on page 34, she covers Henson's death and the book ends. The illustrators, Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher, include brightly colored butterflies in the funeral painting, but Krull doesn't explain their significance. There isn't even a 'his work lives on today' chapter. Henson's children are mentioned by name once, but Krull never covers the fact that Brian and Lisa Henson are largely responsible for continuing their father's work. Since half of the book is illustrations, there is actually only fifteen pages of text. The supposed forty pages includes the front and back covers & endpapers.

It feels like either the book was limited to a certain page count and since the illustrations are so wonderful, the text was severely cut to allow space for the twenty-eight illustrations (fifteen are full pages) or Krull was on a deadline and didn't fully finish the manuscript. This is the only children's biography of Henson I've read so I have nothing to compare it to, but I would probably say this is best geared towards K-3 grade readers who have a maniacal interest in puppetry or Sesame Street.

[Gabrielle Borawiec · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jim Henson grew up without a TV. No one had a TV in the 1930's so finding things to entertain him with was actually easy to do. He would day dream, nature walk, drew in notebooks, sit on the porch with his grandmother, played tennis, ping-pong, board games, put on shows for his family in the yard, became a cub scout, etc. He found a lot to do with his time. He was fascinated with radio, comedy, comic strips, books, and drawing. Once the family got a TV they enjoyed spending time together and especially liked a puppet show. He did whatever he could to engage himself with puppets. In college Jim tried to take science classes but he gravitated to the art classes and while in school Jim got his first TV show staring a upper names Sam. He then created Kermit from his moms old coat. A woman from his one course helped him create the Muppets. After graduation he traveled for art and puppets. Once he returned back home to the states he formed a company called Muppets, Inc. The Muppets went from being in many commercials to helping an education TV show known as "Sesame Street." The show was very unique with all of the unique characters.

This book illustration-wise was very enjoyable. On the left hand side of this book was all text and a small picture underneath of something the text was talking about. On the right hand side was a bigger picture that took up the whole page. These pictures were really soft and enjoyable. For as soft drawn and painted there is a lot of details that go along with them though. They touched base on all the important events that had occurred in Jim Henson's life which was nice to see.

[Ms. Tongate, TLC Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living on the Mississippi River as a boy, Jim Henson loved to draw, fish, and swim with his brother Paul. He was extremely close to his grandmother. They would sit on the porch rockers telling stories. Jim Henson was a genius. He even drove to his college graduation in an olds Rolls Royce he bought. Jim Henson received a degree in Home Ec.

At the age of 13, a newspaper printed on of his cartoons. Henson was always interested in puppets and puppet TV shows.

Age 16, Jim Henson was on a TV show playing with puppets.
In college, he got his own TV show, "Sam and Friends". In puppetry class he started the "Muppets." Sam's friend Kermit, Henson made from his Mom's old green coat stitched into a funny shape, eyes made from a Ping Pong ball cut in half and slightly crossed.

After college Henson went to Europe to learn how to paint and more about puppet shows.

1968 Henson was approached by Sesame Street. He had Kermit, then added Oscar the Grouch, Bert and Ernie, Cookie Monster, Big Bird and more! Jim Henson was the spark behind each Muppet's voice and personality. 1969 Sesame Street launched.

Jim Henson died at the age of 53 of a short illness in 1990. At his funeral everyone wore bright colors, a New Orleans jazz band played, and everyone waved butterfly puppets of every color. Henson was the father of 5 children and the owner of 6 homes!

"When I was young, my ambition was to be one of the people who made a difference in this world." ~ Jim Henson

[Ruth Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up in an era without TV, Jim played outdoors with his brother, daydreaming, nature watching, and drawing what he saw. He had a best friend named Kermit (sound familiar) and enjoyed entertaining his family while wearing simple costumes and household props. In 1950 when his parents purchased their first TV, Jim was fascinated by the Kukla, Fran and Ollie puppet show. Though his biologist father wanted Jim to prepare for a career in science, it was not to be. Jim began looking for a job in TV.
Later Jim married a gal from his puppetry class and they started their creations, the Muppets ( a combination of marionettes and puppets). In 1968, he was called by a TV producer and asked if his Muppet Company would help her with a new show for kids . . . Sesame Street! From there, the muppets introduced Saturday Night Live as well as starred in their own movies.
Unexpectedly, Jim died at age 56, following a brief illness. He will be forever remembered for his imagination and the difference he made in the world, through education and laughter.

I thought this book provided a complete picture of Henson's life and yet it was brief enough for me to read easily in one setting. The text usually appeared in paragraph form on the left page, with a small illustration, and the next page had a full-page painting. This format would appeal to kids, especially to readers just being introduced to biography or those who might struggle with too much text.

[Luann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned things I didn't know about Jim Henson from reading this, and isn't that the point of reading a biography? But somehow when I got to the end, I felt like there hadn't been enough. Too much focus on Sesame Street and not enough on his other projects, maybe? We always watched The Muppet Show growing up and I definitely wanted to read more about that. We watched Sesame Street a lot, too, but it never felt like "my" show. Also it seems like there's been a lot written about Sesame Street elsewhere.

There were brief mentions of some of his other projects. I had forgotten about Labyrinth! More about that would have been nice. And I would have really liked to see a complete list of his shows and projects. I also missed having an author's note at the end, which can help to fill in some of the gaps from the text and to explain why the author chose to write about that particular person.

But despite my problems with the book, this is a nice biography for students. The illustrations are fabulous! And I loved learning more about Jim Henson's early life. I loved the point made that you should choose to do something with your life that you really care about and that will make a difference in the world. Jim Henson definitely did that! Can you imagine a world without Kermit, or Bert & Ernie, or Miss Piggy?

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am already a fan of Kathleen Krull's biographies. I really liked her book on Albert Einstein. So when Jim Henson [The Sesame Street Puppet guy] The Guy Who Played with Puppets came up, I couldn't wait to read it.

Krull does an wonderful overview of his life from the early years and what inspired him and then leads into his Sesame Street years.

I learned some things like I did not know that his muppets were used to sell products originally. I also did not know they were used to introduce the first Saturday Night Live Season. Henson originally did not create these puppets just for children or education!

The fact that the term "muppets" came from a combination of "marionettes" and "puppets" was also new. I grew up with Sesame Street, but I did not know that it was originally offered as an educational answer to families who could not afford pre-school but still wanted their children to have the ability to learn in those early years when research was saying it was so important.


On the down side, there were times when I turned to the previous page and thought,"Did I turn too many pages?" She lacked transitions many times which left me thinking, "Where did she go?"

Overall, I found this book interesting