What do you think?
Rate this book
Jim Henson's Dark Crystal Tales
Short stories from within the world of Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal from acclaimed children’s book illustrator, Cory Godbey.
The colorful characters from Jim Henson’s beloved cult-classic film The Dark Crystal, embark on new side-adventures “in the age of wonder.”
Cory Godbey, the storyteller behind the bestselling Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: Tales, delves deep into the Skeksis’ ruled land of Thra in this gorgeously rendered look at some of Jim Henson and Brian Froud’s finest creations.
The colorful characters from Jim Henson’s beloved cult-classic film The Dark Crystal, embark on new side-adventures “in the age of wonder.”
Cory Godbey, the storyteller behind the bestselling Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: Tales, delves deep into the Skeksis’ ruled land of Thra in this gorgeously rendered look at some of Jim Henson and Brian Froud’s finest creations.
48 pages, Hardcover
Published August 1, 2017
2 people are currently reading
222 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
May 15, 2020
I have the hardcover version but this is set on kindle bc it has the right book description included with the issue. This is maybe supposed to be a “children’s” book and they would understand it especially if they had parents whom watched Dark Crystal with them like mine did. I did all the time and I kept saying, play it again, (again !) and not bc of confusion. I was always mystified by The Jim Henson Company’s creations when I was younger and that hasn’t changed.
Kids whom haven’t ever seen DC may not know what a Gelfling is (not exponentially) or what the heck Fizzgig is without seeing the movie or even just how much the ripples touch and why the guy with so many hands is called Master, but the content in this book can’t be beat for children- the lesson - nor can these illustrations. It doesn’t matter! It just works !
I get tired of happy cookie baking book scenes. I mean yawn 🥱. It’s cool and all but gimmie some pizzazz!!! Sure I want to bake cookies and be kind but let’s come up with more than fresh baked cookies here! Fresh ideas to show how kindness can spread and we can help !
Show me some wicked -cute creatures running around in a forest on a world I have never seen in an epic quest to save the life of a sick, adopted mother to a Gelfling that doesn’t know it yet, but is the only other in existence besides Jen, whom she hasn’t met!
You can leave it simple or make it so much more.
I love this book.
It gave me feels and happy tears and I’m so happy that I found it !
Highly recommended for children and adults though adults should see if they understand it first. The basic lesson is simple... kindness. When you pass it on, it is like throwing pebbles into a pool of water, it creates ripples that radiate outward and keep going. The “tales” show us how. It’s beautiful.
You can clearly tell there are different types of peoples living together and adopting the young of others into their care, teaching them kindness!
Well, Blow me down! Seems great to me!
This will also delight fans and lovers of nostalgia. ;)
Happy reading.
Kids whom haven’t ever seen DC may not know what a Gelfling is (not exponentially) or what the heck Fizzgig is without seeing the movie or even just how much the ripples touch and why the guy with so many hands is called Master, but the content in this book can’t be beat for children- the lesson - nor can these illustrations. It doesn’t matter! It just works !
I get tired of happy cookie baking book scenes. I mean yawn 🥱. It’s cool and all but gimmie some pizzazz!!! Sure I want to bake cookies and be kind but let’s come up with more than fresh baked cookies here! Fresh ideas to show how kindness can spread and we can help !
Show me some wicked -cute creatures running around in a forest on a world I have never seen in an epic quest to save the life of a sick, adopted mother to a Gelfling that doesn’t know it yet, but is the only other in existence besides Jen, whom she hasn’t met!
You can leave it simple or make it so much more.
I love this book.
It gave me feels and happy tears and I’m so happy that I found it !
Highly recommended for children and adults though adults should see if they understand it first. The basic lesson is simple... kindness. When you pass it on, it is like throwing pebbles into a pool of water, it creates ripples that radiate outward and keep going. The “tales” show us how. It’s beautiful.
You can clearly tell there are different types of peoples living together and adopting the young of others into their care, teaching them kindness!
Well, Blow me down! Seems great to me!
This will also delight fans and lovers of nostalgia. ;)
Happy reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2017
Fair disclosure: as a lifelong fan of the Dark Crystal, this review is TOTALLY biased. (And I'm thrilled that we have more Dark Crystal material in our life than we know what to do wiith!)
While a quick read, it's not a "light" read: in just a few short, gorgeously illustrated pages, it demonstrates the morality and ethos of the eorld of Thra in stark fashion.
Highly recommended to all fans of fantasy, childrens books, and of course Dark Crystal fans!
And, bacause it needs to be said? FIZZGIG FTW! #teamfizzgig
While a quick read, it's not a "light" read: in just a few short, gorgeously illustrated pages, it demonstrates the morality and ethos of the eorld of Thra in stark fashion.
Highly recommended to all fans of fantasy, childrens books, and of course Dark Crystal fans!
And, bacause it needs to be said? FIZZGIG FTW! #teamfizzgig
December 14, 2023
This was a sweet little trio of stories based in the world of the Dark Crystal. I loved the message about kindness. The words of the Mystic to Jen saying that kindness is like the ripples on the pond spreading out into bigger and bigger circles struck my heartstrings. I think that's a message we can all use
February 9, 2022
Was a really cute tale almost like a little prequel
March 1, 2022
The Dark Crystal is one of my favorite childhood movies. Years ago, I got a book similar to this based on tales from Labyrinth, another favorite movie, and adored it. The books have the same illustrator and he does an amazing job with the artwork—it’s like being back in those worlds again!
The stories are really short, but the overall arc is great. It shows how smaller stories can make up a larger one through its pieces. The second story goes into this, except the example used is water ripples.
We get a story from the Skeksis, from Jen and his master, and one from Fizzgig. I liked the middle story the best, though the last story was cute and the first made me chuckle at the end.
The only things I didn’t like was that the inside font was a bit difficult to read at times and I would have liked to see more of Kira. But overall, the stories are cute and the illustrations are beautiful and vivid. Highly recommend this one if you liked the movie at all.
The stories are really short, but the overall arc is great. It shows how smaller stories can make up a larger one through its pieces. The second story goes into this, except the example used is water ripples.
We get a story from the Skeksis, from Jen and his master, and one from Fizzgig. I liked the middle story the best, though the last story was cute and the first made me chuckle at the end.
The only things I didn’t like was that the inside font was a bit difficult to read at times and I would have liked to see more of Kira. But overall, the stories are cute and the illustrations are beautiful and vivid. Highly recommend this one if you liked the movie at all.
March 5, 2024
Beautiful. Superlative. Magnificent.
Seriously. The art, the separate yet sequential stories involving tidbits of each other, the moral, the flora and fauna all pay homage to a wonderful world. After all this is a work based on Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal. May my words carry weight in saying it’s one of the most creative pieces of art we have the pleasure of witnessing. Honestly I don’t know much about Jim. There’s no doubt in my mind that he’d give the thumbs up for this children’s tales.
If there’s something to be desired it’s the price and length. The pages longer and the price smaller. As I typed it I’m not sure. It is hard cover, the cover is magical and the quality of the art is that every page has the potential to be its own cover page.
Quality work never has a price.
And this work is inspiring. My inner fire kindled with the need to do something creative and good.
Seriously. The art, the separate yet sequential stories involving tidbits of each other, the moral, the flora and fauna all pay homage to a wonderful world. After all this is a work based on Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal. May my words carry weight in saying it’s one of the most creative pieces of art we have the pleasure of witnessing. Honestly I don’t know much about Jim. There’s no doubt in my mind that he’d give the thumbs up for this children’s tales.
If there’s something to be desired it’s the price and length. The pages longer and the price smaller. As I typed it I’m not sure. It is hard cover, the cover is magical and the quality of the art is that every page has the potential to be its own cover page.
Quality work never has a price.
And this work is inspiring. My inner fire kindled with the need to do something creative and good.
December 9, 2017
This story, set in the world of The Dark Crystal, is 3 separate but intertwined tales that are essentially about the winding path of kindness, and how it travels in unforseen paths.
The artwork is beautiful and evokes the feeling of the movie (for those of us nerds who want authenticity) and the message about kindness is well told by the CHARACTERS not by the AUTHOR. And that is a truly great thing.
Touching on the worlds of the Skeksis, Jen and the Mystics, and Kyra and the Podlings, the words in this graphic novel are simple and clear, making it a great choice for kids just beginning to read independently, or for parents sharing with young children.
The book could be used as a prequel to the movie, or as supplemental material for young fankids to enjoy. It could also be used in a smaller classroom setting to talk about kindness, art, or storytelling.
The artwork is beautiful and evokes the feeling of the movie (for those of us nerds who want authenticity) and the message about kindness is well told by the CHARACTERS not by the AUTHOR. And that is a truly great thing.
Touching on the worlds of the Skeksis, Jen and the Mystics, and Kyra and the Podlings, the words in this graphic novel are simple and clear, making it a great choice for kids just beginning to read independently, or for parents sharing with young children.
The book could be used as a prequel to the movie, or as supplemental material for young fankids to enjoy. It could also be used in a smaller classroom setting to talk about kindness, art, or storytelling.
December 9, 2017
This story, set in the world of The Dark Crystal, is 3 separate but intertwined tales that are essentially about the winding path of kindness, and how it travels in unforseen paths.
The artwork is beautiful and evokes the feeling of the movie (for those of us nerds who want authenticity) and the message about kindness is well told by the CHARACTERS not by the AUTHOR. And that is a truly great thing.
Touching on the worlds of the Skeksis, Jen and the Mystics, and Kyra and the Podlings, the words in this graphic novel are simple and clear, making it a great choice for kids just beginning to read independently, or for parents sharing with young children.
The book could be used as a prequel to the movie, or as supplemental material for young fankids to enjoy. It could also be used in a smaller classroom setting to talk about kindness, art, or storytelling.
- Ms Kelly
The artwork is beautiful and evokes the feeling of the movie (for those of us nerds who want authenticity) and the message about kindness is well told by the CHARACTERS not by the AUTHOR. And that is a truly great thing.
Touching on the worlds of the Skeksis, Jen and the Mystics, and Kyra and the Podlings, the words in this graphic novel are simple and clear, making it a great choice for kids just beginning to read independently, or for parents sharing with young children.
The book could be used as a prequel to the movie, or as supplemental material for young fankids to enjoy. It could also be used in a smaller classroom setting to talk about kindness, art, or storytelling.
- Ms Kelly
December 9, 2017
My comic book guy, Leo, was very nice and ordered this for me because he knew Ozzy loved Dark Crystal.
We read this book together and I was surprised at the powerful message present within the text.
It is three seemingly separate stories that are actually all connected that serve to tell the story about how both cruelty and kindness can spread across the world in tiny ripples caused by our actions.
Incredibly adept storytelling that really packs in some high level moral discussion by utilizing many of the characters featured in The Dark Crystal!
We read this book together and I was surprised at the powerful message present within the text.
It is three seemingly separate stories that are actually all connected that serve to tell the story about how both cruelty and kindness can spread across the world in tiny ripples caused by our actions.
Incredibly adept storytelling that really packs in some high level moral discussion by utilizing many of the characters featured in The Dark Crystal!
December 9, 2017
This is a small hardbound book of 48 pages. It's a graphic novel. There are three stories all of which are linked together by a bird. Feast for the Skeksis is the first story. A garthim captures a bird but ends up letting it go. The second story is Circles of Kindness and the last one is Fizzgig's Mighty Quest.
These are all based on Jen, Kira, the Skeksis, the Garthim and the UrRu. The stories take place before Jen and Kira met. The artwork is rather good and the stories are nice.
These are all based on Jen, Kira, the Skeksis, the Garthim and the UrRu. The stories take place before Jen and Kira met. The artwork is rather good and the stories are nice.
August 26, 2019
This was more of a children's book than a graphic novel, but as a shorter, simpler book, it's an enjoyable little parable with a great deal of symmetry that really suited the source material. It's a very quick read, but the art was fantastic, particularly compared some other Archaia Dark Crystal books I have read recently. It covers all the groups from the Dark Crystal, and ties them together in interesting ways. It would be good for younger readers who have an interest in the Dark Crystal, but is also a nice, tidy story that adults will enjoy, as well.
December 9, 2017
Great for any young fans of the Dark Crystal. As an adult and lifelong fan of the original movie, I enjoyed the beautiful art and the idea that kindness spreads through the world in unexpected ways. Plus there are really cute illustrations of Fizzgig :)
November 22, 2018
It's an easy thing for anything related to the Dark Crystal to win my affection, but this was really a lovely cycle of children's stories based off the main narrative. It featured nearly all of the principal characters from the movie and taught an important lesson. I highly recommend pressing it.
January 11, 2019
This was short and sweet. I love the illustrations and the stories were adorable. I love that the stories were centered on the characters from the film this time. My only complaint was the short length.
September 14, 2019
Accidentally purchased a digital copy of this comic even though I already own the physical book. No real regrets though since it remains to be a delightful collection of interconnected stories as set in the world of the Dark Crystal and beautifully illustrated in the style of the movie.
January 2, 2022
Very much a children's story, which I find slightly odd because I think this book would be good very young children, possibly too young to have seen the movie. The art is lovely. The moral of the story is great for kids.
July 30, 2017
Omg so cool!
August 29, 2017
What a cute story book,,,,,,,,the connection and moral is how one act of kindness can carry over and touch lives. The Dark Crystal was one of my fave movies as a kid and I still love it as an adult.
December 9, 2017
This book consists of three loosely connected, extremely brief, barely-stories. The artwork is gorgeous but there's otherwise not really much to sink your teeth into.
October 29, 2017
Not much to this book.
April 7, 2018
Cute but short. an interesting take on the butterfly effect in that all things are connected and all good deeds pay out in the end!
May 6, 2018
Short but beautiful book with a timeless message. Much appreciated birthday present.
January 23, 2019
A delightful children's book that takes place before The Dark Crystal... it tells three tales regarding kindness, and how it spreads.
May 31, 2019
Beautifully illustrated short stories.
September 2, 2019
This was way too quick of a read. The illustrations are great, but the stories themselves, while good moral tales, do not make up as much content as I would have preferred.
September 2, 2019
A cute collection of interconnected stories set in the world of the Dark Crystal. Corey Godbey captures the atmosphere of the film in his art and writing and delivers a fun little adventure.
September 7, 2019
Beautiful illustrations. Brings me back to my childhood.
November 27, 2019
Short, sweet and beautifully illustrated. RIP that one Garthim.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews