What do you think?
Rate this book
Jim Henson's The Musical Monsters of Turkey Hollow
The lost screenplay by Jim Henson brought to life by Roger Langridge!
In the spring of 1968, Jim Henson and his longtime writing partner were working together to create an original Thanksgiving TV special called The Musical Monsters of Turkey Hollow, which was to be directed by Jim and feature original songs by Joe Raposo of Sesame Street fame. Henson went as far as building the puppets for the special, but no network committed to the project and the script was filed away in the Jim Henson Company Archives. After the success of Archaia's Eisner Award-winning graphic novel Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand, we are proud to partner with the Jim Henson Company to bring to life another previously unknown piece of the Jim Henson Legacy. The only thing more exciting than finding the script for the project was securing the talents of the amazing Roger Langridge (writer and illustrator of the Eisner Award-winning Snarked) to adapt and illustrate the project! Eisner and Harvey-Award winner Roger Langridge is the mastermind behind Snarked and the beloved run of The Muppet Show comics, and now he gets to bring to life hilarious, never-before-seen puppet creations by Jim Henson in an oversized all-ages adventure. Turkey Hollow is a picturesque town where hundreds of years ago, unbeknownst to the citizens, a meteorite landed nearby a small brook on the outskirts of town. One Thanksgiving, while young Timmy Henderson practices his guitar, he’s accompanied by strange, unearthly, musical sounds. That meteorite wasn’t a rock at all but an egg holding seven furry, goofy monsters, each with a unique musical sound. After the initial shock, Timmy befriends the lovable creatures following him all around Turkey Hollow. Not everyone takes a liking to the visitors though and it’s up to Timmy to protect his new friends and save Thanksgiving!
In the spring of 1968, Jim Henson and his longtime writing partner were working together to create an original Thanksgiving TV special called The Musical Monsters of Turkey Hollow, which was to be directed by Jim and feature original songs by Joe Raposo of Sesame Street fame. Henson went as far as building the puppets for the special, but no network committed to the project and the script was filed away in the Jim Henson Company Archives. After the success of Archaia's Eisner Award-winning graphic novel Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand, we are proud to partner with the Jim Henson Company to bring to life another previously unknown piece of the Jim Henson Legacy. The only thing more exciting than finding the script for the project was securing the talents of the amazing Roger Langridge (writer and illustrator of the Eisner Award-winning Snarked) to adapt and illustrate the project! Eisner and Harvey-Award winner Roger Langridge is the mastermind behind Snarked and the beloved run of The Muppet Show comics, and now he gets to bring to life hilarious, never-before-seen puppet creations by Jim Henson in an oversized all-ages adventure. Turkey Hollow is a picturesque town where hundreds of years ago, unbeknownst to the citizens, a meteorite landed nearby a small brook on the outskirts of town. One Thanksgiving, while young Timmy Henderson practices his guitar, he’s accompanied by strange, unearthly, musical sounds. That meteorite wasn’t a rock at all but an egg holding seven furry, goofy monsters, each with a unique musical sound. After the initial shock, Timmy befriends the lovable creatures following him all around Turkey Hollow. Not everyone takes a liking to the visitors though and it’s up to Timmy to protect his new friends and save Thanksgiving!
96 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2014
2 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
About the author
Jim Henson
182 books382 followersJim Henson was an American puppeteer, filmmaker, and creative visionary whose influence on television, film, and puppetry reshaped the world of entertainment. Best known as the creator of the Muppets, Henson blended humor, whimsy, and heart in ways that captivated both children and adults. His work spanned television, feature films, and innovative storytelling formats, and he is remembered as a pioneer whose imagination opened new artistic frontiers.
Born James Maury Henson in 1936 in Mississippi and raised in Maryland, Henson showed an early interest in art, puppetry, and television. While attending the University of Maryland, he created “Sam and Friends,” a five-minute TV show that introduced audiences to a lizard-like puppet named Kermit, a character that would later evolve into the world-famous Kermit the Frog. The show was the beginning of a lifelong partnership between Henson and his future wife, Jane Nebel, who co-performed and co-developed early puppet characters.
In 1958, the couple founded Muppets, Inc., which would grow into The Jim Henson Company. Henson's innovative approach to puppetry transformed the field. He used flexible foam, fabric, and expressive hand movements to create puppets that could convey real emotion—characters that connected with audiences in a way few had seen before. He also redefined the way puppets were filmed, using monitors and unique camera angles to make them more lifelike and engaging.
Henson’s career reached a new height in 1969 when he joined the creative team behind “Sesame Street.” There, he created and performed many of the show’s iconic characters, including Ernie, Cookie Monster, Bert, Grover, and Oscar the Grouch. His work on “Sesame Street” helped the show become a global educational phenomenon, blending entertainment with learning for millions of children worldwide. Henson’s belief that television could be both entertaining and educational guided much of his creative output.
Despite his success with “Sesame Street,” Henson was eager to prove that puppetry could be more than just a children’s medium. After years of rejection, he finally launched “The Muppet Show” in 1976, a comedy-variety series starring a troupe of eccentric puppet performers led by Kermit the Frog. The show became an international hit, attracting celebrity guest stars and earning critical acclaim. It ran for five seasons and led to several successful theatrical films, including “The Muppet Movie” (1979), “The Great Muppet Caper” (1981), and “The Muppets Take Manhattan” (1984).
Henson’s ambition and imagination were not limited to the Muppets. In the 1980s, he began developing darker, more complex fantasy worlds. He co-directed and co-wrote “The Dark Crystal” (1982), a visually groundbreaking film that created an entirely original mythology. In 1986, he directed “Labyrinth,” starring David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly, a film that combined puppetry, music, and elaborate set design. Though not initially successful at the box office, “Labyrinth” became a cult classic and remains beloved today.
Henson also created “Fraggle Rock,” a musical fantasy series that addressed themes like cooperation, identity, and environmental stewardship. With “The StoryTeller,” he brought European folk tales to life using an artful blend of live action and puppetry. Both shows showcased his continued desire to experiment with format and content, always pushing boundaries and exploring new artistic territory.
Jim Henson died unexpectedly in 1990 from a sudden bacterial infection, just as he was in talks to sell his company to The Walt Disney Company. His death shocked the entertainment world, but his legacy endured. Through The Jim Henson Company and The Jim Henson Foundation, his commitment to puppetry, innovation, and creative storytelling continues to thrive.
More than three decades after his passing, Jim Henson’s characters still inspire wonder and joy. He believed in the power of imagination to chang
Born James Maury Henson in 1936 in Mississippi and raised in Maryland, Henson showed an early interest in art, puppetry, and television. While attending the University of Maryland, he created “Sam and Friends,” a five-minute TV show that introduced audiences to a lizard-like puppet named Kermit, a character that would later evolve into the world-famous Kermit the Frog. The show was the beginning of a lifelong partnership between Henson and his future wife, Jane Nebel, who co-performed and co-developed early puppet characters.
In 1958, the couple founded Muppets, Inc., which would grow into The Jim Henson Company. Henson's innovative approach to puppetry transformed the field. He used flexible foam, fabric, and expressive hand movements to create puppets that could convey real emotion—characters that connected with audiences in a way few had seen before. He also redefined the way puppets were filmed, using monitors and unique camera angles to make them more lifelike and engaging.
Henson’s career reached a new height in 1969 when he joined the creative team behind “Sesame Street.” There, he created and performed many of the show’s iconic characters, including Ernie, Cookie Monster, Bert, Grover, and Oscar the Grouch. His work on “Sesame Street” helped the show become a global educational phenomenon, blending entertainment with learning for millions of children worldwide. Henson’s belief that television could be both entertaining and educational guided much of his creative output.
Despite his success with “Sesame Street,” Henson was eager to prove that puppetry could be more than just a children’s medium. After years of rejection, he finally launched “The Muppet Show” in 1976, a comedy-variety series starring a troupe of eccentric puppet performers led by Kermit the Frog. The show became an international hit, attracting celebrity guest stars and earning critical acclaim. It ran for five seasons and led to several successful theatrical films, including “The Muppet Movie” (1979), “The Great Muppet Caper” (1981), and “The Muppets Take Manhattan” (1984).
Henson’s ambition and imagination were not limited to the Muppets. In the 1980s, he began developing darker, more complex fantasy worlds. He co-directed and co-wrote “The Dark Crystal” (1982), a visually groundbreaking film that created an entirely original mythology. In 1986, he directed “Labyrinth,” starring David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly, a film that combined puppetry, music, and elaborate set design. Though not initially successful at the box office, “Labyrinth” became a cult classic and remains beloved today.
Henson also created “Fraggle Rock,” a musical fantasy series that addressed themes like cooperation, identity, and environmental stewardship. With “The StoryTeller,” he brought European folk tales to life using an artful blend of live action and puppetry. Both shows showcased his continued desire to experiment with format and content, always pushing boundaries and exploring new artistic territory.
Jim Henson died unexpectedly in 1990 from a sudden bacterial infection, just as he was in talks to sell his company to The Walt Disney Company. His death shocked the entertainment world, but his legacy endured. Through The Jim Henson Company and The Jim Henson Foundation, his commitment to puppetry, innovation, and creative storytelling continues to thrive.
More than three decades after his passing, Jim Henson’s characters still inspire wonder and joy. He believed in the power of imagination to chang
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 19, 2021
It was okay in picture form - obviously they're having to try and visually translate that this is meant to be a musical special. In the end, diversity and acceptance win the day. Tone wise, the book felt a little Salem witch trials as the fear-mongering Mr Sump tries to convince the town that the Henderson's pagan aunt is an evil witch summoning demons (and there is a brief nod to pitchfork wielding villager mobs) which detracts a bit from the Scooby-Doo style plot and the simpler idea that sometimes are people are afraid or jealous of people that are happy and content in their differences to their more conservative neighbours.
Miss 6 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.
Miss 6 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.
August 29, 2018
What's not to love about Muppets? This was charming, it makes for a cute Thanksgiving story, but it's a fun story any time of year. I absolutely loved the photos of the original monsters puppet mockups from 1968. Jim Henson was such a great and talented man, the way he can convey such humor and subtle emotion with posing a puppet in a window just so. He was brilliant! And it made me happy to see Jim Henson drawn into one of the frames looking confused at the angry mob, that was a fun little Easter egg.
November 28, 2024
Book Club Questions - originally meant for my friends but why not post it here?:
1. What was your book?: Jem Henson's "The Musical Monsters of Turkey Hollow"
2. What was your rating?: 4 Stars
3. How does it relate to your theme?: Thanksgiving Oneshot
4. Any extra thoughts?: It's a fun thanksgiving book that was originally meant to be a Muppet production, brought to life almost fifty years later in graphic novel form. Fun and cheeky, with beautiful art and an excellent cross-media adaptation of something that wasn't meant to be a book.
5. Would you recommend it?: Yeah!
1. What was your book?: Jem Henson's "The Musical Monsters of Turkey Hollow"
2. What was your rating?: 4 Stars
3. How does it relate to your theme?: Thanksgiving Oneshot
4. Any extra thoughts?: It's a fun thanksgiving book that was originally meant to be a Muppet production, brought to life almost fifty years later in graphic novel form. Fun and cheeky, with beautiful art and an excellent cross-media adaptation of something that wasn't meant to be a book.
5. Would you recommend it?: Yeah!
July 2, 2017
Wow, I expected so much more from this book, given the absolutely stellar treatment Archaia has given Jim Henson's other properties. While the art is passable, the execution of the story just falls flat in many places. Some things just aren't as affecting without the musings of the late Henson. Tale of Sand and the Dark Crystal Creation Myths series were light years ahead of this posthumous attempt.
December 26, 2025
It was good, but stood out as the Jim Henson translation I've seen that lost the most in change of format. This story needed the monsters to affect music, and the artist did an admirable job showing it, but it lacked the actual feeling that it was written for
December 29, 2017
Absolutely adorable and fun -- it's a shame that this was never made into a Thanksgiving Day special.
May 19, 2019
Extremely different from the film they made, but just as delightful and magical as the movie. That being said, made it all the more special to read.
November 29, 2019
Fun to imagine what this would've been like had it been made into a TV special. The art is wonderful, and really evokes the spirit of Jim Henson's puppetry.
July 14, 2020
Critical Score: 3
Personal Score: 3
Total Score: 6
Personal Score: 3
Total Score: 6
August 22, 2022
Loved this - as a huge fan of anything Jim Henson, it was a fun walk down nostalgia lane. Reading this with my kids now, and then we will watch the movie!
March 15, 2019
This book was very funny! I love Jim Henson's work and how he adds puppets to everything!
November 23, 2018
Jim Henson was an undeniable genius. While it's a genuine tragedy that he is no longer with is, it's great to get to experience previously unseen work from him, in the form of new graphic novels like this one. Roger Langridge (no stranger to translating Jim Henson's creations to the comics page) works his usual magic here. His scripting and art accomplish in comics what Henson did with his puppets: he brings a warmth and humanity as well as great senses of both drama and humor to non-living representations of living beings. This book feels very true to its late 60s/early 70s roots as a TV special, and in tone sits very comfortably next to works like Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas. As with that special, music plays a large role in this story, and while comics are a silent medium, Langridge does a great job creating the sense of sound and rhythm on the page. I only wish this came with a soundtrack CD! Highly recommended to fans of Jim Henson's work, to fans of comics, and to fans of well-told, whimsical holiday specials.
September 7, 2015
Roger Langridge does a wonderful job of bringing this TV script to life as a comic, bringing strong images and colorful characters together in a way that really feels like a Jim Henson creation. There is a little weakness in that the music doesn't work as well on the page as it would on TV or in some other auditory format, but Langridge does actually find a way to capture at least some sense of the music. The story is fairly simple, dealing with cute monsters, a small town with an intolerant old man, a very understanding police officer, and a 'strange' family who is the center of the story. The monsters are cute if not particularly distinctive, and again, aside from the inability to really express the rhythms and sounds integral to the plot, come across surprisingly well. It's a nice sweet story that most people will enjoy.
September 11, 2016
This has all the hallmarks of a Henson/Juhl story and almost certainly would have worked very well as a television special directed by Henson. As a graphic novel it works considerably less well because so much of the story clearly centers around music and an auditory effect. The artist and adapter does a great job of trying to convey this through pictures, but my imagination is a poor substitute for what actually could have been but never will.
There are very few Thanksgiving "specials" or auxiliary stories and it was very refreshing to see one. I can see why it was never picked up (the economics argue for Christmas specials not Thanksgiving ones) but it was a shame. At least we get this graphic novel and it is quite interesting but probably less so for those not very interested in Henson or his work. I feel almost like this was an exhibit taken from the Henson museum.
There are very few Thanksgiving "specials" or auxiliary stories and it was very refreshing to see one. I can see why it was never picked up (the economics argue for Christmas specials not Thanksgiving ones) but it was a shame. At least we get this graphic novel and it is quite interesting but probably less so for those not very interested in Henson or his work. I feel almost like this was an exhibit taken from the Henson museum.
June 10, 2015
Far more style than substance, and even the style is questionable. If this were a short film, at least the puppets would be interacting with people, and the music would be, y'know, audible. As a comic, the people are even cartoonier than the puppets, and the music is conveyed through color? I think? A half-assed story that wasn't meant for the medium it's told in.
November 8, 2015
I can see why this special never got picked up by a network. It made no sense and translated poorly from "TV" to the page, because it had original songs that of course had no music, just lyrics listed on a page. What were the adapters thinking here? I'd describe the plot, but it's stupid. I guess somebody will read it though.
May 22, 2017
Lovingly drawn and well-paced, every inch of this story oozes Jim Henson's iconic style; with the deft interplay of sound, color and good-natured humor, this story is reminiscent of Emmitt Otter's Jug-Band Christmas. How wonderful it would have been to see this developed into a live show!
February 10, 2015
I mostly skimmed this. Every time I tried to make myself settle on the page and READ it, my eyes just kind of wandered around and away and my attention was gone. *meh* I LOVE Jim Henson's work and the Muppets especially, but this one I just couldn't get into.
September 24, 2015
This is a nice little recreation of a special written in 1968 that never aired. There is a joke about comics being vulgar trash, which I guess was not in the original script. Very fun and colorful. Just wish that I knew how the songs would have sounded.
December 12, 2014
So happy that things like this exist in the world. Charming, gorgeous, and surprising the whole way through -- even the end-papers made me smile.
September 4, 2015
Such a a beautiful story, charming and heartwarming.
March 16, 2016
Cute story but forgettable
March 26, 2016
Langridge's art looks phenomenal as always, but the story was only OK. Maybe it would have made a good movie, but it's only an OK comic.
September 19, 2016
A bit strange and pointless, but kind of sweet.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews