Twiddlebugs at Work: Featuring Jim Henson's Sesame Street Muppets

by Linda Hayward, Irene Trivas (Illustrator)

Labelled panoramas introduce the busy Twiddlebugs who work hard to make Ernie's window box a nice place to live.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

24 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Linda was born in California’s Central Valley, but raised and schooled in south Alabama, during the turbulent 1960’s. Married to her high school sweetheart, she and Tom have two grandchildren, Georgia and Joshua, who give her plenty of ideas for writing children’s stories.

Her first book in the series, “Marshall Visit’s the Hospital,” Marshall leads children around a sometimes scary world, showing them there’s nothing to be afraid of in instances of doctor visits or the possibilities of staying in a hospital. In subsequent books, Marshall will show there are responsibilities to be met as a contributor to the family: caring for pets, helping others, volunteering one’s time, and even accepting a new baby into the household. It is hoped that Marshall will teach children about their world in a fun and entertaining way. The reality is, they may at sometime need to protect themselves against strangers and bullies. Marshall is here to help build their self-confidence and not make them afraid to stand up for themselves.

Marshall, will also teach the importance of staying healthy and seeing the fun in fitness.

It is Linda’s hope that children from the ages three to eight can relate and benefit from Marshall and his friend’s experiences.

Her first in a series, MARSHALL VISITS the HOSPITAL, was published and released in October 2008. Linda has worked in childcare development and has been a teacher’s assistant to first graders. She has written several short stories, for Ben Romero’s book, CHICKEN FLUFF AND OTHER STUFF, and for author, Janice Stevens’ anthology, STORIES OF SERVICE. She is currently working on a history project for the Clovis Unified School District, to be published and released in 2009.

Reviews

[Tiffany Spencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twiddle bugs at Work
Plot: If you think Twiddle bugs set around all day long twiddling, you’d be wrong! These busy little bugs that occupy space on Ernie’s window still, work, shop, and travel. The same as you and me.

My Thoughts: What makes this book cute is the illustrations of the Twiddle Bug’s city. In one illustration the house is made from a playing card roof held up by pencils. Next to it is a house made from an electric bulb. Don’t ask me how that one gets in and out. The pool looks like the cap from a bottle that’s been turned over and filled with water. One building has an ice-cream cone for a top. Another looks like a milk carton. A tape dispenser is used as a mail slot full of letters. The roof of one is one building looks like it might be the page of a book. The restaurant even has a fork as part of the structure holding it up. This book is very creative and fun. It shows all the different jobs the Twiddle bugs do. This book was memorable because my mom always reminds me, my Dad, when he read this to me as a kid used to call them Twiddly Bugs, and I’d tell him that’s not what they’re called. And he’d say “How do you know? You can’t read." Lol, I must have could better than him.

Rating: 7

[Wendi (BrokenBinding) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a favourite book when I was little. Given that I haven't read the book in about 30 years and it was memorable enough for me to find on Goodreads with just the memory of a book I read when I was 5 or 6 years old, I feel that it is safe to give it a high rating. In fact, I think I have my new standard for rating children's books--5 stars for the books that I remember well enough to seek out, 4 for those that are a bit fuzzy, or that I remember loving once I am reminded of them, 3 for books I forgot all about and liked, and so on. If I remember loving a book so much that I actually remember sitting and reading it, it was a good book.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

We have a Little Library on our street. My retired husband likes visiting it often. We have a granddaughter and he's been picking up children's books. Some are perfect for now, she is 9-1/2 months, and others, like this one, is years away.

This is an oldie from 1980. It's a cute story with even cuter pictures. Actually I don't ever recall thinking this, but the pictures are better than the story!

We are asked if we know about Twiddlebugs? We learn they live in window boxes and there's an entire town in Ernie's window box and he doesn't know about it. The next question asked is, what do Twiddlebugs do all day? Well, they work all day, in many different types of jobs like, mail carriers, and watchmakers, and designers, and assistant cooks, and police officers, and linotypists, and doctors, and plumbers, and even pilots to fly airplanes, why the list seems to be endless. Do they ever get to sit around and twiddle? Why yes at night and that is the sound Ernie hears at night time.

I will return to book to a different Little Library in my neighbourhood so my husband doesn't bring it home again and for a little person gets to enjoy this story now.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this tiny hidden world of Sesame Street. Similar to Busytown, you get to learn about our world in a charming, tiny microcosm. I love all the big words, and that everything is labeled. You get to see how lots of different jobs are connected and important, as well as how tiny Twiddlebugs might reuse our own items in different ways. Masterfully written.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a cute book! I like that all the different jobs that each bug has are labelled. Some are a little outdated but still....reminds me of Richard Scarry's books.

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favorites as a child. Children are introduced to jobs around their neighborhood. I love the illustrations and the ingenious way the Twiddlebugs use things like paperclips for a television antenna, an empty thread spool for a house, and nail polish for house paint. I think this is a must have for any Sesame Street book club fan.

[April Goff · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my own childhood books that I now often read to the boys.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for a "community helpers" unit!

[Corey · Rating 5 out of 5]

best children's book by far

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh.