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Muppets Meet the Classics: Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm
Some fairy tales are too silly. Others are too serious. But when the Muppets meet the classics? The stories are just right! Join Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and the other Muppets as they bring favorite fairy tales to life in their own hilarious way.
Once upon a time, there was a pretty young chicken named Camillarella, who had very heavy shoes and an enchanting Chicken Dance. Or maybe you'd prefer to hear the story of Janice, the flower child with braided tresses as yellow as SpongeBob. With all the favorite characters--Kermit, Miss Piggy, and others--these fairy tales give a whole new meaning to the word "classic."
Camillarella --
Two brothers and a mountain of trouble --
Kermit the Frog-prince --
Janice! Janice! Let down your hair --
Not-So-Little Red Cap --
The pig and the prawn sign a lease --
Kermit and the three golden nose hairs --
The eagle, the mouse, and the wedge of cheese --
Veterinarian's Hospital makes a house call --
Hungry Rowlf and the big-hearted bird --
Fozzie's super-sticky situation --
Snowdrop and the seven penguins --
Faithful Sweetums --
Unclestiltskin --
Bella Thorn, the sleeping beauty (not the actress) --
Clueless trades a turtle --
The frog who liked to fish --
Pepe and Polly.
Once upon a time, there was a pretty young chicken named Camillarella, who had very heavy shoes and an enchanting Chicken Dance. Or maybe you'd prefer to hear the story of Janice, the flower child with braided tresses as yellow as SpongeBob. With all the favorite characters--Kermit, Miss Piggy, and others--these fairy tales give a whole new meaning to the word "classic."
Camillarella --
Two brothers and a mountain of trouble --
Kermit the Frog-prince --
Janice! Janice! Let down your hair --
Not-So-Little Red Cap --
The pig and the prawn sign a lease --
Kermit and the three golden nose hairs --
The eagle, the mouse, and the wedge of cheese --
Veterinarian's Hospital makes a house call --
Hungry Rowlf and the big-hearted bird --
Fozzie's super-sticky situation --
Snowdrop and the seven penguins --
Faithful Sweetums --
Unclestiltskin --
Bella Thorn, the sleeping beauty (not the actress) --
Clueless trades a turtle --
The frog who liked to fish --
Pepe and Polly.
240 pages, Paperback
First published October 9, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 23, 2018
Having grown up with the Muppets, it was so fun to see them in familiar fairy tales -but of course they had their own Muppet twist. As I was reading the stories I could hear the muppet voices in my head and picture their body language while making sassy remarks (Missy Piggy) or innocent comments (Kermit). It was as if I was watching them on tv while reading the stories. A very nostalgic read for me, and I can see kids of today enjoying these silly tales as well.
September 16, 2018
It's not Disney.
These stories don't all end happily ever after.
In true Brothers Grimm fashion, and in true Muppets fashion, there's a nonzero chance of key characters ending up eaten or exploded.
And it's perfectly lovely that way. This is the way Muppets is meant to be.
I think this book is meant as a readaloud by someone who has loved Muppets from The Muppet Show days to their children because of the use of some of the more obscure characters, like Wayne and Wanda. Uncle Deadly gets a number of roles. So do Janice, Sam the Eagle, Sweetums, Rizzo and the other rats, Animal -- it's not all Kermit-Fozzie-Piggy. Camilla the chicken gets some surprise leads, like in Cinderella, although Muppet language rules still apply. Camilla only speaks in bawk, and when penguins have lines that you need to understand, there's a 4th-wall-breaking editor's note that it has been translated from penguinese.
A healthy dose of the good versions of the Muppets is part of raising your kids right, and part of that in this case may be a rewatch of Muppets Tonight (I'm pretty sure I have taped-from-tv VHS of it somewhere at my parents’) and Muppets Christmas Carol to explain why Andy and Randy got drafted by Miss Piggy to play the ugly stepsisters because the Cratchit girls had a gig in Reno. There are enough contemporary references to make me think this might not hold up through the years, but also to make me wonder what I missed by watching Muppet Show years after the fact and to want yet another rewatch.
So, read aloud. Use character voices. Let it get silly. I literally LOL-ed when Beaker, playing a baker, was asked for some sugar by a monster. Beaker “Meep"-ed meekly and hugged the monster. This is the good Muppets (and not all of Muppetdom qualifies as such). Jim Henson would be proud.
These stories don't all end happily ever after.
In true Brothers Grimm fashion, and in true Muppets fashion, there's a nonzero chance of key characters ending up eaten or exploded.
And it's perfectly lovely that way. This is the way Muppets is meant to be.
I think this book is meant as a readaloud by someone who has loved Muppets from The Muppet Show days to their children because of the use of some of the more obscure characters, like Wayne and Wanda. Uncle Deadly gets a number of roles. So do Janice, Sam the Eagle, Sweetums, Rizzo and the other rats, Animal -- it's not all Kermit-Fozzie-Piggy. Camilla the chicken gets some surprise leads, like in Cinderella, although Muppet language rules still apply. Camilla only speaks in bawk, and when penguins have lines that you need to understand, there's a 4th-wall-breaking editor's note that it has been translated from penguinese.
A healthy dose of the good versions of the Muppets is part of raising your kids right, and part of that in this case may be a rewatch of Muppets Tonight (I'm pretty sure I have taped-from-tv VHS of it somewhere at my parents’) and Muppets Christmas Carol to explain why Andy and Randy got drafted by Miss Piggy to play the ugly stepsisters because the Cratchit girls had a gig in Reno. There are enough contemporary references to make me think this might not hold up through the years, but also to make me wonder what I missed by watching Muppet Show years after the fact and to want yet another rewatch.
So, read aloud. Use character voices. Let it get silly. I literally LOL-ed when Beaker, playing a baker, was asked for some sugar by a monster. Beaker “Meep"-ed meekly and hugged the monster. This is the good Muppets (and not all of Muppetdom qualifies as such). Jim Henson would be proud.
October 16, 2018
I'm a sucker for cheesy humor, retellings of classic stories that I love, and The Muppets. I have no idea who this series is written for if not for me. Phantom is my fave story of all time, so the 1st book in this series is of course perfect to me. Fairy tales are also very near and dear to my heart, but this one wasn't quite as perfect as the PotO retelling. Still, it made me literally LOL, and how often can anyone say that about a book? Love this series, can't wait to see which of my obsessions the author chooses to "muppetify" next!
September 12, 2018
want to read but how?
April 29, 2019
More Please
Must
have
more
wacky
Must
have
more
wacky
February 13, 2023
Before reading this, I was concerned about it being a sad attempt to force the Muppets into something. But to my surprise, this not only ended up being fantastic, but felt more true to the nature of the Muppets than they have in recent movies and TV shows. If you are a fan of the Muppets, you definitely should give this book a read.
December 6, 2018
I'm a big fan of the Muppets, and I really enjoy Grimm's fairy tales. With that being said, this didn't quite live up to my expectations. Some of the puns are overdone and some don't really work. Not completely terrible though
April 23, 2019
We read this together as a family. Nothing spectacular, but a fun reimagining of fairy tales with Muppets. There were quite a few stories we weren't familiar with, so having old friends was a good way to learn them.
December 11, 2018
I love the zaniness of this book. Lots of Muppets humor. But sometimes it got a little carried away (probably also Muppets humor)!
January 12, 2019
That ending was absolutely fantastic! This whole story was such a fun and wacky muppet retelling that anyone can enjoy!!
August 24, 2019
It was a fun book to read to my 6 year old. She absolutely loved all the different characters that she got to meet.
November 17, 2020
Such a fun retelling of different stories with the Muppets! Easy and fun read!
October 12, 2023
I love a meta muppets moment
Read
February 12, 2024If you like the Muppets and you like fairy tales then raise the curtain on this hilarious book.
October 14, 2024
Cute and Muppety. More Swedish Chef would have bumped it to a five star... No favoritism here!
June 29, 2025
It's the Muppets! Enough said. This book will remain a permanent part of my personal library collection. Muppet jokes always land when I share with friends.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2020
42 WORD REVIEW:
It’s easy to see how this would work as an actual production. As prose, however, the reworking seems... pointless. The writing is decent enough but the deviations from the original fairy tales are unfunny, diminishing both the source material and the Muppets.
It’s easy to see how this would work as an actual production. As prose, however, the reworking seems... pointless. The writing is decent enough but the deviations from the original fairy tales are unfunny, diminishing both the source material and the Muppets.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews