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Who Was . . . ? Series
Who Was Jim Henson?
Jim Henson broke into television with a five-minute puppetry segment when he was only a freshman in college. He created puppets like none ever seen before, with expressive fabric faces and rod-controlled arms. His Muppets became world-renowned celebrities and formed the backbone of a media empire. With black-and-white illustrations throughout, this easy-to-read biography will be published twenty years after Henson's untimely death.
112 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
50 people are currently reading
604 people want to read
About the author
Joan Holub
347 books1,236 followersNY Times bestselling children's book author:
GODDESS GIRLS series + HEROES IN TRAINING series (w Suzanne Williams); THIS LITTLE TRAILBLAZER a Girl Power Primer; ZERO THE HERO; I AM THE SHARK. Lucky to be doing what I love!
GODDESS GIRLS series + HEROES IN TRAINING series (w Suzanne Williams); THIS LITTLE TRAILBLAZER a Girl Power Primer; ZERO THE HERO; I AM THE SHARK. Lucky to be doing what I love!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
December 1, 2022
I wish this series had been around when I was a kid! So far, I have purchased Jim Henson, Dr. Seuss, The Beatles and Walt Disney. These books are a great way for me to introduce the people who have always inspired me, to my own children. I believe that reading about different creative talents throughout history is not only a great way for kids to learn but also a great way to inspire them. We always have great conversations when we discuss the people from these books because we teach each other new things.
January 11, 2017
Who Was Jim Henson? by Joan Holub is a wonderful book that tells of a boy with a dream and how he took that dream to make a name for himself. This book lets the reader into the personal side of the puppet master and see how it started as a boy, and on up. Very detailed and enjoyable read. Lots of fun sketches and over 100 pages of info on this great imaginative man. A real loss to lose him so young in his life. This book is made for middle grade/teens but adults will find they love it too. I got this book from the library.
April 6, 2016
Who was Jim Henson? was a great book about the creator of the muppets, the mixture between marionettes and puppets. Its cool to read about one of the greatest man in puppet films.
GREAT book
GREAT book
March 23, 2020
I knew Jim Henson was a puppeteer but this had much more and also he had a illness and that is what killed him at the age of 54
January 17, 2022
I had to read this book as a non-fiction requirement for school and thought it was nicely written, and captured my attention quite well as opposed to other non-fiction books I have read. A nice quick and easy read.
April 11, 2012
Lily and I think that Jim’s grandma must have been pretty cool, her nickname was Dear and she was the one who inspired him the most. We think it was amazing that Jim and his family didn’t get their first TV until he was 13 years old.
Jim and Jane had 5 children, he encouraged them to be creative and even let them color on the walls of their home. They also made themselves costumes out of Muppets fabric, how cool is that!
We love Kermit the Frog and the rest of the Muppets, our favorite is the Swedish Chef. Jim and Frank Oz performed him together, the Chef’s hands are actually Frank’s hands. Jim had a pretty amazing imagination to figure out things like how to get Muppets to ride two-wheeled bicycles and Kermit to sing while floating on a log. We think it was cool that he put a TV monitor behind the stage so the puppeteers could see what the Muppets looked like from the audience, Big Bird actually has a TV monitor inside his belly. We both wish we could be kids on Sesame Street.
We think it’s amazing that Sesame Street is still going strong after more than 42 years; it’s too bad The Muppet Show only played for 5 TV seasons. It was a sad day when Jim died unexpectedly, he was only 53. We watched some of his funeral on youtube, everyone should check out all the Muppets who sang tributes with their puppeteers that day: http://youtu.be/0Zzfdlxjx4Y
Jim and Jane had 5 children, he encouraged them to be creative and even let them color on the walls of their home. They also made themselves costumes out of Muppets fabric, how cool is that!
We love Kermit the Frog and the rest of the Muppets, our favorite is the Swedish Chef. Jim and Frank Oz performed him together, the Chef’s hands are actually Frank’s hands. Jim had a pretty amazing imagination to figure out things like how to get Muppets to ride two-wheeled bicycles and Kermit to sing while floating on a log. We think it was cool that he put a TV monitor behind the stage so the puppeteers could see what the Muppets looked like from the audience, Big Bird actually has a TV monitor inside his belly. We both wish we could be kids on Sesame Street.
We think it’s amazing that Sesame Street is still going strong after more than 42 years; it’s too bad The Muppet Show only played for 5 TV seasons. It was a sad day when Jim died unexpectedly, he was only 53. We watched some of his funeral on youtube, everyone should check out all the Muppets who sang tributes with their puppeteers that day: http://youtu.be/0Zzfdlxjx4Y
February 11, 2016
All of the books in this series are well written!
March 24, 2018
One of my favorites in this 'Bobblehead Biographies' series.
March 2, 2016
Jim Henson made my childhood magical.
August 15, 2017
"Who was Jim Henson ? " By Joan Holub is a biography on famous puppeteers life . We learn about him from his humble beginnings is rural Mississippi all the the way to his late life traveling between New York and London . From a young age Henson knew that he wanted part in the television industry which was relatively new in his time , the only problem was he was very shy . It wasn't until 1955 when he was offered the television show "Sam and Friends" that things really began to take off . With his Muppets appreances on the Tonight show in 56' to traveling around the world and starting the hit kids tv show sesame st in 69' followed by the Muppet show in 76' , Jim had been living a quite successful yet busy life . Despite all these successes he dealt with several obstacles along the way ... For instance his brother's unexpected death in 55' dealing with rejection from major networks when pitching The Muppet Show and separating from his long term wife in 84' . Through all of this Henson remained optimistic and inspiring to those around him and it showed after his sudden death from phenomena in 1990 . Thousands came to his memorial service and spoke of the great memories they shared with him . Henson impacted American culture and society in many ways Before Sesame Street there hadn't been a kids show that actually taught kids something and was educational the show was such a hit that Big Bird was on the cover of time magazine. He wasn't the only Muppet who took the world by storm , Kermit the frog was a fan favorite from hosting Saturday night live to appearing as a balloon in the Macy's thanksgiving day parade . By the late 70's every body in America knew about the muppets . The theme of this book is to persevere and make the most out of life . This theme is shown throughout the biography and tales of the Up's and downs of Jim's life one example of this theme is his quote he wrote before his death to his children " Please watch out for each other and love and forgive everybody . It's a good life , enjoy it " . Overall I definitely would recommend this Biography , it was an enjoyable and rather quick read that I found very interesting and educational.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2017
Who Was Jim Henson by Joan Holub is a great biography. So who was Jim Henson? He was a great illustrator and a master puppeteer. He was the main creator of The Muppets. Believe it or not, this wasn't his first show with puppets. He made a show called Sam and Ollie which didn't run as long as The Muppets. Also, a little known fact is The Muppets were originally made for adults. That is before they strolled down Sesame Street.
This book is a great biography because it showed both the good and bad in Jim's life. Also, it constantly had a cliffhanger because each chapter left you hanging. It makes you want to constantly read until it's over. So in my opinion, it is an absolutely extraordinary biography.
If anyone needs to, or wants to, read a good biography that's very interesting, then they could definitely read this one. Anyone can be considered a good recommendation because this book is a great one for anyone.
This book is a great biography because it showed both the good and bad in Jim's life. Also, it constantly had a cliffhanger because each chapter left you hanging. It makes you want to constantly read until it's over. So in my opinion, it is an absolutely extraordinary biography.
If anyone needs to, or wants to, read a good biography that's very interesting, then they could definitely read this one. Anyone can be considered a good recommendation because this book is a great one for anyone.
May 15, 2017
The book I read was who was Tim Henderson. The book was written by Joan Holub . Tim Henderson when he was little he was interested in TV. She did not plan on becoming a puppeteer but he did. Jim did not realize it but he was just creating puppets that became into world famous puppets known worldwide. When Jim was in his late forties he decided to sell his world famous Muppets to Disney in search of a better life but before the deal was made Jim Henson. Really l and then died at the age of 53.
I like the layout of the book who was Tim Henson. I love that the book explains more than him and his business but his family and how they grew up to. I would not change anything in this book.
I recommend this book to anybody who is wanting to learn about how the Muppets came to be or if you are interested in any sort of puppetry. This is also a good book if you like to learn about famous people.
I like the layout of the book who was Tim Henson. I love that the book explains more than him and his business but his family and how they grew up to. I would not change anything in this book.
I recommend this book to anybody who is wanting to learn about how the Muppets came to be or if you are interested in any sort of puppetry. This is also a good book if you like to learn about famous people.
September 28, 2024
Jim Henson was a Muppeteer. He wasn’t a puppeteer or a marionette handler, because the Muppets go beyond mere puppetry or marionettes. It feels like the Muppets have souls, that they are alive.
Jim Henson was a creative mind. He came up with Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and Fozzie Bear, among many others. His creations meant a lot to me, and to American baby boomer society that was rebelling against the old ways. I was introduced to the Muppets by the 2011 movie The Muppets, and have never stopped being a fan.
Jim Henson was an innovator. He came up with the way to make Muppets himself. He took his creations beyond The Muppet Show and put unique Muppet designs in works like Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth. I watched Labyrinth a couple of weeks ago and it was amazing.
Jim Henson was an artist. His legacy lives on. His kids are puppeteers. And his name isn’t Jim Hanson.
Jim Henson was a creative mind. He came up with Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and Fozzie Bear, among many others. His creations meant a lot to me, and to American baby boomer society that was rebelling against the old ways. I was introduced to the Muppets by the 2011 movie The Muppets, and have never stopped being a fan.
Jim Henson was an innovator. He came up with the way to make Muppets himself. He took his creations beyond The Muppet Show and put unique Muppet designs in works like Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth. I watched Labyrinth a couple of weeks ago and it was amazing.
Jim Henson was an artist. His legacy lives on. His kids are puppeteers. And his name isn’t Jim Hanson.
August 10, 2020
I knew Sesame Street and the Muppets were huge industries, but I hadn't connected into the concept of the wealth this must have produced for Jim Henson - he's always in my mind as slightly hippy in jeans and a plaid flannel shirt. But he owned several homes and apparently collected flashy cars.
I love how gentle he was in his life and his family. I love the Muppets. And while both The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth are flawed and quirky, they remain staples of my childhood nostalgia tour. (I remember seeing Labyrinth in the theater in with my Grandmother, cringing at the farting rock scene. I just thought my grandmother was too delicate for such crude humor! I have no idea how she felt about it :-) )
I love how gentle he was in his life and his family. I love the Muppets. And while both The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth are flawed and quirky, they remain staples of my childhood nostalgia tour. (I remember seeing Labyrinth in the theater in with my Grandmother, cringing at the farting rock scene. I just thought my grandmother was too delicate for such crude humor! I have no idea how she felt about it :-) )
July 27, 2021
Jim Henson lead a very productive life. He invented a new method of working with puppets that he renamed muppets. Puppets no longer needed to have strings attached to them to move, they could move with the puppeteer's hands which made them more life like. He was also involved in making Sesame Street popular with both children and adults when he added his muppets to the show. Jim had many visions of how these characters could interact with humans and bring us a better life. He even had his children interact with them on television. Today most of his children are involved in furthering his visions by working in the company he founded. This is a good summary of his life and a good start to learning about his many contributions.
October 31, 2018
Read this with my son who is doing a ‘biography in a bag’ assignment about Jim Henson. I love these books because they are well put together and broken into chapters that are easy for 8-10 year olds to follow. The Muppets, Sesame Street and Jim Henson’s phenomenal imagination made me fall in love with Kermit the frog (when I was a little girl) and the crazy magical world of Muppets that Jim’s creativity brought to life. I was delighted to get the opportunity to bring my son into Jim’s beautiful ‘rainbow connection’ and to teach him that dreams and hard work can become real. My son enjoyed the book and immediately wanted to find out how to make a talking puppet of his own.
April 9, 2019
Jim Henson broke into television with a five-minute puppetry segment when he was only a freshman in college. He created puppets like none ever seen before, with expressive fabric faces and rod-controlled arms. His Muppets became world-renowned celebrities and formed the backbone of a media empire. With black-and-white illustrations throughout, this easy-to-read biography will be published twenty years after Henson's untimely death.
October 25, 2023
I wanted to read this little Jim Henson book as partially homework for my podcast What The Muppet, but mostly just because I am so inspired by the creative spirit of Jim Henson. I didn’t expect to read it in one sitting because it’s 1am, but hey, it was a good night. 😆
My favorite quote from this “lovely” (<— as Jim would say) book: “Please watch out for each other and love and forgive everybody. It’s a good life, enjoy it.” 🌈
My favorite quote from this “lovely” (<— as Jim would say) book: “Please watch out for each other and love and forgive everybody. It’s a good life, enjoy it.” 🌈
February 12, 2020
A fantastic book about a fantastic man. One of my lifelong hero’s, it was pleasantly surprising to find things I did not know about him. The tidbit about how the Swedish Chef was ran makes every Swedish Chef skit even more amazing. I loved reading this book with and sharing my love of Jim Henson with my daughters.
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April 21, 2020I probably shouldn't count this since it's a kid's biography that took me maybe 30 minutes to read but hey, it's a book, right?
Jim Henson was a man who wanted to be an artist and created the Muppets. Which I already knew. But it's a nice book for kids, so maybe I'll leave it laying around for them to read.
Jim Henson was a man who wanted to be an artist and created the Muppets. Which I already knew. But it's a nice book for kids, so maybe I'll leave it laying around for them to read.
February 1, 2023
We had to read a book in this series for class, so I picked someone I found interesting. This does a good job of showing the big highlights of his career, discussing some of his failures, his mottos and beliefs, and some cultural aspects or people similar to him. Plus, it has good resources on the back if you want to know more about Henson or making your own puppets
October 15, 2024
Genre: biography
Grade Level: 4-6
I love Kermit and Elmo and learning the history of Jim Henson was actually a lot more fascinating than I thought it would be. It was refreshing to see that he was a family man because typically the "showman" leaves his family behind. Jim Henson was a kind-hearted man and it makes me love the work he did even more.
Grade Level: 4-6
I love Kermit and Elmo and learning the history of Jim Henson was actually a lot more fascinating than I thought it would be. It was refreshing to see that he was a family man because typically the "showman" leaves his family behind. Jim Henson was a kind-hearted man and it makes me love the work he did even more.
April 6, 2022
I was looking for a simple biography and got exactly that. I enjoy the, "Who Was," books because they make simple but understandable biographies. I found Jim Henson's life quite interesting. The impact he has had on the world of television is huge. Overall, a great and enjoyable read.
September 25, 2024
Picked this great book up from a Little Free library and had such a great time reading this aloud to my kids. It was truly interesting to read.as an adult and also appropriate for young listeners. My oldest now recalls Jim Henson trivia when they see Muppets!
February 2, 2017
Jim Henson is one of my Creative Icon idols. It's great to learn more about his life and what led to him sharing his talents with the world. It's a shame his life ended way too soon but the world has surely been more fun with him having been in it.
June 26, 2017
Short read and it was moving how a man with passion around helping others created such a lasting legacy.
July 12, 2017
Good
Good I didn't like that you didn't keep carrying on about the topic that you were on. Ya u pretty much liked it
Good I didn't like that you didn't keep carrying on about the topic that you were on. Ya u pretty much liked it
August 30, 2017
Child's book - Who Was...? biography series - well done and interesting
September 6, 2017
Good read. Had fun introducing my kids to this iconic television/movie figure.
January 31, 2018
I read this book for my dad he big muppets fan
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews