Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (book) facts for kids
Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas is a beloved children's book from 1971. It was written by Russell Hoban and illustrated by Lillian Hoban. This heartwarming story is about a kind otter named Emmet and his mother, Ma. They live in a small town and want to give each other special Christmas gifts. The book later became a popular Muppets television special in 1977.
The Original Storybook by Russell Hoban
Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas was written by Russell Hoban and illustrated by his wife, Lillian Hoban. It was published in 1971. The story takes place in a small town called Frogtown Hollow. It follows Emmet Otter and his Ma. Ma is a widow who earns money by doing laundry. Emmet helps by doing odd jobs around town.
Even though they work hard, they sometimes don't get fair deals for their work. For example, Old Lady Possum and Gretchen Fox (the wife of Mayor Harrison Fox) sometimes pay them unfairly. As Christmas gets closer, Emmet and Ma hear about a talent contest. It will be held in the nearby town of Waterville.
They both secretly decide to enter the contest. Each wants to win money to buy a special gift for the other. Emmet dreams of buying a nice guitar for Ma. Ma hopes to buy a piano for Emmet. However, to enter the contest, they must make a big sacrifice. This part of the story is similar to The Gift of the Magi. In that famous story, people give up something important to them.
Ma decides to trade Emmet's tools to get fabric for a beautiful dress. She needs the dress for her singing act. Emmet, on the other hand, turns Ma's washtub into a washtub bass. This is a special instrument for his jug band. They both hope their sacrifice will help them win the contest.
The Jim Henson Musical Stage Show
In 2008, the Jim Henson Company worked with a group called "iTheatrics." Together, they created a musical stage show based on the 1977 TV special. This musical featured a mix of live actors and puppet characters. It also included new songs written by Paul Williams.
The story was adapted for the stage by Tim A. McDonald and Christopher Gattelli. Gattelli also directed the show. It first opened for a short time on December 7, 2008. The show was performed at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Connecticut. It closed on January 4, 2009.
The cast included Daniel Reichard as Emmet Otter and Cass Morgan as Ma Otter. The musical was so popular that it returned the next year. It ran from December 5, 2009, to January 3, 2010.
