Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas

By Russell Hoban, Lillian Hoban (Illustrator)

A talent contest may fulfill dreams, but love and family are the true rewards.

4.4/5 Goodreads · 797 ratings

42 pages

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

In a humble cottage, Emmet Otter dreams of gifting his mother a piano, while she wishes to buy him a guitar. A village talent contest offers hope, but their true reward lies in discovering the power of love and family. Inspired by "The Gift of the Magi," this heartwarming tale reminds us that fortune favors the brave. Will their dreams come true, or will they find something even more precious?

From the publisher

Celebrate Christmas this year with the inspiration for the beloved Jim Henson film – back in print after over 40 years! In 1977, when Jim Henson debuted the now-classic film Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas, few knew it was based on a story written and illustrated by Russell and Lillian Hoban, creators of Bread and Jam for Frances and other treasured children’s books. With an enduring score by the great Paul Williams, the movie remains a holiday tradition in homes across America. Now the book that started it all is back in print, in a beautiful gift edition that will thrill Muppets fans young and old. Inspired by the classic tale The Gift of the Magi, the story begins in a poor country cottage, as Emmet Otter dreams of buying Ma a piano for Christmas, while Ma dreams of buying Emmet a guitar. When a village talent contest is announced, both imagine their dreams coming true. But what they don’t imagine finding is their real reward - the power of love, family, and hope in hard times. It is a story that reaches into a reader’s heart and reminds us all that fortune favors the brave. A Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Book of the Year [A] welcome reissue of the Hobans’ 1971 story . . . Colorful illustrations of the close-knit animal community containplenty of warmth. –The Horn Book

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