Muppet Story Magic

Muppet Story Magic is volume 5 in the Jim Henson's Muppet Stories series. The series collects the various Jim Henson's Bedtime Stories short stories in hardback form.
In his introduction, Kermit the Frog tells the readers that this collection of stories is about the magic all around us, and the magic of our imagination.
Picture 	Title/Summary 	Author/Illustrator
center250px|center	"The Really Truly Boffo Birthday Cake"Miss Piggy reminds Fozzie that the next day is Kermit's birthday, so they need to start getting ready for the party. When she tells him that she will bake the cake, Fozzie asks if he could. Unaware that he can bake, Piggy gives him the go ahead, telling him to do something simple like cupcakes. Thinking they are boring, Fozzie attempts to make a Chiffon Whipped Dream Cake from his recipe book.
Not knowing how to bake, Fozzie's attempts at cooking are less than stellar, with him using marshmellows to make the eggs fluffy, and cherry cola in place of baking soda. When the cake is finished, its five layers were lumpy and lopsided, with the frosting looking like green slime. Piggy decides they should call it a Swamp Cake and serve it anyway.
When Kermit sees the cake, he believes it is the Swamp Cake his mother used to make. Unfortunatly it did not taste like his mom's cake at all. However, the friends are supportive of Fozzie's attempts, and he promises that he's practice so that next year he can make a Super Duper Really Truly Boffo Birthday Cake.	Written by Harry RossIllustrated by Richard Walz
center 	"Baby Gonzo's Marvelous Tent"It's laundry day in the nursery, and the Muppet Babies are excited. Baby Gonzo is in the mood for quiet time however, so he takes one of the sheets waiting to be washed and draps it over the crip and onto the floor, making a tent. Once inside, he begins to imagine the sounds of the woods, and peeking outside he sees beautiful meadows and burbling brooks. Next to the brook he sees a picnic lunch laid out. When the Babies come to see the tent, they enjoy the picnic lunch with him, and the quiet, relaxing sounds of nature.	Written by Deborah KovacsIllustrated by Tom Cooke
center 	"The Night the Moon Disappeared"On a still, clear night, the full moon became curious about the animals down below, so she drifted down to look closer. Nasty Weasel and Sly Stoat see her floating down and complain, as they are not fond of moonlight. Getting upset, the Moon finds herself caught in tree branches, and Nasty and Sly kidnap her from the tree, pushing her inside the deepest and darkest cave they could find. Once inside they rolled another stone in front of the cave, trapping the moon inside.
Without the moonlight, they are thrilled at the trouble they can get into without being caught, but the other animals become upset at the lack of the moon in the sky. Searching for her, they moon hears them and shines as bright as she can inside the cave, in hopes they see a glimmer of light escaping. When they do, the woodland creatures roll the stone away, and let the moon rise back into the evening sky.	Written by Michaela MunteanIllustrated by John Gurney
center 	"Nighttime Riddles"Riddles about nighttime things. 	Illustrated by John Gurney
center250px|center	"Animal's Way"On a spring day, Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo and Animal go off into the woods for a picnic. Driving away in Gonzo's car, they are excited for their afternoon away. Parking in a field, they spread out their lunch, and eat until they are stuffed. All except Animal who wasn't done eating. They coax him from the food and head off for a nature walk, admire the beauty of everything around them. Soon they realize that nobody has been watching were they were going, and they are lost in the woods. 
Every idea they have for finding their way out fails, as they can't fly like birds and nobody can hear them scream for help. Hungry Animal however has other things on his mind, and he soon runs through the woods, away from his friends and shouting "Food! Food!"
Chasing after him, the quartet come upon him back at the picnic site, eating away and being upset, for he's polished off the last of the picnic lunch.	Written by Richard ChevatIllustrated by Richard Walz
center 	"Doubting Thomas"'Lolly Polliwog was swimming on day, singing a little song. Thomas came by and said it was a silly song, and said he didn't see any magic anywhere that the song talked about. Lolly says there is magic, like the spiders spinning their webs, or acrons growing into oak trees. She even tells Thomas that they possess magic, for one day they will turn into frogs.
So Thomas waited and waited, and each day Lolly would tell him of more magical things around him. Rainbows in the sky, or flowers growing. And every day the duo began to change, with their legs growing stronger and their heads getting bigger, until one day they were no longer polliwogs, but little frogs instead.	Written by Michaela MunteanIllustrated by John Gurney
center 	'"Baby Kermit's Magic Blanket Ride"Baby Kermit loves his blanket, as it smelled wonderful, was soft, and could be a toy, or a costume or a friend. One day while playing with it, he imagines it is a magic carpet, floating out the window with the frog on board.
As the blanket rises higher and higher, Kermit soon finds himself on the Moon, having fun with the lack of gravity and moon rocks. Soon he becomes hungry, and thinks that they best be getting back to the Nursery. When they arrive, Nanny announces lunchtime, and the Babies tell Kermit he's missed all their fun, but he knows that his blanket and he had not.	Written by Deborah KovacsIllustrated by Tom Cooke
center 	"Ride On"A map, where the reader is asked to follow the directions for each sign on the path. 	Illustrated by Tom Cooke
center250px|center	"Robin and the Haunted House"Robin and his friends walk past a creepy old house every day after school. Convinced that it is haunted and owned by a witch, Robin's friend Tommy dares him to go up and knock on the front door. Not backing down, Robin slowly approaches the porch and the creaking boards, knocking on the door.
Startled, Robin begins to run, but soon sees that a tiny wrinkled old lady has answered the door, asking how she can help him. Shocked, Robin says that he and his friends thought that maybe she could use a hand around the house. Delighted, Mrs. Bigelow informs Robin that she has many things that she needs help with, for she cannot do them by herself anymore. So every day after school, the little frogs pull weeds, mend the fence, and paint the porch. Happy to have the company, Mrs. Bigelow treats them to hot apple cider and peach cobbler, and soon the house is all fixed up.	Written by Harry RossIllustrated by Richard Walz
center250px|center	"Gonzo's Got a Brand-New Dance"Scooter is excited, for tonight is the Muppet Theatre Ball, and everyone is busy getting theatre ready for it. Gonzo is not excited, nor planning to attend however, because he can't dance. Miss Piggy assures him that he can, and volunteers to teach him. Starting with the waltz, Gonzo steps on her feet, and his cha-cha, tango and rumba were each worse than the one before. Giving up, Piggy reminds Gonzo that even if he doesn't dance, he still promised to come.
At the Ball, Gonzo hangs out against the wall, while everyone dances to the music of Fearless Frank's Caroling Cockatoos. When the band starts their big hit, "When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along)," Gonzo perks up as it is his favorite song. Soon he finds his toe tapping and his head bobbing to the music, and before he realizes it he runs out to the dance storm to twil, hop and skip. Miss Piggy tells him that he is indeed a fantastic dancer, and asks him to teach her the dance, and soon everyone there is doing the "Hip-Hop, Clip-Clop, Bop-Till-You-Drop-Dance."	Written by Deborah KovacsIllustrated by Richard Walz
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