It's Story Time

It's Story Time is volume 10 in the Jim Henson's Muppet Stories series. The series collects the various Jim Henson's Bedtime Stories short stories in hardback form. Many of the stories contained in the collection deal with self worth and self confidence.
Picture 	Title/Summary 	Author/Illustrator
center200px|center	"Fozzie's Costume" It is Halloween, and it is Fozzie's favorite holiday because he loves to see everyone in their costumes. Everyone is going to Piggy's house for a masquerade party, but Fozzie can't decide on his costume. Going for a walk, he runs into a clown, who turns out to be Gonzo on his way to Rowlf's. The two are dressing as clowns together, and Gonzo asks Fozzie if he'd like to join them, going as a three ring circus. Fozzie can't decide and continues on his walk where he runs into Scooter and Skeeter dressed as a giant. They invite him to climb under the costume, making it even bigger.
Walking home, he sees more costumes (cowboys, ghosts monsters, witches, and ballerinas), but he still can't decide what to go as, since they all look like fun. Looking at himself in the mirror, he comes up with his costume. Fozzie takes an old picture frame and some aluminum foil, and makes a mirror, with holes cut out for his eyes. When asked what he is, he proclaims himself to be the world's newest superhero, Mirror Man. He says it's the perfect costume for someone who can't decide what they want to be, because he can be anything that reflects in the mirror.	Written by Andrew GutelleIllustrated by Richard Walz
center 	"Anything for a Friend" Wembley has to recite the "Ode to the Radish" at the Whistling Cave picnic, but he is afraid he'll never remember the poem. Red re-assures him that he just needs to practice, and he will be fine, but Wembley insists there is only one way he'll remember the poem, and that is to wear his lucky hat. The trouble with the hat though, is that Wembley feels he can't wear the hat while he's reciting the poem, as everyone will make fun of him. His solution is to ask someone else to wear the hat where he can see it, and that someone turns out to be Red.
Red reluctantly wears the hat to the picnic, where at noon Wembley recited the poem perfectly. He thanks her and asks for the hat back, believing she doesn't like it. But Red is reluctant, growing to like the hat and having it makes her feel nice, resulting in her and Wembley sharing the hat for awhile.	Written by Richard ChevatIllustrated by Larry DiFiori
center 	"Wendell Did It" Wendell the raccoon is awakened by Selina Squirrel yelling that someone has spilled her nuts, and blaming Wendell upon sight because of his mask. Later on Oliver and Otis Owl blame the masked mammal for ruining Oliver's new slippers. Seeking refuge in a cave, he no sooner settles in then he hears a bear cub blaming him for something else.
Angry, Wendell sets out that night to live up to his reputation. He tries to be bad, but finds that he fails miserably at it. For every bad deed he attempts, he does a good one in its place: mending the slippers, cleaning up the nuts, or finding a pot of honey for the bears. That morning he hears the wood folk coming towards him, and he can't escape. He proclaims his innonce when they accuse him of being guilty. But he soon finds out that they find him guilty of good deeds, not bad. Bertha Bear apologizes for judging the raccoon because of his mask, and vows never to do so again.	Written by Jim LewisIllustrated by John Gurney
center 	"Wendell's Friends"A knowledge test for the reader, quizzing them about the abilities of the animals, rhyming skills, and counting skills. 	Illustrated by John Gurney
center 	"Oops! Here Comes Baby Animal!"Baby Skeeter is playing with her blocks, but Baby Animal comes by and crashes into her building. He then disrupts Baby Piggy's tea party with her dolls by spilling dishes everywhere. In both cases the babies were frustrated, but not angry because they knew Animal didn't mean it.
After a week of such behavior, knocking over Baby Kermit's trains or Baby Scooter's computer, the babies decide that something must be done. Gonzo suggests they send him to live off the coast of Madagascar, but the others aren't so keen on the idea. Baby Rowlf gets an idea to set up an "Animal University," where everyone in the Nursery can help Animal practice being careful. After much practice, Animal is ready to graduate, but he tips over a step and crashes into Kermit, bringing the stage down with him.
Despite another accident, Kermit doesn't mind as Animal tried his hardest, so he still presents him with a diploma, and highest honors from Animal University.	Written by Jim LewisIllustrated by Tom Cooke
center 	"The Very Messy Closet"The contents of the closet came crashing down on Baby Scooter one day, so the babies decide to surprise Nanny by cleaning it out. The babies, however, cannot agree on what needs to go. Baby Skeeter wants to keep her favorite frisbee, even though the neighbor's dog chewed it up. Baby Fozzie can't bear to part with an old clown doll. Baby Rowlf's puppet Dippo, Baby Kermit's old yo-yo, and Baby Animal's rattle are all put in the keep pile.
When they get through it all the babies realize that they have gotten rid of nothing, but Kermit has an idea to fix the situation. He uses Skeeter's old frisbee as a new wheel for Baby Piggy's doll buggy, and Baby Scooter uses his ball as a new noise maker for Animal's rattle. Soon they've used all the old toys in the Nursery to fix up other old toys, and have cleaned out the closet in the process.	Written by Michaela MunteanIllustrated by Tom Cooke
center 	"Flippo"' Baby Skeeter is not too keen on waiting for her turn playing a board game, as she does not like waiting. Calling the game poky, she requests to play "Flippo." The other babies are unfamiliar with the game, so she explains that she just made it up and will teach it to them.
The rules are simple: the player needs to complete a double back flip in order to spin the dial and move their pawn. Unbeknownst to the others, she has been practicing such flips for awhile, and domineers the game. Soon the others are bored waiting for their turn, so they leave, leaving her alone. Wanting to celebrate her win, she looks around and realizes the other babies are engaged in a game of "Go Fish." When she asks why they left, they explain they prefer a game where you can take turns, and deal Baby Skeeter into their card game.	Written by Kimberly MorrisIllustrated by Tom Cooke
center 	'"The Flippo Game" The reader follows each path from the letters to the baby it corresponds with. 	Illustrated by Tom Cooke
center 	"How to Be a Kermit"Baby Kermit is reading one of Nanny's "How-to" books. Falling asleep, Kermit wakes up in a world populated by the illustrations from the book. He meets a book binder, a house painter, and plumber. They ask Kermit what he knows how to do, but he cannot think of anything. Thinking even harder, he answers that he knows how to be a frog, which the residents think is wonderful. He shows them all the special things that frogs can do, and feels pretty good about himself in the process.	Written by Ellen Weissllustrated by Tom Cooke
center 	"Where's Beaker?"Kermit goes into Muppet Labs where he finds Dr. Bunsen Honeydew's newest invention, the Beaker Seeker. The doctor explains that he invented it so that he can locate his assistant, Beaker, at all times. He elaborates that the machine works by making a high pitched sound similar to Beaker's, and then it searches for a matching sound in the area.
Realizing Beaker isn't there, the two attempt to test Honeydew's invention, but the machine rattles and shakes and meeps, rolls into a corner, and stops. Kermit opens the trunk and a mouse runs out, but they decide to try the machine again. Going upstairs and across the hallway, the machine stops next to the Doctor's locker, revealing Bunsen's lost Rubber Duck.
While Bunsen adjust the lid of the machine, Beaker pop out from under the lid, surprising everyone. Honeydew soon remembers, however, that in order for the device to work it has to have something that sounds like Beaker inside it, so he put the assistant in himself.	Written by Andrew GutelleIllustrated by Richard Walz
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 10
Category:Muppet Books
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Category:Muppet Babies Books
Category:Halloween Books