Imagination Illustrated

Diary entries, sketches, rare photos, and more from the Jim Henson archives: “His playful work made adults and children smile; this book will too.” —Chicago Tribune

Jim Henson’s iconic puppet characters, fantastic worlds, and warm humor have delighted millions of people of all ages. His diverse body of work, from the Muppets to the world of The Dark Crystal, reveals his charm and genius to fans old and new.

Compiled directly from The Jim Henson Company archives, Imagination Illustrated adapts the diary that Jim faithfully kept throughout his career, supplementing it with a trove of little-seen visual material, including rare sketches, personal and production photographs, storyboards, doodles, and much more. Throughout, archivist Karen Falk delves into the behind-the-scenes details of Henson’s life and artistic process.

Sure to delight anyone who has enjoyed Henson’s creations—seeing early drawings of Kermit and Rowlf is like smiling over childhood photos of dear friends—this lovely book celebrates Jim’s life and his magic.