Welcome to Muppet Wiki!
 | |
| Written by | Louise Gikow |
| Illustrator | Tom Brannon and John E. Barrett |
| Published | 1991 |
| Publisher | Smithmark Publishers Inc. |
| Series | Muppet Press |
| ISBN | 0765197316 |
Muppet Babies' Classic Nursery Rhymes is a large format book containing photos by John Barrett of the Muppet Babies puppet posers in their version of classic nursery rhymes.
Each photo is accompanied by text from the featured story, surrounded by illustrations by Tom Brannon. Each photo contains a rat hiding in the background, possibly meant to be a Baby Rizzo.
The photos originally appeared in the Muppet Babies Nursery Rhyme Calendar 1989. As a result, several of the pieces also fit specific seasons or holidays (for example, Gonzo as kissing Georgy Peorgy is carrying a Valentine's Day heart).
The quality taken in putting together each photo and its presentation, from lighting and color palettes, set construction to costumes, and right down to the tiny details, is reminiscent of what Mike Frith was doing in the 1980s on such projects as the Miss Piggy Calendars.
An abridged, small-format version of the book was released as Muppet Babies Nursery Rhymes.
Contents
- Ring Around the Rosies - Cast (Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Rowlf, Scooter, Skeeter and Animal) in a field.
- Georgy Peorgy - Gonzo (as Georgy) tries to kiss skating girls Skeeter and Piggy.
- This Little Piggy - Kermit, Piggy and Fozzie at the marketplace.
- Rain, Rain, Go Away - Cast in a baseball dugout.
- Little Boy Blue - Kermit looks on a sleeping Gonzo in the hay with two sheep.
- Simple Simon - Fozzie (as Simon), Rowlf (the pieman) and Piggy at the fair.
- She Sells Seashells - Shell vendor Skeeter at the seashore with Kermit, Animal, Piggy, and Gonzo.
- Wee Willie Winkie - Kermit (Willie) peers in on sleeping Fozzie, Gonzo and Piggy.
- Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater - Kermit (Peter) keeps Piggy in a pumpkin.
- Jack, Be Nimble - Animal jumping over a candlestick.
- Hickery, Dickery Dock - Cast on a staircase at Christmas.
- Mary Had a Little Lamb - Kermit and Piggy with a lamb at the schoolhouse.
Trivia
- In the Wee Willie Winkie photograph, there is a framed picture of Nanny on the wall. Since Nanny's face is never shown, the picture is of her legs.
- Gonzo's stuffed doll Camilla also appears in several photos.
Credits
- Art Direction: Lauren Attinello
- Photographer: John E. Barrett
- Photo Assistant: Ellen Hoffmann
- Production Coordinator: Judith Anderson
- Stylist: Danielle Obinger
- Costumes: Barbara Davis
- Props and Sets: Karl Soderstrom, Laura DeGrgorio
- Graphic Design: Richard Pracher
- Editor: Louise Gikow
- Special thanks to Sandy Austin, Didi Charney, Don Creech, Marian Keating, Vicki Krajcsik, Stephen Rotondaro, Kate Stofko, Mary Strieff