Kid Konnection: Muppet Edition

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week, I'm going to share with you a book that's very near and dear to my heart because it's about the Muppets!

Summary: Ever since transforming into a Muppet, Danvers Blickensderfer's life has gone a little bonkers. Not only does he have a cool fuzzy nose and flip-top mouth, he's also the right-hand man to his hero, The Great Gonzo. To top it off, he's singing boy band hits with the coolest guy in school, Kip Strummer. Yes siree, life is sweet . . . that is, until a new kid strolls into town. Armed with snarky attitude, snappy one-liners, and a killer bowler hat, this conniving comic is soon stealing the spotlight and turning Danvers into the laughing stock of the school.

It's a clash of the class clowns as Danvers enlists the help of master Muppet yukmeisters Fozzie Bear, Pepe, and Rowlf in his quest to be the sixth-grade king of comedy.

Meanwhile, evil little sis, Chloe, is getting her own musical number at Kermit's theater and, for Miss Piggy, this means one thing: War!

Let the battles begin! -- Little, Brown

A few months ago, I shared my review for TALES OF A SIXTH-GRADE MUPPET by Kirk Scroggs. I grew up adoring the Muppets and I was so excited that they were making a bit of a comeback. I was thrilled that there was a new movie and a new graphic novel, and I couldn't wait to share both of these items with my kids. I just knew they would love the Muppets just like I did, right?

I think there's a parenting lesson here for me because my kids did enjoy these things... just not as much as I did (or as I had hoped.) When we watched the DVD a few weeks ago, I had a silly grin on my face the entire time I watched the movie. I loved seeing my childhood favorites like Kermit, Miss Piggy and Gonzo; and I even got a little emotional at the end of the movie. I'm pretty sure I can say that my husband enjoyed the movie too. My kids on the other hand "liked it," but they didn't have the same reaction that their parents did! In fact, they had the nerve to ask me what all the fuss was about. Seriously? I could watch that movie over and over again -- I loved it!

In keeping with my love of all things Muppet, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the second book in the series TALES OF A SIXTH-GRADE MUPPET: CLASH OF THE CLASS CLOWNS. This graphic novel picks up right where the first one left off, but it also works as a stand-alone. (At the beginning of the book, Danvers tells a little bit about his past so the reader doesn't get too confused.)

In CLASH OF THE CLASS CLOWNS, the newly transformed Muppet Danvers is riding high. Not only does he look like an adorable Muppet, but he gets to hang out with his favorite Muppets and sing with the most popular kid in school. Then, a new boy arrives in town and begins to challenge Danvers as the funniest kid in school. Thanks to the help of Fozzie Bear, Pepe, and Rowlf, Danvers hones his comedic skills as he attempts to beat the new kid and become the king of comedy.

CLASH OF THE CLASS CLOWNS was very cute, and I can confidently say that fans of the first book in this series won't be disappointed with the follow-up book. All the my Muppet favorites were back as well as their "punny" humor. In addition, CLASH OF THE CLASS TOWNS had adorable illustrations on each page to break up the text of the story. I'm telling you... this book will appeal to even the most reluctant of readers. It is funny and witty and there are quite a few action-packed Muppet disasters thrown in! There really isn't a boring moment in the entire book.

Another thing that I appreciated about CLASH OF THE CLASS CLOWNS was the side story about Miss Piggy and Danvers little sister Chloe. There is no doubt that adorable little Chloe is a thorn in Danvers' side, but Miss Piggy feels his pain when Chloe is given her own production number at the Muppet theater. I loved that this book featured Miss Piggy and all of her tantrums and jealousy.

The story in CLASH OF THE CLASS CLOWNS definitely takes a turn to the outrageous -- but what else would you expect from a book about the Muppets? Long-time Muppet fans will be glad to see appearances from Sam the Eagle as well as Dr. Honeydew and (one of my faves) Beaker. And when Dr. Honeydew is around, you can be certain that sparks will fly. All I can say is, "Poor Beaker."

I am hooked on the TALES OF A SIXTH GRADE MUPPET series and I think fellow Muppet fans will agree. I am recommending these books to those of you (like me) who already love the Muppets, or anyone who wants to get a taste of the coolest puppets ever!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this book.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!