Jim Henson: Bringing Imagination to Life
A puppet may be made of cloth, foam, and a few carefully placed features. But when a performer moves it and gives it a voice, those ordinary materials can seem to come alive. Jim Henson spent much of his life exploring that transformation. He became known for puppetry that combined inventive designs, skilled performances, and the work of many creative people.
Henson was born in Mississippi in 1936. As a child, he enjoyed drawing and watching television, which was still a relatively new part of American life. His family later moved to the Washington, D.C., area. While he was in high school, Henson began working with puppets on a local television program. It was an early step toward a career that would change how many people thought about puppetry.
While attending the University of Maryland, Henson created a short puppet program for a local television station. He worked on it with Jane Nebel, a fellow student who became an important creative partner. The two later married. Their program gave Henson a chance to experiment with puppets made especially for television.
- transformation:
- A change from one form or condition to another.
- inventive:
- Showing skill at creating new ideas or things.
- cooperation:
- Working together to achieve something.
- contributed:
- Gave something, such as work or ideas, to help.
- memorable:
- Easy to remember.
- elaborate:
- Detailed and complicated.
- expressive:
- Able to show feelings or ideas.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 11. What is the main idea of the biography? Give one detail that supports it.
- 22. How did Henson use television cameras differently from a traditional puppet stage?
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About this biography passage for Upper Elementary
“Jim Henson: Bringing Imagination to Life” is a biography reading passage about Puppetry and Collaboration, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 3 minutes to read (514 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.