For our latest ToughPigs Book Club installment, we're straying a bit from the norm by critiquing (and outright mocking) a comic book, rather than a children's book.

The comic book in question is Muppet Babies #15, published by Star Comics (an imprint of Marvel Comics), and the story from this issue that we'll be looking at is "The Magic Book". While all of the Muppet Babies comics are pretty bizarre, this one takes the cake. Things get pretty meta as the Babies don't just break the fourth wall, they take a sledgehammer to it and put it in a blender with some yogurt and bananas.

After reading the comic (remember to click the images to make them, y'know, readable!), I implore you to stop by the ToughPigs forum or send me an e-mail with your comments, criticisms, and colloquialisms. The best of the best will show up right here on your friendly neighborhood ToughPigs website.

Enough of my yammering! Enjoy the comic book! All the cool kids are doing it.


Suggested Discussion Questions:

1.) Is this a story about the Muppet Babies entering a comic book, or becoming self-aware as comic book characters? Do they also know that they are fictional characters? When they "snap" away in the last panel, are they being erased from the existence of their comic book universe?

2.) How creepy is it when Piggy looks right at you??? Even though she's kind of a bitch about it, saying you have big eyes and then "Hah"-ing in your general direction.

3.) Compare and contrast "The Magic Book" to Grant Morrison's "Animal Man." Go ahead, I dare you.

4.) What do you think Scooter Googled to find out that they were in a comic book?

5.) This gag doesn't really work as well on the computer as it would in a real comic book, does it? Does the change of medium affect the Muppet Babies' crisis at hand?
Click here to share your thoughts on The Magic Book on the ToughPigs forum! Magically!!!

Labels: book club, reader participation

Earlier this month, I posted everyone's favorite multiple personality disorder-inducing Sesame Street book, Just Like Ernie, which you can read in it's entirety by clicking here. Unfortunately, if you missed out on reading it way back when, then you missed out on saying funny things about it, and then getting your name up in lights (pixels on your computer screen are like lights, right?).

Thankfully for all of us, we've got some funny folks over on the ToughPigs forum who did the heavy lifting, as well as a few readers who sent in their comments via e-mail. But don't take my word for it, let's see what those cats had to say about Just Like Ernie:
IDENTITY THEFT:

Mo: Ernie is a wise man. By nurturing his friend's self-esteem, he may have headed off a wicked case of identity theft at the pass.

Jog: Bert's not the only one with an identity crisis... what's Ernie's reason for wearing a "cool jacket" and sunglasses anyway? Isn't the whole point of the book that you're cool in your own style; in Ernie's case, sans sunglasses and with a good old stripy sweater?
That jacket, for instance, reveals a desire to be more like Scooter.

Michal: Bert is no match for Ernie's burgeoning social life. Between Ernie's weekend gigs and telling jokes to his sycophantic playground pals, Bert has been getting zero Ernie face-time. He won't stay Ernie's best friend for long unless he does something drastic. His only recourse is to assume an alternate identity, Mrs. Doubtfire-style.

ERNIE IS COOL; BERT IS LAME

Michal: Good gravy, I wish Chris and the Alphabeats would ask *me* to play a set with them every time I ordered ice cream. What a life Ernie's got. No wonder Bert wants in.

Ryan: I know we're supposed to feel sorry for Bert when nobody laughs at his joke, but to be fair, it's a pretty sucky joke.

Steven: If Bert is depressed that no one likes him, just get some cookies and persuade Cookie Monster to be his friend for them since Cookie Monster only cared about what's inside Ernie's lunchbox.

Jog: I wonder if Ernie uses his cool image to take the attention away from that dorky tricycle of his. Dude can't even ride a real bike.

Ryan: "Ernie ordered a Banana-Dana Super Sundae. Bert had a small dish of vanilla ice cream." Ernie may be cooler than Bert... but we'll see who has the last laugh when Ernie gets a cavity!

Jenny: This book makes a laughable attempt to pass Ernie off as "cool", when in reality he's nothing but a sadistic jackhole. The other denizens of Sesame Street see Bert as a warning - this will be them if they don't placate Ernie, and so they pretend to admire him. Lately Ernie's ego has inflated dangerously - he's tired of the "Bert and Ernie" dichotomy, and he's made it known to his friends that Bert will be ignored if they know what's good for them. Bert, in a desperate, last-ditch effort to ingratiate Ernie, begins to imitate him, and fails disastrously. Ernie is unimpressed by this sad parody, and makes his disproval clear by usurping Bert's possessions - insinuating Bert won't be needing them for much longer, unless his Ernie homage does the man justice. Rather than up his game, Bert opts for the sweet release of death, rather than the living hell of being Ernie's roommate for another 40 seasons.
BERT’S HAIR

Mo: I am worried that if I ever meet someone with that hairdo, I will accidentally bread and fry their head in juicy cutlets. Mmmm... Muppet-head Parmesan...

Michal: His slicked-back hair may look hip now, but just wait until he busts out into "You're the One That I Want."

Jarrod: Bert's little "cool dude" hair is just a comb over that makes him look like he's balding. And no-one likes bald people. Besides Gordon. That dude RULES!
ERNIE’S UNDERWEAR

Ryan: So, why DO we see Ernie in his undies? I was so sure it was going to turn out that Bert had stolen his pajamas, but that never happened. In fact, we never even find out whether Ernie found his pajamas. So where are they? I demand a sequel!

Michal: Either Ernie's boxers bunched up, or his naked bum has a wacky tanning pattern. But I refuse to believe that Ernie wears briefs.

Lara: I have just seen a mostly naked childhood friend in his underwear. And I have nothing more to say.
THE LUNCHBOX

Cathy: So when did Cookie Monster get a licensing deal and why don't any of his friends find that odd?

Ryan Mead: Cookie Monster isn't even startled that his own picture is on the box- he's just curious as to the contents. Given that he probably thinks there's cookies inside, I'm not surprised, but it seems rather unusual that his first thought would be "me want cookie" rather than "oh yeah, me remember posing for that lunch box" or "hey, that unauthorized use of me image." But then again, Cookie Monster doesn't seem like the type who would know about either licensing deals or legal matters.

Beth: Isn't it a bit odd that Cookie Monster is depicted as a superhero, when this is usually Grover's job? Maybe Cookie is trying to steal Grover's identity as well!

Cathy: Also, Ernie finds it strange that Bert is trying to be like him, but he doesn't see a problem with carrying a lunchbox with his friend's face on it? If one of my casual friends started carrying around a lunchbox with my picture on it, I'd probably be a touch creeped out. Perhaps Ernie is the one with the case of identity envy?

Jarrod: Is Super Grover aware of this sudden new Super Cookie? Or is he a villian? The Cookienator. Watch your back, Grover. It's always the person you'd least suspect...
UNDER BERT’S BED

Scott: What's Ernie doing snooping under Bert's bed while he sleeps? It's not like he just noticed a box of paper clips and went in closer to investigate. He actually had to go out of his way to get down on the floor (in his underwear) and move away the blankets that were obscuring his view. Does Ernie regularly check under Bert's bed after he goes to sleep? I can imagine a sketch on the show in which Ernie creates an idea in his head that looking under Bert's bed is imperative to his friend's safety. But it's harder to grasp in storybook land where Bert and Ernie don't fly planes or drive cars, but instead go to school and carry lunchboxes.

Joe: Yeah, but if they tried that on the show, Ernie would look under the bed and find Frank Oz.

Steven: Unless, Frank Oz puppeteers Cookie Monster who is under the bed looking for cookies crumbs since his sleepover there with Ernie.
THE MORAL OF THE STORY

Jes: You had me at Ernie's underwear....
Click here to dress like your roommate on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: book club, reader participation, Sesame Street

Okay, I'll be the first to admit that I totally dropped the ball on the last Book Club. Sadly, I chose a book that held many fond childhood memories for everyone, which nobody wants to mock in the fashion that we ToughPigs hold so dear. But look at the bright side, at least you got to read an awesome Grover book for free!

This time around, I think we'll have better canon fodder because of one thing: Ernie in his skivvies. So go ahead and read "Just Like Ernie", and post your introspective/anal-retentive/ridonkulous comments on the ToughPigs forum. Or if you'd rather do the e-mail thing, feel free to send them to me directly. In a couple weeks, I will post the best of the best right here on ToughPigs.com for the whole world to see. Now, on with the oversized glasses show!Suggested Discussion Questions:

1.) Is Bert just dealing with a mild case of depression (as always) in a new and creative way, or is he suffering from Single White Female Syndrome? Or is he perhaps using imitation as an outlet to express his true feelings for Ernie?

2.) If imitating Ernie doesn't make Bert less lame, what else can he try? Lord knows those saddle shoes aren't doing him any favors.

3.) Where can I get me one of those Super Cookie Monster lunch boxes?

4.) Do the Alphabeats go through drummers like Spinal Tap? And what does it say about their professionalism that they'll pick up a new drummer at Hooper's Store on a whim like that?

5.) How does the Figgy Fizz bottle cap hold up against the American dollar in this economic climate? Apparently they're worth at least the cost of a jacket, sunglasses, sneakers, joke book, and lunch box. Should we be adding Figgy Fizz bottlecaps to our investment packages?

Bonus question: Does Ernie wear boxers or briefs? Oh wait, nevermind.
Click here to share your thoughts on Just Like Ernie on the ToughPigs forum, just like Ernie!

Labels: book club, reader participation, Sesame Street

My New Year's resolution for 2009 is to post a new Book Club entry on ToughPigs. And why not just get that over with so I can start eating my chocolate-covered pretzels and ignoring my treadmill?

Let's celebrate 2009 by laughing at the worst day in Grover's pitiful existence. Please enjoy "Grover's Bad, Awful Day", and afterward pop your head into the ToughPigs forum to give us your discussion comments, witty observations, and run-on sentences. Or, if you're not the forum kinda person, you can e-mail your comments to me at joe.toughpigs@gmail.com. Then, in a couple weeks, I will post the best comments here on ToughPigs for everyone to ogle.

Why am I still talking? Let's go watch Grover's Job impression! Remember, clicky the images to make them biggie.












Suggested Discussion Questions:

1.) What is the root of Grover's problems? Is it living in a single-parent household? Or the lack of a properly nutritious breakfast?

2.) Which of Barkley's four performers do you think Grover is trying to draw?

3.) Why does Oscar get to bring his garbage can into class? Wouldn't that be the equivalent of Bert and Ernie bringing their apartment to school?

4.) Does Herry Monster's penchant for pointing out the obvious help or hinder Grover's bad day? Because that'd bug the bejeezus out of me.

5.) Wouldn't the grossness of grape ice cream just make Grover's day even worse? Ick.
Click here to add your comments/concerns/conundrums on the ToughPigs forum! Or click here to e-mail them directly to Joe.

Labels: book club, reader participation, Sesame Street

A few weeks ago, I posted a very important reader participation project for the ever-so-loyal readers of ToughPigs.com. It was a book about togetherness, about helping your fellow man, about finding that missing piece to complete your life’s goals.

Now, what do I have that needs a helper? I have an article that won’t fill itself with silly things to say, and snarky observations about a 37-year-old book. Who has something good for a ToughPigs article?

But what’s this? All of my ToughPig friends are racing toward me with seemingly random things in their hands! Why, there’s Beth with a Northern Exposure DVD! And there’s Tony with seventeen rolls of scotch tape! And Ryan R. with a bowling trophy! And Michal with a beard of bees! And Peter with a case of the blues! And Jog with an autographed 8x10 of Joe Rogan! And Erik with his identical twin brother! And Amy with a tap dancing penguin! And Anthony with the key to the men’s room! And Grant with the Internet! And Ryan M. with insomnia!

Special thanks to all of the above folks for making this happen. And feel free to read The Together Book by clicking here. Enjoy the funny!
Jog: "What do I have that needs a helper?" Sounds like the Sesame Street Book of Slavery.

Erik: I think they're all running with stuff because they heard Antiques Roadshow was in town. The fact that they're running past someone who needs help is just a coincidence.
THE ART:

Jog: What does the illustrator have that needs a helper? Reference material as to how many fluffy rings Big Bird has around his legs. Four? Five? Or, four on one leg, five on the other leg?

Ryan R: I love the art. I always like the more expressive takes on the characters. They didn't even bother to color within the lines, which sends kids the subtle message that one needn't always conforms to society standards in order to be helpful.

Tony: Bert looks like a neanderthal, Cookie looks like he's choking, and Grover looks like Fozzie.
BETTY LOU:

Ryan R: Betty Lou ordered a milkshake bigger than herself. I think she knew the whole time that she was going to need help finishing it, and she was just waiting for Pantsless Farley Guy to join her. She's just lucky he was the one carrying his straw collection... if it had been Herry, she would have ended up with fur in her milkshake.

Michal: No wonder she looks so terrified that her hair is about to fall off. She's facing a big enough milkshake to drown in, some Farley impersonator who forgot his pants is fast approaching, and her feet can't even reach the floor for a quick escape.

BABY MONSTER:

Anthony: Bert does not look at all pleased about having to help Sherlock Hemlock trudge that soapbox car through the snow.

Ryan R: Herry doesn't look very happy to be joining him/her on that sled. Something tells me Herry never really wanted to help, but he knew that if he didn't, he wouldn't be in the book.

Michal: Apparently, the Sesame gang all wear their regular outfits, rather than any gesture towards winter gear - or in a couple of cases, any clothing whatsoever - while trudging through the snow with their sacrificial offerings to the Baby Monster.ERNIE:

Jog: Most of these guys seem to be content with whichever one object leads to the solution to their problem, right? But look at Ernie with Cookie in the sandbox - that's right, he took EVERYBODY's stuff.

Ryan R: The next scene, which we don't get to see, is Ernie asking "What do I have that needs a helper? I need to get my stomach pumped!" And then the other characters run in carrying llamas, underwear, the corpse of Richard Nixon, etc.

Jog: Are we seeing a selfish side of Ernie, or did he simply say, "Guys, come on. Get real. It's a SAND CAKE. I can make a new one. No conflict here." And then everyone would be mad at Ernie, calling for help and letting them carry all those things for nothing, and Ernie would have said: "Hey, but, ya know? You can still leave all your things here. We'll find stuff to do with it."

Ryan M: The expression on Bert’s face when he's holding the wrench leads me to believe he plans to whack Ernie in the back of the head with it, perhaps as revenge for all the silly pranks Ernie has played on him over the years. NOW who's eating the sandbox?

Beth: No one seems to notice the problems involved in asking Cookie to help out with a falling cake either. Ernie is too ecstatic over the invention of a portable flat surface called a plate to notice the cake's sudden disappearance.

Ryan R: Before everyone brought their stuff, all Ernie had was a cake made out of sand. Now that Cookie Monster has offered his "help," it's only a matter of time before all the sand cake is gone. So I can't blame Ernie for wanting to keep the other stuff... at least until Cookie Monster eats it too.

Ryan M: Ernie is obviously to blame. Remember that Life cereal commercial where the two boys give their brother Mikey who won't eat anything a bowl of cereal and are surprised that he eats it? This is sort of the same thing- Ernie is obviously testing Cookie Monster. So Ernie decides to make a cake out of sand and then announce that the cake is going to fall over. Cookie Monster, glutton that he is, brings a plate in order to keep the cake from falling, and then proceeds to eat it. The expressions on both Ernie and Cookie Monster's face show that Cookie Monster is as satisfied as he would be eating a real cake, and that Ernie is obviously pleased that the con has worked. Continuing in the footsteps of Mikey, Ernie's next trick will no doubt be sharing with Cookie Monster a delicious snack of Pop Rocks and Coke.

FARLEY:

Tony: Why do all the male AMs have no pants?

Jog: What do Roosevelt Franklin and his friend have that needs a helper? Answer: blisters, since they've strapped their rollerskates around their bare feet... Or someone to stop Ernie from beating the green guy senseless with his sledgehammer.

Beth: No one thinks to help the rollerblade kid with a band-aid, an asprin, or the doctor in the neighborhood. Instead, the old geezer brings a tuba to "help" with his headache. Or to entertain everyone by blowing Little Bird out of it, a la Robin on the Julie Andrews episode of the Muppet Show.

Michal: I just noticed that Little Bird carries a copy of "American Gothic" to help Pantsless Farley Impersonator with his skates. Way to sneak in art appreciation, Sesame Street!

Grant: I like the two-page spread depicting Sesame Street itself, complete with a rare early glimpse around the corner. But if that's supposed to be the stoop of 123, then Big Bird's going to be mad when he finds out that they've replaced his nest with a fruit store, 29-cent oranges or no 29-cent oranges.

GROVER:

Jog: Check out Grover. He's sweating on practically every page.

Beth: I think Grover must be "helped" by creative usage of controlled substances. It's the only way to explain those eyes.

Michal: Grover's lucky to be a synthetic monster with no need for thermoregulation. Can you imagine him sweating through every waiter and bellhop outfit, running backstage to change twice per sketch?

Peter: This book is clearly a forgery, as it seems to be the first and only time Grover has ever tried to help someone and actually succeeded.

Ryan R: Maybe this was the first time Grover had ever tried to be helpful. Then, finding success, he got addicted and determined to be as helpful as possible for the rest of his life, only to fail hilariously. That explains why he keeps popping up with different jobs (waiter, taxi driver, professor)... he's desperate to recapture that one moment where he was actually useful.

CAPS:

Michal: So does anyone have any thoughts on the choice to put the resolutions in all caps?

Jog: They have to shout so that the senile old man can hear it too.

Ryan R: As many internet users can attest, saying something in all caps means it's indisputably true.

Jog: If this book were reissued these days, it'd probably read "ZOMFG! THEY FIT JUST RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111111 ^_^ ROFL"

Amy: They ran out of lowercase type?

Beth: Again with the capitals. It gives me the feeling that this book was written as a satire on Sesame Street with its evil overlords and sadistic tuba players.
THE OLD MAN:

Jog: My favorite character is the senile white bearded man who runs in with the most useless crap, like a tuba.

Beth: Also, check out the old geezer on a snowy hill carrying a lawnmower on his head. No wonder there are no adults on Sesame Street. Clearly they all contracted Alzheimer's and were put in a home for their own safety.

Ryan R: Evidently it's the kind of lawnmower you wear as a hat.

Michal: Is this the same old man bringing the lawnmower and the tuba? Do you think he rode his lawnmower from his farm all the way to Sesame Street?

Ryan M: The [old man] looks somewhat like Professor Hastings with a green nose- if the lawnmower was running, perhaps this explains the character's mysterious disappearance by the early 1970s- narcolepsy plus running lawnmowers...not a pretty picture.


FINAL THOUGHTS:

Beth: I think you can sing the last pages: "Every day I need a helper. Every day you need one too... You help me, and I'll help you" to the tune of "Monster in the Mirror."

Click here to discuss the nature of togetherness on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: book club, reader participation, Sesame Street

In honor of St. Valentines Day, I'd like to celebrate the notion of Love amongst Muppets. And in honor of those of us who are single, I'd like to avoid anything actually having to do with Love by presenting a book about the oh-so-generic notion of Togetherness.

And with that arousing sentiment, the ToughPig Book Club presents: The Together Book! Please have a readaround and head on over to the ToughPigs forum to discuss ad nauseum (or, for the camera shy, you can e-mail your clever comments to joe.toughpigs@gmail.com). After the mockery dies down, I'll post the best comments here on ToughPigs.com. Now stop reading this paragraph and get to the Togetherness!

















Suggested Discussion Questions:

1.) What is it about the residents of Sesame Street that urges them to run, not walk, with whatever object is nearby toward a Muppet with a minor stumbling block?

2.) What's up with Bert's devilish grin? Does he know that he's carrying something that is utterly useless to the situation? Is this how he gets his jollies?

3.) Is Cookie Monster setting a bad example for the kids by eating a sand cake? Is he setting a bad example for Ernie? Is Ernie the victim or the instigator?

4.) Is Farley two-timing Betty Lou by holding hands with Roosevelt Franklin? That hussy!!

5.) Can I hire illustrator Roger Bradfield to draw the story of my life? Because I think I love him.
Click here to add your comments/concerns/conundrums on the ToughPigs forum! Or click here to e-mail them directly to Joe.

Labels: book club, reader participation, Sesame Street

We at the ToughPigs Institution for the Arts hope you enjoyed our Book Club presentation of the classic "Wait For Me." We do understand that some of our loyal readers may not be as educated or highbrow as us, so we would like to share some of our observations so that you can steal them and present them as your own opinions.

Special thanks to all the ToughPigs who let their feelings be heard. Stay tuned for future Book Clubs on the ToughPigs Forum!

To avoid spoilers, click here to read "Wait For Me" in its entirety.

Insufficient Elmo:Of course Elmo's going to feel inferior if he's trying to jump as far as Big Bird, who is at least six feet taller than him. And has legs he can operate independently. ~ Anthony

Having a smaller kid in your hangout group SUCKS. They keep you from going biking with your friends or getting ice cream. (I quote: 'Helping Elmo,' said Grover SADLY.) ~ Jogchem

Nurse Grover:Grover is just as tremendously helpful at knocking people/Elmo/things/roofs over when he isn't in his SuperGrover disguise. But he is much better at first aid. ~ Beth

I like Grover's "After I take care of Elmo" which sounds tremendously threatening. ~ Anthony

The writer kept downplaying Elmo's wound: "At last he found a tiny scratch." "He washed Elmo's tiny scratch." "He put a tiny bandage on it." What is the point of this? I get it, it's tiny. Does it make Elmo a sissy for crying about it? Is this just to a amplify the image that Elmo is younger and littler? Like I needed any more imagery after watching him repeatedly fail at simple tasks, and see his "friends" leave him behind in the dust. ~ Alaina

I think Elmo's lying about his boo-boo in a desperate cry for attention, and Grover knows it. ~ Ryan R.

Emancipated Elmo:Patty in Christmas Eve on Sesame Street isn't the only child on Sesame Street to suffer from lack of adult supervision. Elmo needed a mommy to point out the obvious. A committee should investigate why there aren't enough mommies to go around and some children on Sesame Street are stuck with leftover grandfathers and Susan and Gordan on loan. No Child Left Behind, right? ~ Beth

And where are Elmo's parents during all this? Why didn't they help Elmo with his injury? Do they know their young son is off cavorting with an old man he just met? ~ Ryan R.

Ernie & Bert & Big Bird:Ernie and Bert on a bench in the park reminds me of Statler and Waldorf in MTM. I expected them to call out something like " You call that a boo-boo? Booooo!" or "A red monster and a blue one! Lovey-dovey!" ~ Beth

Big Bird's roller skates are AWESOME. ~ Joe

Who do you think is pitching in the picture of Elmo striking out? My guess is Ernie, mostly because Bert and Grover don't have working fingers. ~ Ryan R.

Bert and Big Bird only got one scoop of ice cream on their cones, while Ernie got two scoops. Does this mean Ernie is a glutton, or just that Bert and Big Bird couldn't afford an extra scoop, in which case Ernie is a heel for eating his two scoops right in front of them? ~ Ryan R.

The Band:I think they are just random hobos who just picked up instruments. ~ Barry

Not all Muppet guitarists are lefthanded. ~ Jogchem

Grover's Grandpa:At first I was dismayed at the thought of Elmo and Grover's Grandpa "getting back at Grover". Grover is just a child. Then, I thought about how 95% of the things I do are out of spite...and I'm okay with that. Teach 'em young! ~ Alaina

I'm forced to wonder, did the events of this book force Grover to take precautions to never have his grandfather on Sesame Street again? It sure would explain a lot. And by "a lot," I mean it would explain one minor plot point. ~ Joe

Grover is related to a Professor Hastings lookalike. ~ Jogchem

Grover's grandpa sympathizes with Elmo's plight because if there's one thing people have less need for than a little kid, it's an old man. ~ Ryan R.

"Grover... was surprised to see Elmo in his grandpa's lap." That is completely sensible. ~ Ryan R.

Final Thoughts:"You're just the right size to fit on my lap" is a perfect pickup line. ~ Jogchem

Be patient with your scrawny friends, or else you'll miss out on ice cream and elephants. ~ Ryan R.
Click here to stop the waiting and chat more about this article on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: book club, reader participation, Sesame Street

If you're new to ToughPigs, you may not be aware of something we like to call the ToughPigs Book Club. With the TPBC (not the accepted acronym), Muppet fans congregate to criticize, parodize, and maybe even say something nice about an old Muppet book. There may or may not be candy at the finish line.

Today's book is the classic "Wait For Me," starring the pre-talking-in-first-person Elmo and Grover's Grandpa, who was never seen before and has never been seen since. Coincidence? Yeah, probably.

After you read the book, please head on over to the ToughPigs forum and share your thoughts. It's the perfect excuse to join the club if you've been lurking about. Plus, y'know, making fun of Elmo. Isn't that the kind of thing the kids like to do these days? Then, next week we'll post the funniest and most brilliant responses here on ToughPigs.com.

Enjoy your Sesame book, and don't say we never gave you nothin'!




















Suggested Discussion Questions:

1. What is the theme of "Wait for Me"? Is it how to deal with inferiority? Or learning about proper first aid skills? Or maybe the sweet sweet satisfaction that comes with revenge?

2. Is there a natural balance of powers between Grover and Elmo? While one is up, the other is down, and never the twain shall meet. Or is Grover's Grandfather just playing the two monster kids like puppets from behind the curtain for his own enjoyment? I mean, what else are you gonna do with an AARP card?

3. Who are those guys in that funky band playing across the street from the zoo? Do you think they ever play at Birdland?



Click here to discuss this article on the ToughPigs forum!

Labels: book club, reader participation, Sesame Street