Originally conceived as a television special that was never produced, one would expect the movie version of this story to be much stronger than the graphic novel. Especially given the role that music plays in the original story. Really, though, Langridge's version feels closer to what Jim Henson intended to produce.
The plot: With the help of mysterious monsters living in the woods near Turkey Hollow, Tim and Anna stop a scheming farmer from stealing their aunt's land. This is the base plot of both versions of the story. The book is a bit more light-hearted, focusing on music and playfulness. The movie version has a bleaker tone from the outset. It adds a recent divorce, an apparently life-threatening feather allergy, a terrifying local legend, and makes the aunt a fairly angry naturalist.
The plot of the two versions differs on a lot of details. More importantly, the tone is vastly different. The book captures the innocence of early Muppets. The movie has the more cynical outlook of modern movies. If you love Jim Henson, buy the book.
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