“The World of the Dark Crystal” was a companion book to “The Dark Crystal” (1982); it was published the same year.   J. J.  Llewellyn penned it as a first-person narrative by the character of Aughra, and it was a terrific, detailed world-building exercise that expanded on the universe of the movie.  But Brian Froud’s full page artwork stole the show.  (This was an oversized book, too.)

It was a welcome surprise under the Christmas tree when I was in early grade school — proving yet again that my parents had a knack for buying me presents that I never asked for but nevertheless loved.