The most recommended animation books

This has it all. Every time I see the cover I think of the house where I grew up and I can picture the scene in the lounge on Christmas morning where I’m sorting the presents into piles for when my grandparents arrive, while watching this on BBC2. One year I got given it as a book, and it was a different experience to read it, but just as lovely.

During the 1960s, a wonderful periodical called Funnyworld began to chronicle animation history with unprecedented depth and eloquence. It was the work of Michael Barrier, and as it continued, it offered glimpses of the research he was conducting for a book to be published by Oxford Press. The book was finally finished and published more than three decades later, and reflects Barrier’s depth of insight, the thoroughness of his methods, and his dogged perseverance; his research included interviews with literally hundreds of artists from every American cartoon studio. Hollywood Cartoons stands as a definitive study of its subject, an essential reference (and enjoyable read) for any lover or serious student of classic animation.

Coraline and her very preoccupied parents move into their new house. They seem to have very little time for her. While exploring the house, she finds a little door that takes her to another house. One that is exactly the same but different. Her “other” parents are doting on her, and aside from the fact that they have terrifying buttons for eyes, they seem to love and need her around. 

This is the graphic novel version of the creepy story that captivated so many kids by Neil Gaiman and the first visualization of the story before it was animated. I have always loved this version illustrated by P. Craig Russell.

At the touch of the purple juice the little broomstick gave a leap, a violent twist, a kick like the kick of a pony.

A classic book, with a voice in the spirit of C.S. Lewis’s Narnia, this book triggered the idea for Spell Sweeper because of the image it painted in my mind of a lonely broom sitting there, waiting to spring into action. And spring it does! When young Mary finds a broomstick, she accidentally ends up investing it with magic and it instantly whisks her away across the English countryside to arrive at Endor College, the school of witchcraft. But this is not a lovely school—Mary discovers a menagerie of animals being subjected to evil experiments, including her own cat. With her broomstick as her trusty companion, Mary sets out to free the animals. This book is also the basis of the animated film Mary and… show more.

Pretzel, the world's longest dachshund, is smitten with a little dachshund named Greta and wants to marry her. 

He tries to win her favor with gifts and a demonstration of his impressive pretzel pose, but she repeatedly rejects his advances. "I don't care for long dogs," she proclaims.  

Then, one day, Greta falls into a deep hole and, thanks to being so long, Pretzel's able to rescue her. He proposes on the spot and she accepts.

I leave it to you to decide how you feel about the premise of this classic story. The good news is the marriage lasts and leads to Pretzel and the Puppies. 

In this sequel, each spread is a self-contained cartoon strip featuring Pretzel as the well-meaning dad who gets into one jam after another. It's light-hearted, affectionate, and action-packed.

Dayworld is an elegant but dystopic solution to a possible future population crisis and one that keeps me thinking about how we should restrain ourselves. Humanity can only endure overpopulation by placing people into suspended animation six days a week. Jeff Carid is a rebel and a daybreaker, living a different life each day as he illegally moves through the week. But, when Jeff’s ability to segregate his seven lives deteriorates, the rebels realise they can’t trust him.

I love how Jeff slips from Tuesday-World to Wednesday-World, etc., easing into distinct personalities. This story made me realise different cultures exist in the same place, often never noticing each other, which we see when Jeff looks back with distaste at a previous day’s persona.

A lot of what we write online are explanations. In blog posts, we explain our ideas. In sales copy, we explain how our products or services help make our customers a little better. 

This book discusses the common pitfalls of explanation, and it teaches you how to really explain something so your readers feel enlightened. 

Lee LeFever is probably best known as the co-founder of Common Craft, where he wrote scripts for animated explainer videos. However, the advice in this book is equally applicable to written explanations. Improving our explanation skills is key to writing better online.

Gorgeous illustrations abound in this through presentation of the anatomy of human and animal bodies. Practical application, diagrams, charts, text, definitions, and more have made this coffee table size book a go-to reference for me over the years.

Comparative anatomy of humans and animals has been a primary interest and subject of study of mine. I teach this topic and it is constantly brought into use in my quick sketching, illustration, and animation. I consider this a must-have for anyone interested in human and animal anatomy.

Murray, the creator of the wonderful shows Rocko's Modern Life and Camp Laslo, details in full the story of his own career in animation while at the same time exploring the mechanics of producing animation for television.

He includes interviews with his colleagues and contemporaries in the field which are revelatory about how many great programs of the 1990s and 2000s were produced, and fills a major research gap in the process.

The autobiography of the co-founder of the legendary Hanna-Barbera studio is essential reading for anyone wanting to understand the history of animation in the 20th century.

Barbera, who was as gifted as a raconteur as he was an animator, writes without flinching about many aspects of his career, and the difficulties he and business partner William Hanna faced in building and sustaining their careers.

Not boring at all but highly entertaining.