I am obsessed with personal development, having attended seminars to walk across hot coals and jump from crazy heights to test my limits, and I have read hundreds of books and watched hundreds of videos on self-improvement. But sometimes the best lessons come in fiction, and kid’s books do this so wonderfully. And they are a lot quicker to read and absorb! They also teach with humour, rhythm, and joy, and can change a child’s life simply by letting them escape into a world of laughter and joy, expanding their imaginations, and letting them absorb the lessons, sometimes without even realising it.
This was my favourite book as a kid, and I still love it now. Bill Peet is an incredible author and artist, who also did amazing work for Walt Disney. Many of his books are about finding the gift in your uniqueness, where the thing that makes the main character an outcast, the butt of jokes, ends up being the thing that makes them special in the end.
The Pinkish, Purplish, Bluish Egg does this wonderfully as Zeke, a griffin hatched by a pigeon, finds his heart, courage, and uniqueness to save the very birds who had wanted to exile him.
I am a Disney historian, author, and editor of 50 books about Disney. I became passionate about Disney's history when I realized how rich the history of Disney is and how talented the artists who worked for Disney were and still are. Early on, I realized that when Disney built his studio in the 1930s, thanks to the Great Depression, he was able to hire the best artists from around the world (who were then unemployed). I also noticed that little was known about them. Since those artists have been revolutionizing the popular arts for 100 years, I could not help but be fascinated by their talent and their stories.
This biography of Walt Disney is the first that I read. It is the official biography of Disney, and it gave me the foundational knowledge I needed to start digging deeper into the subject of Disney history.
I find it well-written, extremely clear, and easy to read. I also feel that it is extremely lively as the author relies on a great number of interviews to enrich his work with relevant anecdotes along with important facts about Disney’s life and career.
I recommend it as the perfect starting point for learning about Disney history. Soon after reading this one, I recommend reading The Animated Man: A Life of Walt Disney by Michael Barrier.
This is the Commemorative Edition of one of the most trusted and respected nonfiction books about Walt Disney ever written!
Includes 4 commemorative essays; a photo insert with more than 60 behind-the-scenes images; and an endnotes section with insightful passages from 15 Disney historians and authors to provide further context for modern audiences.
Walt Disney is an American hero. From Mickey Mouse to Disneyland, he changed the face of American culture. His is a success story like no other: a man who developed animated film into an art form and made a massive contribution to the folklore of the world.…
Princess Mononoke blew my mind. And as I read about Miyazaki himself I thought: here is a kindred spirit. I thought I’d try teaching a course on Miyazaki, not sure if I could sustain a whole semester just about his work—and then I found, there’s way more than a semester’s worth to talk about. After teaching about Miyazaki for a few years, I had to write it all down. Some reviews of my book say my essays are personal, and it’s true, for better or worse—it isn’t about Studio Ghibli or the production process or even about Japan—it’s my reflections on these great films.
This is an excellent general review of the films from Castle of Cagliostro to Princess Mononoke, including plot outline, character studies, technical notes, and appreciations of the films. She is very insightful about the artistic technique. And there’s an interesting chapter at the end about Miyazaki merchandise. This would be a good starting point for a fan.
Anime is a huge market, and this is the exclusive, definitive book on the leading master of Japanese animation today, Hayao Miyazaki. Disney has licensed the Miyazaki line (e.g., Kiki's Delivery Service ) and plans another major release this summer. This book supplies informed discussions of style and narrative for each of Miyazaki's major films, with all the data and detail fans want.
I am a Disney historian, author, and editor of 50 books about Disney. I became passionate about Disney's history when I realized how rich the history of Disney is and how talented the artists who worked for Disney were and still are. Early on, I realized that when Disney built his studio in the 1930s, thanks to the Great Depression, he was able to hire the best artists from around the world (who were then unemployed). I also noticed that little was known about them. Since those artists have been revolutionizing the popular arts for 100 years, I could not help but be fascinated by their talent and their stories.
For years, I was frustrated to see Disney historians focus primarily on the role that male artists played at the Walt Disney Studio. I always felt that someone should, one day, write a full book about the many women artists who worked at Disney.
When historian Mindy Johnson filled this important gap, she did it with this massive (and beautifully illustrated) volume, which immediately became one of the most important reference books about Disney history that I own (and I own hundreds). It is a huge book, which is also an easy read!
From the earliest origins of animated imagery, the colorful link between paper and screen was created by legions of female artists working on the slick surface of celluloid sheets.
With calligraphic precision and Rembrandtesque mastery, these women painstakingly brought pencil drawings to vibrant, dimensional life. Yet perhaps as a reflection of the transparent canvas they created on, the contributions and history of these animation artists have remained virtually invisible and largely undocumented, until now.
Walt Disney's pioneering efforts in animation transformed novelty cartoons into visual masterpieces, establishing many "firsts" for women within the entertainment industry along the way. Focusing on…
Stephen Silver has been a professional working artist, character designer, and teacher in the industry for over 30 years. He developed intellectual properties for some of the largest media companies in the world; such as Disney, Warner Bros., Nickelodeon, Sony, MAD Magazine, Reel FX, Bento box, Hasbro, Universal, DreamWorks, and more. Stephen is responsible for the visual character development and design of some of animation’s most iconic shows; including Disney’s Kim Possible, Nickelodeon’s Danny Phantom, and Disney’s Clerks: The Animated Series, to name a few.
This book is filled with artwork and sketches that are filled with energy. I love that Mark Davis offers a variety of different styles and development roughs that are so inspiring and make you want to sketch. The value I received from acquiring this book was giving me a greater sense of appreciation for playing with different mediums.
Walt Disney once said of Marc Davis, “Marc can do story, he can do character, he can animate, he can design shows for me. All I have to do is tell him what I want and it’s there! He’s my Renaissance man.” As such, Davis touched nearly every aspect of The Walt Disney Company during his tenure. He began as an animator, whose supporting work on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Bambi inspired Walt to promote him to full animator.
In the ensuing years, Davis breathed life into a bevy of iconic Disney characters, including Cinderella, Alice (in…
There is something so magical about creating art and bringing an idea to life. As a writer and an art teacher, I love watching artists of any age find their own inspiration and joy in creating. I have used these books to launch all kinds of projects, from paintings to pottery, for every age and stage of artist. I hope you will find inspiration in these pages, too!
From the bright colors and mid-century modern style to the story behind a woman artist who created my favorite ride at Disneyland, there is so much I love about this fun picture book biography. With words like sienna, azure, and veridian, it is a great jumping off point for exploring color and color theory.
This book is also fantastic inspiration for designing your own colorful castles!
Amy Guglielmo, Jacqueline Tourville, and Brigette Barrager team up to tell the joyful and unique story of the trailblazing Disney artist Mary Blair.
Mary Blair lived her life in color: vivid, wild color.
From her imaginative childhood to her career as an illustrator, designer, and animator for Walt Disney Studios, Mary wouldn’t play by the rules. At a time when studios wanted to hire men and think in black and white, Mary painted twinkling emerald skies, peach giraffes with tangerine spots, and magenta horses that could fly.
I am a Disney historian, author, and editor of 50 books about Disney. I became passionate about Disney's history when I realized how rich the history of Disney is and how talented the artists who worked for Disney were and still are. Early on, I realized that when Disney built his studio in the 1930s, thanks to the Great Depression, he was able to hire the best artists from around the world (who were then unemployed). I also noticed that little was known about them. Since those artists have been revolutionizing the popular arts for 100 years, I could not help but be fascinated by their talent and their stories.
I have a strong personal connection to Latin America, having lived there for several years and being married to a Brazilian.
This also means that Disney’s Latin American features (Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros) have always been among my favorites. Therefore, a book about the making of those movies must rise to the top of my list, especially since the book is also written by one of the best Disney historians, the esteemed JB Kaufman.
I've been drawing for over 68 years and carrying a sketchbook for over 60 of those years. I've seen success as an author, I'm an award-winning illustrator of books and magazines and animated many classic Disney features. Am I an expert on sketching humans and animals? ...No. I'm constantly learning in my effort to capture humans and animals in action by following the basic principles of drawing as they apply to quick sketching. My learning is aided by these books as I prepare lesson plans or the encouragement and inspiration found within their pages. I'm married to LaVonne, my high school sweetheart of 50 years, and have three grown children and six grandchildren.
I was privileged to see firsthand these two Disney Legends and their passions for the craft of storytelling through animation. I worked with Frank and Ollie as a young animation trainee. I learned the basics of animation by ‘in-betweening’ scenes primarily for Frank. In addition to ‘in-betweening’ for Frank, he would give me scenes to animate under his supervision. The principles and philosophy of the ‘Disney way’ are explained within the pages of this book and I was fortunate to have absorbed them firsthand.
Applying the principles of animation that Frank and Ollie presented has had a tremendous effect on all aspects of my art. My book, my personal award-winning illustrations, and a 38-year career with the Disney Studio bear witness of putting these principles into practice.
The most complete book on the subject ever written, this is the fascinating inside story by two long-term Disney animators of the gradual perfecting of a relatively young and particularly American art from, which no other move studio has ever been able to equal.
The authors, Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, worked with Walt Disney himself as well as other leading figures in a half-century of Disney films. They personally animated leading characters in most of the famous films and have decades of close association with the others who helped perfect this extremely difficult and time-consuming art form. Not to…
I’ve spent most of my 20-year career as a professional journalist covering the entertainment industry, and I find it endlessly fascinating. As is probably true for you if you’re reading this, I love movies and TV shows. As a curious person, I always want to know why. Why did this movie get made at this time with these people? If you want to know the answer, you’ve got to understand the business. Hollywood is such an interesting business, full of big personalities trying to manage corporate pressure and creative egos and to balance their need to make a profit with their desire to make great art.
The ultimate insider business story at the ultimate Hollywood company. Stewart takes readers unbelievably deep inside Disney at a critical moment when Michael Eisner’s 20-year run as CEO was coming to a dramatic end amidst, as the title implies, a corporate civil war.
While most people know Disney as the happiest place on Earth, the last few years of Eisner’s reign saw big-name moguls like Jeffrey Katzenberg, Michael Ovitz, Eisner, and Walt Disney’s nephew Roy Disney at each other’s throats.
Disneywar is a gripping and illuminating tale that shows how the sausage really gets made in Hollywood and how easily power in this town can disappear.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Den of Thieves draws on extensive research and hundreds of interviews to document the fierce executive battle for control of the foremost entertainment company, in an account that discusses how Michael Eisner lost his chairmanship and how the conflict reflects modern-day American capitalism and popular culture. 250,000 first printing.
I have published over 50 books, including award-winning and bestselling titles. I am also a publishing executive and editor with 20+ years of professional experience. My latest The Twins of Auschwitz: The Inspiring True Story of Young Girl Surviving Mengele’s Hell, with Eva Kor, got a stellar review by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and is an international bestseller. As well as spearheading four publishing startups, I have run my own business, Editorial Services of L.A. I was Editorial/Publishing Director for Golden Books, Price Stern Sloan, Intervisual Books, Hooked on Phonics, and more. I am also the Publisher & Editor in Chief of NY Journal Of Books, the premier online-only book review site.
This old standby is one of the most memorable picture board books; I still recall reading it when I was four. Illustrating babies in all spaces and of all colors, Fujikawa makes the reader yearn to play with them. Fujikawa (1908–1998), designed many books for the Walt Disney Company, including promotional work on the movie Fantasia. But her work in Babies is not so cartoony as much as illustrated pen and ink. A keeper.
