Book Review: The Disney Book by Jim Fanning

A few months ago I added The Disney Book by Jim Fanning to my list of holiday gift ideas for Disney lovers. Somebody must have peeked at my list because I found it under the tree with my name on it on Christmas morning. (Score!) I’ve been slowly savoring it ever since. Today’s post covers my thoughts on this delightful book.

I’ll start with my least favorite aspects of the book so we can get to the good stuff and finish with a happy ending. (Surprised?! Disney fan!). Fortunately, my issues are minor. All of them relate to the book’s layout.

Although the content of the book is great, it’s organized into three categories that feel a bit too broad. The Drawn Disney portion, for example, includes insights on Disney’s animated films, as well as personal stories of Walt’s childhood and a plug for Disney’s Infinity games. The other two sections, Disney in Action and Experience Disney, have similar anomalies along with the expected content related to live action films and the company’s theme parks. The order of the subject matter within the categories seemed odd at times too.

The structure of the content is also a bit choppy. The short, succinct paragraphs relay a lot of information but lack natural transitions from page to page. It’s not a big deal, but it’s a bit distracting if you try to sit down and read a significant portion of the book in one setting. Perhaps the design was intentional to fit the “coffee-table-book” genre. The layout certainly makes it an easy book to jump in and out of without worrying about where you finished last.

And that’s it for constructive criticism of the book. I told you it was brief. Now on to the good parts!

Tucked within the front cover of each copy of The Disney Book is a portion of a 35mm filmstrip from Disney Pixar’s Brave. I was completely geeked at this discovery because Brave is one of my favorite Pixar films. I may even quote it with regularity around my house (“If you’re that red haired lass, vial 3!” ). It’s mostly because of the Scottish accents, and the spirited Merida character, and… you get the idea. I’m not sure what I’ll actually do with the mini filmstrip reel, if anything, but it’s a fun and unexpected touch. It also put me in a good mood before my eyes hit the first page.

Secondly, the content in the book is surprisingly insightful given its compact size. I’ve read quite a few Disney books (side effect of writing a Disney blog), and this one still shared information I hadn’t read elsewhere. For example, I learned that Daisy Duck has three nieces named April, May and June. I also learned that Disney animators brought live animals into the studio to inspire realistic drawings for Bambi, 101 Dalmatians and other films. There’s a treasure of information on these pages, more than I expected from the book’s succinct format. Be prepared to delight (annoy?) your friends with your new Disney knowledge!

I also liked the range of content Fanning included in his book. Every theatrical release by Disney is referenced in some fashion, either by a brief mention in a timeline or by an in-depth look spilling over multiple pages. Popular titles receive their fair share of space. The book covers Walt Disney’s first commercial animated shorts (Alice comedies) in 1924 through Disney Pixar’s Inside Out in 2015. I had forgotten, or maybe never stopped to realize, just how many live action films Disney produced in the earlier years of the company. It makes the recent return to live action seem more compatible with the company’s history.

The best part of the book, in my opinion, is the artwork. The images within the pages are plentiful and beautiful. Opening the pages feels like a mini-vacation. It’s a chance to revisit old films you loved or learn about ones you may have missed. I particularly enjoyed the vintage attraction posters and park maps included in the final section of the book. I also loved the concept art from Mary Blair (artist behind It’s A Small World and many other Disney treats). Most Disney fans will find something to like among these pages.

My final positive comment on Jim Fanning’s The Disney Book is the price. I received this one as a gift, but I recall from my original gift list that it retails around $25. Not bad for a Disney keepsake compared to other options, in my opinion. T-shirts at Walt Disney World usually cost more.

Overall I love The Disney Book by Jim Fanning and can whole-heartedly recommend it to anyone who loves Disney or loves somebody who does. I linked to Amazon for your convenience, but I have no financial stake in your decision! You could always check the library too. Or, look in used books stores for similar options like Russell Schroeder’s Disney: The Ultimate Visual Guide.

I may have purchased that one for myself, just in case my hints didn’t work over the holidays.

Add some story book magic to your world!