In need of a little Disney magic? Look no further than Disney’s Animated Classics series. This hardcover trio offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the animation and creativity that went into making some of Disney’s most popular feature films: Aladdin, The Lion King, and The Little Mermaid.
As a mom of two young children who love all things Disney, I was sold on the book covers alone. Each hardcover tale is bound with colorful cloth and embellished with elegant gold-foil illustrations of the beloved title characters. When story time is over, these stylish tomes will find themselves right at home on that color-coded bookshelf I’ve been meaning to organize.
Once we took a peak inside, my children and I found ourselves just as enchanted by the artwork as we were the classic storylines. Following the plot of the film, each page comes alive with depictions of familiar scenes combined with original story sketches, background paintings, and concept art direct from Walt Disney Animation Studios.
What’s more, the Animated Classics series also includes a bit of background about each film’s team of illustrators and insight on how the film came to be. Did you know that Walt Disney started exploring a film version of The Little Mermaid way back in 1930, shortly after the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs? That’s just some of the trivia readers will enjoy, along with a personalized forward written by one of the film’s visual artists and a helpful glossary of illustrative terms. With pages filled with visual inspiration, not to mention its treasured tales, these books make the perfect gift for any budding young artist or Disney enthusiast.
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