Disney's animated theatrical features have been going strong since 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and Stephen Rötzsch Thomas' new book Disney's Animated Classics A Comprehensive Guide takes a look at them all the way up to Moana 2! It's no mean feat to cover all these films, but Thomas does so in a very personal and highly entertaining fashion that's full of interesting trivia and personal anecdotes to keep your spirits up in this fun read.

After an introduction in which Thomas laments getting the wrong Disney animated feature VHS as a holiday gift from a holiday, he marches through the films one by one delivering more than the plot summaries one expects. Part of what makes Disney's Animated Classics so special is how specific Thomas' opinions are whether it's questioning Gurgi's grating voice in The Black Cauldron or admiring Billy Joel's acting chops in Oliver & Company. There's a lot of humor in these reviews too, which goes a long way in making readers wanting to read just one more chapter.

Headings for the chapters only list the film's name along with the directors. Some additional credits up front might have been nice, although several are referenced in the body of the reviews themselves. There's no ranking of these movies, but there's no need for that since the book presents the films in chronological order along with a robust index in the back.

A delightful look at the animated films we all loved and grew up with, Disney's Animated Classics by Stephen Rötzsch Thomas is an amusing look at an impressive roster of films. Although the films discussed certainly vary in quality (it's doubtful there are many Home on the Range fans), Thomas' writing certainly does not. He does a great job at presenting his strong point of view on these well-worn features.

Disney's Animated Classics is available for pre-order in hardcover from Amazon. A copy of this book was provided for review by the publisher via NetGalley.

White Owl/Pen & Sword provided an early galley for review.

In the 1970's, I grew up on Disney animation. Most weekends were topped by Sunday night's Wonderful World of Disney and afternoons occasionally provided reruns of the classic Mickey Mouse Club from decades before. When the films came out of the vaults for their cyclical returns, I hit the theaters with family. Thus, I had to check this one out.

Thomas' approach is in interesting one. He hits each of the films in chronological order, devoting a short chapter to each in turn. Given the length, we naturally are not getting every fact about the films. He provides details relating to the making of each one along with other interesting factoids. Most of these are likely known to the true Disney-devoted, but I often found myself picking up a new tidbit here and there.

It is definitely an author's prerogative to decide what they are focusing on and how to deliver their narrative. I found this one touched on personal connections and felt it was all delivered in a rather easy-going, conversational manner. It is clear that Thomas has a love for Disney animation which comes through in the text.

As a die-hard Disney fanatic and former cast member, I'm obsessed with this book! It's packed with fascinating facts on Disney's rich history, from animation to the latest blockbusters. I devoured every chapter, which took me on a magical journey from the first Disney movie to the present. Now, I'm on the hunt for more books that dish out the dirt on Disney's past.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.

This is a great book to learn more about your favorite Disney movies, although I was disappointed with the number of pictures in the book. Especially the fact that all of them were at the very end of the book, rather than included during the passages talking about that subject. I really hate when non-fiction books do that.

Although there were some movies that I hadn't seen, most of them were ones that I had. I definitely would not call myself a Disney adult by any means, but rather just like to read various non-fiction books to learn more about different subjects.

Definitely would recommend!

I enjoyed this relatively informal look at the animation history of the Disney studio. Part behind the scenes glimpses, part informational, and part an introduction to the people who made the magic we've all come to expect from Disney. As I read, I was actually astonished to realize not only have I never seen many of these films but, well, hadn't even heard of some of them. I put that squarely on my own shoulders, however, and that little thing called real life. It was definitely interesting to read about Walt Disney's obsessive nature with his films, especially as it was made obvious how long many were talked about before they even began production. Production, of course, could take years. There was even what I'd call a gossipy vibe to the text at times, not to mention that the author made observations that, quite frankly, even for the films I've seen countless times, I'd never thought of or, more likely, I'd have rolled my eyes at such as the discussion of Gaston from "Beauty and the Beast". Nope, not telling. You'll just have to read the book for that one.

The book is divided into sections detailing the animations emerging during that time period. There's a bit about the history behind the creation of each film, from Disney's foray into creating Mickey Mouse to what may have sparked the various films' ideas in the first place. There are photos but since the version I read was an early unedited digital one, they were at the end of the book. They'll surely be inserted in proper time, to speak, in the final versions. Living in Central Florida at the time Disney World opened, it was interesting to realize that "Sword in the Stone" was probably the film distracting Walt Disney from his dreams for the complex at about the same time. "Lady and the Tramp" came about the time the original Disneyland opened, by the way. Disney was never one not to push boundaries and technology, so it was interesting to see how they used and developed technology to attain their goals. They certainly set the standard for years to come.

Bottom line, while hardly the ultimate look at Disney animation, this was a fun, interesting look at the evolution of the Disney studio's early days until almost today. As a fan of Lin-Manual Miranda, I was delighted to see his efforts spotlighted, not to mention to hear about Robin Williams' problems with "Aladdin". Let's just say, Williams wasn't happy at how his contract was interpreted. In any case, while you won't know all there is to know about Disney when you finish this one, you'll have picked up lots of history, some behind-the-scenes tidbits, been reminded of the studio's role in WWII, and know the humans who created some of the most memorable animated characters ever. You'll even get the author's opinions on the films and songs (Oh, "Let It Go" indeed). Thanks #Pen&Sword for this early peek behind the curtains and some thoughts to ponder. I mean, I hadn't picked up on the Yen Sid villain's name until now. Also, thanks for that extensive bibliography and index. They were quite appreciated.

As a devoted fan of all things Disney, I found Disney's Animated Classics: A Comprehensive Guide by Stephen Rötzsch Thomas to be a truly special read. I have a particular fondness for the animated classics in particular, and this book captures the rich, untold stories and the sheer magic behind the beloved films.

Thomas provides a comprehensive and engaging look behind the scenes, exploring the little-known details, creative inspirations, and surprising connections that shaped these iconic movies. The book is packed with so much information, making it a perfect guide for a super fan. It's a perfect blend of an unflinching, funny history and a loving tribute to the films that have defined generations. I think it would make an excellent gift idea for anyone with a love for animation and Disney movies.

For any die-hard Disney fan, this book is an absolute must-read. My only wish is that it had included some visuals to match the movies each chapter was talking about.

Thank you to the publishing team, White Owl, Pen& Sword, and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of "Disney's Animated Classics" by author Stephen Rötzsch Thomas.

#DisneysAnimatedClassics #StephenRötzschThomas #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley and Pen & Sword for the opportunity to review Disney’s Animated Classics.

As an ex cast member of the Walt Disney World Parks and a “Disney Adult” I have an extensive knowledge of the company’s history, its films, and its beloved characters. I have read dozens of books and topics ranging from biographies of Walt and other key figures in the company, to books on animation, books on the creation of the parks, and books on the history of the movies; so this book was one I felt comfortable to dive into.

The book begins with a brief history of Walt’s foray into what became one of the largest animation studios in the world. There are a few notable absences in the story that I would have mentioned like Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. As one of the first characters created he was the catalyst and inspiration for many characters created after the rights to him were lost.

While this is just an uncorrected proof and obviously still working out the kinks, I felt compelled to mention that the formatting is all over the place with words in paragraphs jumbled and footnotes placed randomly. At some points, the footnotes were several pages later making it hard to follow.

Also, given this is an e-book edition I am not sure if the photos are meant to be in the back of the book as opposed to throughout the book but I think it would break up some of the text nicely to have the photos of things discussed where it’s explained.

Overall while the book is enjoyable it feels disjointed with the author going off on many tangents often taking pages to circle back to the original point. There is a LOT of detail which is great but it feels a bit like info dumping/encyclopedia style as opposed to a more relaxed conversational approach.