‘The Wonderful Worlds of Disney’ is a must-have book for animation fans

Category: Books and Music

When this book was delivered to me, all I could say was “wow.” It is beautiful. The Wonderful Worlds of Disney is for any Disney fan or any fan of animation itself. 

“Fantasy – that is good, acceptable fantasy – is really only fact with a whimsical twist.” This quote from Walt Disney opens the book which is an in-depth look at how the studio – through its movies – took us all into magical worlds that have become not only pop culture, but part of our lives.

In the introduction, the author, Didier Ghez, emphasizes how the background art is what makes every scene feel as though we are there. The background art is the canvas on which the stories play out and without that canvas the films would be bland, unappealing, and not what ultimately captures our hearts and imaginations.

In Chapter 1 – “The Golden Age,” Ghez explains how Walt Disney always wanted to do better with each film. He knew that “cartoons” were more than simple drawings. They pull us into the stories and create places that live in our minds. The original animations in the 1930s and 1940s were simple yet still imaginative.

Chapter 2 – “Passing the Torch” looks at the animation from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, with the addition of Mary Blair and the new stylization that changed the backgrounds of the scenes.

Chapter 3 – “The Renaissance” explains how the studio reinvented itself. The Great Mouse Detective, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Lilo & Stitch were all created during this time and launched Disney animation into a new stratosphere. This was the resurrection of the Disney studio.

The book shows how even the smallest detail helps to make the scenes what they are and create the films that we love. Every little detail is thought out. And that is how the studio survives. Manhole covers, window panes, shingles, shadows, and carpets all add up to the creation of a memorable film.

Chapter 4 – “The Digital Age” takes readers to the birth of CG animation in Disney films. Chicken Little, Tangled, Wreck-It Ralph, Frozen, Big Hero 6, Zootopia, Moana, Encanto, and Raya and the Last Dragon were not hand-drawn movies. They were the result of computer graphic animation, and they brought the studio into the modern era.

Computers helped reimagine the way the films were created. Color palettes are important to the animators to create the mood and add to the plot, and using CG expanded the wealth of the palettes.

The author writes, “The Golden Age of Disney animation began with Walt Disney embracing new approaches to his art form, from the early use of Technicolor to the invention of the multiplane camera.” (p 207) Walt was always looking ahead. “You have to keep experimenting,” he said. (p 207)

This book explores the history of Disney’s animation from the beginning in the 1930s to the present. Those decades encompass hand-drawn animation all the way through digital animation. This is a true celebration of the history of the Disney studio.

Walt always wanted his stories to be rooted in some form of reality. To create realistic backgrounds, Disney artists travel to locales around the globe. They see the sights and feel the surroundings. That is how they give us movies like The Lion King and The Princess and the Frog, and more.

The movies from Disney have been the backdrop for generations. And with this book, rediscovering favorite scenes, films, and characters is an adventure.

This is a great and thoughtful gift for the holidays, birthdays, or just to give to someone who loves the Disney movies. Generations of fans have loved these films and look forward to what is next. And, as the author points out, there is always something new on the horizon and whatever that is, the animators at Disney will find it and bring it to their stories.

With insights and art, The Wonderful Worlds of Disney is a “wow” book.

The book comes in a beautiful clamshell box for display.

The Wonderful Worlds of Disney by Didier Ghez with the Disney artists

• • Publisher : Chronicle Books
  • Publication date  :  September 29, 2026
  • ISBN-10  :  179723398X
  • ISBN-13  :  978-1797233987

About the Reviewer

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites.

Note: This book was sent to me for an honest review with no expectations.