The Brainstorm Plus: Brainstorm 244: Disney Animators Other Than Walt

While pretty much everyone knows about Walt Disney’s art skills and the company he launched, there are many unsung heroes who helped make Disney’s animation classics the successes they were. And at least in the past, many of them never even saw their name in the credits. Here are biographies of some of the unsung artistic heroes behind your favorite Disney animated movies. Hand any of these to readers you know love behind the scenes stories. Click on the titles to see my full review and any content notes/trigger warnings.

It Began with a Page: How Gyo Fujikawa Drew the Way by Kyo Maclear, ill. by Julie Morstad

A picture book biography of Gyo Fujikawa. Gyo was born in America to parents who immigrated from Japan. Her art skills brought her to the attention of some teachers in high school who made sure she could go on to college to develop her skills. Gyo went on to work on a variety of projects from murals to Disney's marketing department and eventually got into making picture books. Her family was interred during WWII, but she avoided their fate because she lived on the East Coast. Her picture book Babies which shows children of all races mingling together broke ground for racial diversity in picture books. The back of the book includes some further biographical information.

Target Readers:
Picture Book Biography Fans, Art Lovers, Asian American Bio Fans, Lower Grade Readers

The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick by Mallory O’Meara

Milicent Patrick was an artist, designer, and actress in Hollywood at a time when few other women were working backstage. Rumor had it she created the design for the monster suit in the movie Creature from the Black Lagoon, but due to the fact that makeup and artists were not credited during the time period, it was hard to prove. As an ardent fan of the movie, and a woman working in the Hollywood horror genre herself, Mallory O'Meara wanted to learn more about this unsung woman. The task seemed daunting, but Ms O'Meara threw herself into the project while also pointing out a lot of the hardships women then and now face in Hollywood.

Target Readers:
Mature Female Teens Thinking about Working in Hollywood, Hollywood Backstory Fans, Art Lovers, Biography Fans, Gender Equality History Studiers, Adult Readers (and mature teens who can handle the content)

Paper Son: the Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist by Julie Leung, ill. by Chris Sasaki

A picture book biography of Tyrus Wong, an artist and illustrator who developed the backgrounds for Disney's animated feature film Bambi. This is an eye-opening look at the lengths people will go to for a better chance at life. Tyrus worked super hard to make it as an artist, and the book helps give credit to him that is due for Bambi's artwork.

Target Readers:
Picture Book Biography Fans, Asian American Bio Fans, Art Lovers, Immigrant Story Fans, Lower Grade Readers

Pencils, Pens & Brushes: a Great Girls’ Guide to Disney Animation by Mindy Johnson, ill. by Lorelay Bové

An illustrated collection of 2-6 page biographies of the women artists who worked on early Disney animations. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this doesn't just highlight the illustrators, but also the women who served as dance models, singers who gave a voice to the animation, paint chemists who invented new ways to bring color to the screen, story creators, and various others who filled integral roles in the animation process that aren't often talked about. So this book highlights a broad range of roles that go into the animation process. The book also has a special section for the Disney ladies who also served as pilots in various roles during WWII, and every few pages has an illustrated phrase of what makes a Great Girl.

Target Readers:
Collective Biography Fans, Readers Curious about the Animation Process, Art Lovers, Pilot Bio Fans, Middle Grade Readers

Pocket Full of Colors: the Magical World of Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire by Amy Guglielmo & Jacqueline Tourville, ill. by Brigette Barrager

A picture book biography of Mary Blair, artist and Disney animator who is known for her vibrant, color-filled illustrations. (If you want to see some of Mary Blair’s actual concept work, check out Cinderella by Cynthia Rylant…they used Mary Blair’s artwork to illustrate it.)

Target Readers:
Picture Book Biography Fans, Art Lovers, Vibrant Color Lovers, Lower Grade Readers

The Queens of Animation: the Untold Story of the Women Who Transformed the World of Disney and Made Cinematic History by Nathalia Holt

A history of the unsung women who worked in Disney's animation division from it's beginning, what they contributed to the animated stories millions have watched, their struggles and triumphs in breaking into the upper positions in animation and gain acknowledgement for their talents, the ups and downs in the company and its dealing with its employees (especially women), and the progress that has been made in gender equality from the beginning of the company to seeing the first woman director for an animated feature with Frozen. Holt examines these ups and downs by focusing primarily on a few key Disney artists - Mary Blair, Grace Huntington, Bianca Majolie, Retta Scott, and Sylvia Holland - while also following the basic timeline of Disney animation productions and bringing up many, many other contributors along the way.