Book Review “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Colors All Around”

Age Range: 3 – 5 years
Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
Series: Flap ‘n Tab
Board book: 10 pages
Publisher: Disney Press
Release Date: February 18, 2014

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

If you ever come over our house, you will notice that “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” has quite taken over most of it. My 20 month old daughter cannot get enough of this show. She absolutely loves it and thanks to Disney Junior, they air the show non-stop. “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Colors All Around” is a very educational book much more than I actually expected. It is a little too advanced for a 20 month old but she still loves it. She sees the characters and loves naming them and which color they are.

These are tabs for five of the “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” crew including Minnie, Mickey, Pluto, Daisy and Donald. Poor Goofy is left out but he still has a page in the book. On each of the pages, there is a lift-the-flap with information about colors and even blending and creating different colors. What I love about this book the most is the potential that it has for my daughter to work with her as she grows up. She might be too little now but I know that it is going to help her learn in the near future. Another great release Disney!

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Blu-ray Review “The Jungle Book”

Starring: Phil Harris, Sebastian Cabot, Louis Prima, George Sanders, Bruce Reitherman, J. Pat O’Malley
Director: Wolfgang Reitherman
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: February 11, 2014
Run Time: 78 minutes

Film: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 5 out of 5 stars

“The Jungle Book” is a Disney classic and packs some of the best and most fun jazzy, toe-tapping songs, including “I Wan’na Be Like You” and Academy Award-nominated classic “The Bare Necessities”. My 20-month old daughter has been watching the commercials of this Blu-ray and has already been dancing to the music. This is the first time that this film has ever been released on Blu-ray and also the first in almost seven years that it has been released from the Disney vault. “The Jungle Book” was Disney’s 19th animated masterpiece and also the last animated feature to have Walt Disney’s personal touch. Already watched this twice with my daughter, I have a feeling we are going to get a lot of use out of this.

Official Premise: Meet the most unforgettable characters and embark on a thrilling adventure with Mowgli as he journeys deep into the jungle and learns The Bare Necessities of life from happy-go-lucky Baloo the bear. Meet Bagheera, the wise old panther, and crazy King Louie, the orangutan. But watch out for the cunning tiger Shere Khan and Kaa, the ssssneakiest snake in the jungle! Explore your family’s wild side as you venture into The Jungle Book for extraordinary adventures and a heartwarming tale that celebrates the true meaning of friendship.

Disney released “The Jungle Book” under it’s Diamond Edition banner. It comes in a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy included. The 1080p transfer is absolutely fantastic. I remember watching this film on VHS as a kid and now as a adult, I was literally blown away by this presentation. My daughter was literally glued to the TV and just kept pointing at all the characters and naming them. There are two options for this film in terms of audio. There is a super impressive, brand new DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track. It is fantastic and really works well with the music. It also comes with the original theatrical Dolby Digital Mono track as well for audio purists.

There is some great new special features created for this Blu-ray. There is a brief intro by composer Richard Sherman, which is option way to start the film. There is an 18-minute promo featurette for Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. There is an alternate ending included “Mowgli and The Hunter”, which is presented in storyboard format. There is also a fantastic 40-minute documentary “Growing up With Nine Old Men”, which includes a series of interviews looking into chief animators. The rest of the remaining extras have all been ported over from previous DVD editions.

There is a very interesting audio commentary track with the voice of Mowgli, Bruce Reitherman, Composer Richard Sherman and interview footage edited in from members of the original production team. There is also a five-part “Making of”, which runs just over 45 minutes. Rounding out the rest of the extras include four additional featurettes, a wildlife video for kids, seven deleted songs, sing-along lyrics and music video from Jonas Brothers. Of course, be sure to also pause the film when watching to take advantage of “Disney Intermission”, which is hosted by Baloo.

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Book Review “The Art of Mr. Peabody and Sherman”

Author: Jerry Beck
Hardcover: 156 pages
Publisher: Insight Editions
Release Date: February 11, 2014

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

When it comes to DreamWorks Animation, I am usually first in line for their new films. With “Mr. Peabody and Sherman”, I honestly do not see the draw for this film. I am not interested in the film at all. I wanted to get the art of book to see if it would entice me to see the film but it really has not done anything for me. I hope that audiences will be thinking differently since DreamWorks Animation could surly need a hit. The book is packed with concept art, character backgrounds, design inspiration, and other exclusive behind-the-scenes information.

Official Premise: Make way for Mr. Peabody and Sherman, DreamWorks Animation’s new comedy about a dog and his boy. Yes, you heard right — Mr. Peabody’s IQ is so high, this dog is actually the world’s smartest person! So smart that he’s even invented the WABAC, a time-traveling machine that he and his pet boy Sherman use to explore the world throughout the ages. Based on the beloved 1960s cartoon, Mr. Peabody and Sherman is a role-reversal reinvention like no other. Barreling through time, Peabody and Sherman explore the universe, crossing paths with the likes of Marie Antoinette and Leonardo da Vinci. But when Sherman uses the WABAC without permission and history starts to spiral out of control, the results are disastrous—and hilarious.

The author of the book, Jerry Beck has written over 15 books focusing around animation. Tiffany Ward is the daughter of Jay Ward, aka the creator of “The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show” and originator of the “Mr. Peabody and Sherman characters”. She is also the executive producer of the film and gives the book preface. Ty Burrell (“Modern Family”) gives the forward to the book and who voiced Mr. Peabody in the film. The book images were very sharp and crisp. The designs were very impressive but I still wasn’t really drawn to these characters, designs and overall style for this film. I would recommend this to hardcore fans only of the original animation and if you see the film and absolutely love it.

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Book Review “The Mayor of MacDougal Street: A Memoir”

“The Mayor of MacDougal Street: A Memoir”
Author: Dave Van Ronk Elijah Wald
Paperback: 232 pages
Publisher: Da Capo Press

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“The Mayor of MacDougal Street: A Memoir” written by Dave Van Ronk and Elijah Wald is a firsthand account of the sixties folk scene, A scene which included the likes of Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Woody Guthrie. However this book starts before that as its subject Dave Van Ronk was performing folk style music years prior and has been noted as an influence by those who would go on to define not only a genre but an era. Ronk’s life story is also the subject of the latest Cohen brothers film “Inside Llewyn Davis” which stars Oscar Isaac and Justin Timberlake.

Not being a huge folk music fan I was a bit out of the loop when I first started this book. Prior to my reading the only thing I could really attach to the term folk music was early pictures of Bob Dylan and his acoustic guitar. However after reading “The Mayor of MacDougal Street” I realized that there was a lot more to it and that it didn’t just happen all of a sudden. Van Ronk tells in detail stories of his first taste of recording to the struggles of finding places to perform and throughout the books pages when fitting recounts intimate memories and experiences with the likes of Joni Mitchell and Phil Ochs. For those like myself who didn’t have a lot of knowledge of what would later be called the “Great Folk Scare” which Van Ronk had a huge hand in creating look no further as Wald and Van Ronk himself put together a colorful yet fitting account of what life was like on New York City’s MacDougal Street in the early 1960’s

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Book Review “Birth School Metallica Death: The Biography Vol. 1”

“Birth School Metallica Death: The Biography Vol. 1”
Author: Paul Brannigan, Ian Winwood
Hardcover: 378 pages
Publisher: Da Capo Press

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“Birth School Metallica Death: The Biography Vol. 1” written by former Kerrang! Editor Paul Brannigan and British rock journalist Ian Winwood is an in-depth look at arguable one of the greatest heavy metal bands of all time. The first in a two part series Vol.1 documents from the bands inception in 1981 up through 1991 and the release of the groups ground breaking “Black” album. “Birth School Metallica Death: The Biography Vol. 1” is being released via Da Capo Press and features 378 pages along with 8 pages of photos.

From the time I first saw Metallica’s video for “One” I was hooked. Anything and everything related to the band I had to check out (good or bad) and even though they had released 3 albums prior to “And Justice for All” the album spawning the single “One” and I was late getting to the party it didn’t hinder my quest for all things Metallica. Prior to reading this book my expectations were not very high as I had thought that I pretty much read everything about the band that was available. Upon delving in to the 378 pages you instantly realize that you are going to be in for a treat as the authors take you places normally off limits to the public. Weather they are talking with members of the band at their practice space known as “HQ”, Telling stories of speaking with Lars on a phone booth at 3am or covering the listening party for the “Black Album” “Birth School Metallica Death: The Biography Vol. 1” has a bit of everything. Even if you have heard some of these accounts before I found it quite interesting to hear different take. Along with some great writing are 8 pages packed with rare photos going back to when Dave Mustaine was in the band. I only wished that there had been a few more of these photo pages placed throughout the book to correspond with the subsequent chapters.

Fans of Metallica and or heavy metal music in general will surely enjoy “Birth School Metallica Death: The Biography Vol. 1”. Not only does it contain some really cool interviews and accounts but it’s a fairly straight forward and easy read. So even if you are terminally shaken from years of head banging and moshing I encourage you to put down your devil horns and stagger over to your nearest book store and pick up a copy of this book.

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Book Review “27: A History of the 27 Club through the Lives of Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse”

“27: A History of the 27 Club through the Lives of Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse”
Author: Howard Sounes
Hardcover: 360 pages
Publisher: Da Capo Press

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Named one of Publisher Weekly’s Top 10 Music Titles for Fall 2013 “27 A History of the 27 Club through the Lives of Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse” written by Howard Sounes is a book that takes a look at music’s “27 Club” and the artists who comprise it. Told over the course of 360 pages Sounes looks not only at the artists lives but also at their deaths and from there attempts to compare the artists in an effort to find similarities in these 6 subjects.

When I received my copy of “27” I thought to myself why hadn’t someone thought of writing about this sooner? This so called “27 Club” isn’t just made up of meteoric artist who only experienced a flash of success. Instead the members of this club include influential musicians who during their careers impacted millions of listeners and helped shape their respective genre’s for years to come. The thing I enjoyed most about how Howard Sounes approached this rather speculative topic is fairly interesting. The book is broken in to two parts with the beginning chapters being devoted to the life of each musician and the chapters toward the end of the book relating the deaths of these individuals. It was kind of nice as having followed the careers of both Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse I was able to sort of jump around a little bit as a portion of the material here has been widely documented and I think I am still recovering from the media coverage of both these events even though they were some time ago now.

Those looking for definitive answers on what ultimately ties these musicians together in death might not be too surprised with the information contained in this book nor will the reader find a lot of new or undocumented information on the subjects as I don’t feel that was the authors intention with this book. Instead for the first time the information about these six people is available all in one place combined with one person’s perspective on the events which are surprisingly similar. Combine that with 16 pages eerily fitting black and white photography and “27 A History of the 27 Club through the Lives of Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse” makes for an ok read.

 

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Book Review “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Chronicles – Art & Design”

Author: Weta Workshop, Daniel Falconer
Hardcover: 208 pages
Publisher: Harper Design
Release Date: December 13, 2013

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Peter Jackson is my hero, period. I love his vision for “The Lord of The Rings”. The films are amazing and I always wanted more. When he stepped back into that world with “The Hobbit”, I was excited for another film but then that one film turned into another trilogy. Last year, I was thrilled to have received “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Chronicles: Art & Design”, which was easily one of my favorite books of the year. Then earlier this year I received “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Chronicles II – Creatures and Characters”, which was a fantastic companion to the film. Both of these really captured the making of  “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” and I was dying to see what they had planned for “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug”. Well I was left 100% satisfied, this book is a must own!

“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Chronicles: Art & Design” takes a really deep look into the second film in Peter Jackson’s second trilogy from the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. The film follows Biblo’s and the dwards travels to reclaim the lost realm of Erebor from the Dragon Smaug. Like the first book in this series, it dives into the design and development of the environments in the film, as well as the different cultures, creatures, and artifacts that are found in the film.  Be prepared to be wowed since there are over one thousand stunning images, that’s 1,000 images, consisting of conceptual art, photographs, all wrapped around amazing commentary from the film’s cast and crew.

This book was overseen by Weta Workshop’s senior concept designer Daniel Falconer. You can tell that it is a real labor of love for the team since it is not a cop out of a art book, there is a lot of detail and love that went into this book and if you are a fan of these films you will be eating up every single word and gorgeous image provided. I thought that they couldn’t get any better after “Creatures & Characters” but I was wrong since this one outdoes them all. Also as a super cool bonus, only available with this book, there is a special fold-out replica of the portrait of the Master of Lake-town, played by Stephen Fry in the film. If you want more keep an eye out for “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Chronicles – Cloaks & Dagge​rs” which drops on July 8, 2014.

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Book Review “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Animal ABCs”

Age Range: 3 – 5 years
Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
Board book: 10 pages
Publisher: Disney Press
Release Date: January 7, 2014

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

I have an 18-month old daughter and I love her being able to have fun and yet still learn. “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” is such an amazing TV to get the best of both world in that department. This new book “Animal ABCs” is such a blast, it not only teaches the ABCs but also relates then to animals. My daughter is such a sponge right now and she literally has not put this book down. I see this being her favorite for quite a while! Highly Recommend!

Official Premise: Join Mickey, Minnie and the rest of the gang from the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse as they explore the jungle to discover all the animals of the alphabet, from Alligator to Zebra. This awesome lenticular novelty format makes learning the alphabet fun, as preschoolers can tilt the book to see a letter of the alphabet transform into a beautiful full-color photo of an animal.

What I like about this book is that it has some weight to it, it is not a flimsy book. It is high quality and looks to holds up again the little one. I also love the lenticular images since it is one animal looking one way and another the other way. I stood back and watched by daughter realize that and it really blew her mind. I can’t wait to see the next installment in this series “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Colors All Around”, which streets February 18, 2014. I will be first in line for sure…if I can pry this book from my daughters hands.

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Book Review “Peek-a-Bow, Minnie!”

Age Range: 3 – 5 years
Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
Series: Disney Minnie
Board book: 10 pages
Publisher: Disney Press
Release Date: October 1, 2013

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

When I saw that Disney Press was releasing a puppet book with Minnie, I knew my 18 month old daughter was going to flip out. I have to say thought I was very underwhelmed. When I showed this book to my daughter she turned the pages one and then lost interest. One thing I realized is that the puppet is so big that turning the pages makes it very hard as well. If your kid loves Minnie, this is probably good for a quick distraction but I do not see my daughter picking this book up ever again.

With Minnie Mouse, it’s all about the bows. So it’s no surprise that she’s put a new spin on the classic game of peekaboo. In this engaging interactive puppet book, Minnie plays peek-a-bow, creating a perfect interactive story little ones will want to read again and again. An adorable fabric Minnie puppet, a delightfully illustrated story, and the fun game of peekaboo come together to make this book a must-have!

This book is also consists of four double sided pages, the colors are crisp and animation is cute but over it didn’t draw me in. There is another book that my daughter has loved since she was born and still does with a peek-a-boo shark. It has always been her favorite and I was hoping to replace it with this one but that plan failed miserably. Who knows maybe other might enough, but I would be caution when purchasing.

 

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Book Review “Sofia the First: Ready To Be a Princess – Book and Magnetic Playset”

Age Range: 3 – 5 years
Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
Series: Book and Magnetic Play Set
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Disney Press
Release Date: September 3, 2013

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Since the beginning of this year, “Sofia the First” has taken over the world of young girls (and boys as well). The show premiered and has been such a huge hit. My 18 month old daughter absolutely loves this show so much. She dances to all the music and even tries to sing-a-long. This book and magnetic playset is such a blast and is the second one that I am reviewing this month after “Frozen”, which is another of our favorites. This is highly recommended if you enjoy this series.

“Ready To Be a Princess” follows Sofia, Amber, and their friends as they prepare for a glittering royal ball, a Royal Prep talent show, a grand tea party, and more. This fun magnetic play set includes two storybooks to enjoy. There are six play scenes includes along with fifty two magnets. This set well represents the show and is very colorful and high quality. I look forward to future adaption for this book in the future…may I hint a “Jake and the Never Land Pirates” and “Doc McStuffins” as well.

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Book Review “Disney Frozen: Royal Sisters – A Dress-Up Book and Magnetic Play Set”

Age Range: 3 – 5 years
Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
Series: Book and Magnetic Play Set
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Disney Press
Release Date: October 1, 2013

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

One of the coolest things of having an 18 month old kid is that I am able to play with things that I haven’t been able to since I was a kid. I grew up in the 80’s and I used to LOVE playing with Colorforms! All you 80’s babies out there know that I am talking about! When I saw this book, I had a flash back of being a kid and playing with those. On top of that, “Frozen” is no question my favorite film to date of 2013 and our family cannot get enough of this film. The characters, the colors, the music, the design…it is absolutely perfect. As is this book, which is a not only a book but also a magnetic play set and a dress-up book as well.

Inside this book you literally get transported into the wonderful the magical world from Walt Disney Animation Studio’s “Frozen”. Included inside this great handy plastic carrying case are two storybooks, two magnetic dolls, six play scenes, and over 60 magnets. The play scenes are really sharp and quite colorful. The magnets are spot and represent the film very well. There is a ton of fun to have with this set and is also a great way to get kids imaginations going. Seeing my daughter play with this set, I knew that she was having a real blast and she is still technically too young for this. I can only imagine how much she will enjoy as she gets older. Highly recommended, very reasonably priced and will make a great holiday gift this year! If your kids are fans of “Sofia the First”, there is also a great set for that show as well.

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Book Review “The Art of Frozen”

Author: Charles Solomon
Hardcover: 168 pages
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Release Date: December 3, 2013

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

When a new Disney or Pixar movie comes out, I am usually more excited for the “Art of” book, then the film recently. I love the behind-the-scenes door into these films. “Frozen” is my hand down favorite film of 2013 to date, so maybe my expectations were a little high, but I was slightly disappointed with this book. It is quite different from recent companion books for “Tangled” and “Wreck-It Ralph” for sure. If you’ve seen this film then you will know how visually amazing it is, I didn’t really feel that scale when I did a flip through on this. The concept art included in this book consists of storyboards, character designs, location designs, props etc. I enjoyed all these quite a bit but I wish the overall presentation was just a little more welcoming. Still this book will have a prominent place on my table for months to come since I am in love with the film.

Official Premise: In Walt Disney Animation Studios upcoming film, Frozen, the fearless optimist Anna sets off on an epic journey—teaming up with rugged mountain man Kristoff—to find her sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. Encountering Everest-like conditions, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom. The Art of Frozen features concept art from the making of the film—including character studies and sculpts, color scripts, storyboards, and more—alongside interviews with the film’s artists about the making of this comedy-adventure.

One thing you should know though before picking this up is that if you haven’t seen the film do not read this yet since there are a few decent size spoilers given in the book. The artwork is well represented by Chronicle Books, but that is not a surprise since they usually deliver great books. The images are very high quality, so that is definitely a plus going for this book. It is also authored by Charles Solomon, who also did one of my favorites “The Art of Toy Story 3”. There is a solid preface from the Chief Creative Officer at Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios and Principal Creative Officer at Walt Disney Imagineering aka John Lasseter. He was also an executive producer on the film. The foreword is from the films directors Chris Buck (director of “Surf’s Up”) and Jennifer Lee (writer of “Wreck-It Ralph”) and worth checking out. Even though this may not be the best “Art of” book of the year, if you enjoyed the film then I would say that it is worth checking out still just keep expectation lower.

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Book Review “Jake and the Never Land Pirates: Mama Hook Knows Best”

Author: Sharon Osbourne
Illustrator: Disney Storybook Art Team
Age Range: 3 – 5 years
Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
Series: Jake and the Never Land Pirates
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Disney Press
Release Date: September 17, 2013

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

If you have young kids then you know about the marvel of “Jake and the Never Land Pirates”. This show can stop my daughter dead in her tracks (and she is fast). “Mama Hook Knows Best” features the character of Captain’s Hook mother voiced by Sharon Osbourne, who also in fact wrote this book. It is not Shakespeare for Osbourne but fans of the show will enjoy the expansion of this character. Mama Hook has been in two episodes already and even has her own spin-off short series, so expect much more from this character in this series!

Official Premise: Mama Hook reminisces about her great experiences sailing the Never Sea and the stories she told young James Hook when he was growing up. Written by Sharon Osbourne, the stories are reminiscent of familiar fables like “The Tortoise and the Hare,” set in Jake and the Never Land Pirates’ world of fun pirate playfulness and daring adventures.

From the minute, I gave this book to my 18 month old daughter she ran around the house screaming “Hook!”. In fact she not only loved the book but she also loved the audio CD version of the book, which is a nice bonus to include here. I have a feeling that we are going to be revisiting this book quite a bit over the next few months. The very talent Disney Storybook Art Team delivered this book full of great illustrations showing Mama Hook’s memories of when she sailed the Never Sea. Since the book is subtitled “A Pirate Parent’s Favorite Fables”, the stories included are exciting and also educational as well.  Overall, a must have a great gift for the upcoming holiday season!

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Book Review “Star Trek: A Very Klingon Khristmas”

Author: Paul Ruditis
Illustrator: Patrick Faricy
Series: Star Trek
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Gallery Books
Release Date: October 29, 2013

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Wow, what an amazing idea! That was what I was thinking when I first saw this book advertised. There are millions are “Star Trek” fans like myself that probably thinking the exact same thing. “A Very Klingon Khristmas” is a very clever and funny story and a must have for any fan of the franchise. This book is quite cheap (around $10) and I see this being a frequent cheap gift for many to give to their friends and family this holiday season.

Official Premise: This hilarious parody firmly plants Klingons at the center of the Christmas story—where they rightly should be—including everything from a Santa equipped with retractable claws, tribbles in the stockings of naughty Klingon boys and girls, and the spirited holiday warmth of a hot cup of mulled blood wine. Illustrated in a classic Norman Rockwell–inspired style, A Very Klingon Khristmas is the perfect holiday gift for every Star Trek fan!

The illustrations in “A Very Klingon Khristmas” are very eye-catching. They are very colorful and have that classic yet retro feel to them. You can tell that the author was a big “Trek” nerd himself since he aims to please all fans of the franchise here. Kudos also go to Gallery Books for delivering a fine release. The hardcover book is well presented and high quality. They could have cheaped out on this book knowing that “Star Trek” hardcore fans anyway but this delivers.

 

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Book Review “My Neighbor Totoro Picture Book (New Edition)”

Author: Hayao Miyazaki
Age Range: 4 – 8 years
Series: My Neighbor Totoro
Hardcover: 112 pages
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC; New edition
Release Date: October 1, 2013

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Damn! Has it really been 25 years? I remember watching “My Neighbor Totoro” when I was a kid and now I have been introducing it this year to my 17 month old daughter. In fact, I have a feel that she is going to love this picture book as well as she learns the film and grows up with it like I have. Viz Media is releasing this new edition to celebrate the film’s 25th anniversary and they have done a great job here for sure. If you do not already own this book, then this will be a great way to parents to introduce the film to their children and keep the fandom surrounding this film and Studio Ghibli overall going for another generation.

Official Premise: The companion book to the beloved animation classic My Neighbor Totoro, by legendary Studio Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki. Featuring artwork taken directly from the movie, this updated edition will allow parents and children to relive Totoro’s magical adventures with scene-by-scene illustrations and character dialogue. Eleven-year-old Satsuki and her sassy little sister Mei have moved to the country to be closer to their ailing mother. While their father is working, the girls explore their sprawling old house and the forest and fields that surround it. Soon, Satsuki and Mei discover Totoro, a magical forest spirit who takes them on fantastic adventures through the trees and the clouds–and teaches them a lesson about trusting one another.

To be honest the title of the book says it all. We get the entire story of the film within some text and illustration. So you can get the jist of the film as it is perfect laid out. I feel like it is giant comic book but also like a visual journey of the film. The images in the book are basically screenshots from the film and they are presented in very high quality. My daughter already is able to say Totoro or “Torto” as she says it since we have plush dolls and various merchandise all over the house. So watching her sit quietly and flip through this book made me very happy and I am sure that this will be used quite a bit over the years. No brainer if you are a fan of the film and Studio Ghibli. I hope that Viz has future plans for more collaborations with their films.

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