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Pocket Full of Colors: The Magical World of Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire
Mary Blair lived her life in color: vivid, wild color.
From her imaginative childhood to her career as an illustrator, designer, and animator for Walt Disney Studios, Mary wouldn’t play by the rules. At a time when studios wanted to hire men and think in black and white, Mary painted twinkling emerald skies, peach giraffes with tangerine spots, and magenta horses that could fly.
From her imaginative childhood to her career as an illustrator, designer, and animator for Walt Disney Studios, Mary wouldn’t play by the rules. At a time when studios wanted to hire men and think in black and white, Mary painted twinkling emerald skies, peach giraffes with tangerine spots, and magenta horses that could fly.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published August 29, 2017
About the author
Amy Guglielmo
21 books90 followersAmy Guglielmo is an award-winning author, artist, art educator, public art and STEAM advocate. She writes children’s books about strong, pioneering women, and artsy, innovative people. Her titles include: the Christopher award-winning POCKET FULL OF COLORS: The Magical World of Mary Blair Disney Artist Extraordinaire (Atheneum 2017), the Touch the Art series (Sterling, 2006, 2009, 2010) and the PEEK-A-BOO ART Series (Cartwheel/Scholastic 2019, 2020) with Julie Appel, HOW TO BUILD A HUG: Temple Grandin and Her Amazing Squeeze Machine (Atheneum 2018) with co-author Jacqueline Tourville, CEZANNE'S PARROT (Putnam 2020) and JUST BEING DALI (Putnam 2021), the upcoming, LUCILLE BALL DID IT ALL (Abrams 2024), and the new WHAT THE ARTIST SAW series with The Metropolitan Museum of Art and DK. Amy is the Creative Director of Reading Rainbow Live. She brings over twenty years of experience in both children’s publishing and public and private school education to the Reading Rainbow Live team. Amy is represented by Stephen Barbara at InkWell Management. For more information go to www.amyguglielmo.com.
Amy lives with her husband on the shores of Mexico and Lake Champlain where she enjoys water sports just as long as she doesn't have to get her hair wet.
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@amyguglielmo
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@amy_guglielmo
Amy lives with her husband on the shores of Mexico and Lake Champlain where she enjoys water sports just as long as she doesn't have to get her hair wet.
@amyguglielmo
IG
@amy_guglielmo
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 272 reviews
March 11, 2020
Mary Blair saw things just a little bit brighter and bolder than others did. While others seemed to see and think in only black and white, her world was colorful and vibrant. Disney’s It’s a Small World attraction showcases her modern and vivid style. This short biography tells her story and is a nice primer for colors beyond the basics.
February 3, 2022
Featured in a grandma reads session.
You might not think you know who Mary Blair is or how she moved Disney's "style" forward from the Snow White/Mickey art of the 20's-30's to the Cinderella/AliceInWonderland bright colors, simple shapes and suggested forms of the 50's-60's work. BUT if you've ever been to Disneyland in California, through these many years you've been able to get a wonderful tour through her head and heart when you are in "It's A Small World" ride. . . she designed it and had come back to Disney after a venture out into the world, specifically to work on Walt's latest Big Idea, something to pull all countries and peoples of the world together. (I have that song going through my head right now!)
This picture book, filled with her obsession for collecting bright and different colors, is a fair reflection of her work. Having been exactly one of the demographic, and of her appreciative audience, I can attest to the magic with which she infused all things Disney for the regular, ordinary kid of the 50's-60's. Animation was the passion and pull of the under 15 set - couldn't get enough of it, and here she pops up with bright, bold and sassy art - she doesn't stay inside the lines, and she is not predictable. Yet she hits every wish and desire, leaving lots of space for dreaming.
This was a good read for my group, but honestly, it was more a trip down memory lane for me, and was a GREAT read. It gave me an opportunity to share grandma memories which, thankfully, this crew always welcomes.
You might not think you know who Mary Blair is or how she moved Disney's "style" forward from the Snow White/Mickey art of the 20's-30's to the Cinderella/AliceInWonderland bright colors, simple shapes and suggested forms of the 50's-60's work. BUT if you've ever been to Disneyland in California, through these many years you've been able to get a wonderful tour through her head and heart when you are in "It's A Small World" ride. . . she designed it and had come back to Disney after a venture out into the world, specifically to work on Walt's latest Big Idea, something to pull all countries and peoples of the world together. (I have that song going through my head right now!)
This picture book, filled with her obsession for collecting bright and different colors, is a fair reflection of her work. Having been exactly one of the demographic, and of her appreciative audience, I can attest to the magic with which she infused all things Disney for the regular, ordinary kid of the 50's-60's. Animation was the passion and pull of the under 15 set - couldn't get enough of it, and here she pops up with bright, bold and sassy art - she doesn't stay inside the lines, and she is not predictable. Yet she hits every wish and desire, leaving lots of space for dreaming.
This was a good read for my group, but honestly, it was more a trip down memory lane for me, and was a GREAT read. It gave me an opportunity to share grandma memories which, thankfully, this crew always welcomes.
September 26, 2017
A picture book biography about Mary Blair? I'm in! This book is like a Walt Disney dream come true. Mary Blair was an artistic genius that children should know about. It is about time! The illustrations are as vibrant, creative and magical as Mary Blair herself. I could not be more thrilled about Pocket Full of Colors!!!
March 19, 2019
Meh.
I liked the emphasis on how much sexism Mary Blair faced in her career, and there's one spread in particular that just explodes with liveliness and color. But overall, this book's storytelling is stilted and its art is conventional and static compared to Mary Blair's own work. You can really see it in the spreads that depict Blair's actual paintings; she had so much wit and humor that doesn't really come thru in the referential Blair-lite illustrations. I especially was bummed at the way the humans are drawn; they lack the stylishness and grace of Blair's illustrations. And somehow the book doesn't have much midcentury feeling beyond the hairstyles and a-line skirts -- I think of Blair's "The Up and Down Book" which is just sigh-inducing in its mod, bold, graphic look.
It's fine, especially for adult fans of Blair's work. I do wonder if kids will find it compelling.
Oh, and as a grownup, I wish the book had mentioned Blair's work in textiles after she left Disney -- there's a mention of advertising but not fabric design. Her handkerchiefs are wittily gorgeous, prized by collectors. Originals go for big bucks on eBay.
I liked the emphasis on how much sexism Mary Blair faced in her career, and there's one spread in particular that just explodes with liveliness and color. But overall, this book's storytelling is stilted and its art is conventional and static compared to Mary Blair's own work. You can really see it in the spreads that depict Blair's actual paintings; she had so much wit and humor that doesn't really come thru in the referential Blair-lite illustrations. I especially was bummed at the way the humans are drawn; they lack the stylishness and grace of Blair's illustrations. And somehow the book doesn't have much midcentury feeling beyond the hairstyles and a-line skirts -- I think of Blair's "The Up and Down Book" which is just sigh-inducing in its mod, bold, graphic look.
It's fine, especially for adult fans of Blair's work. I do wonder if kids will find it compelling.
Oh, and as a grownup, I wish the book had mentioned Blair's work in textiles after she left Disney -- there's a mention of advertising but not fabric design. Her handkerchiefs are wittily gorgeous, prized by collectors. Originals go for big bucks on eBay.
Read
September 9, 2017To this day the lure is still strong. Walking past the section of the store displaying the boxes of Crayola crayons without slowing down is not an option. You find yourself suddenly stopping to comprehend all the various shades and number of hues in each box.
You remember when getting the coveted box of sixty-four was the best day ever. You and your neighborhood pals would gather on a blanket underneath the big maple tree in your front yard to color and draw all day long. Pocket Full of Colors: The magical world of Mary Blair, Disney artist extraordinaire (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, August 29, 2017) written by Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville with illustrations by Brigette Barrager presents the story of an observant young girl who gathered color and then as a grown woman took great joy in releasing it out into the world.
My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...
You remember when getting the coveted box of sixty-four was the best day ever. You and your neighborhood pals would gather on a blanket underneath the big maple tree in your front yard to color and draw all day long. Pocket Full of Colors: The magical world of Mary Blair, Disney artist extraordinaire (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, August 29, 2017) written by Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville with illustrations by Brigette Barrager presents the story of an observant young girl who gathered color and then as a grown woman took great joy in releasing it out into the world.
My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...
December 7, 2017
Pocket Full of Colors is a picture book biography of Disney artist Mary Blair. The through line of Mary’s story is her fascination with color. As a child, Mary “collected” colors; throughout her life, she traveled the world in search of more colors. When first hired by Walt Disney, Mary’s fanciful color schemes were rejected by the “Nine Old Men,” Disney’s primary animators. But Pocket Full of Colors is a persistence story, and Mary ends up in charge of her own animation. Mary Blair is the reason the pumpkin carriage in Cinderella is teal instead of orange. Mary Blair is the reason the Peter Pan mermaids are lime green. And Mary Blair is the reason “It’s A Small World” has such a unique look and feel. The text by Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville is light and lyrical, and Brigette Barrager’s bright artwork expertly draws on Mary Blair’s fascination with arranging colors. Pocket Full of Colors will delight young readers as they recognize Mary Blair’s art from Disney films they love while learning the story behind those visual effects.
October 23, 2017
This was one of the most exuberant, if not colorful, picture book biographies for children that I have read. I really liked how the author helps increase the vocabulary of children with the many names of many different colors. The illustrations, appropriately, are almost Disney-esque; and also appropriately, very colorful and lively.
September 1, 2019
"Under a wide blue sky,
on a red dirt road,
in a lemon-yellow house,
there lived a little girl named Mary.
Other children collected marbles or dolls,
but Mary collected colors
of every shade and every hue."
I didn’t realize how color had been limited by animators/designers/advertisers in the USA until the early to mid 20th century. Mary Blair’s work was groundbreaking. Blair was also a strong woman who refused to play by the rules and didn’t let “the rules” stop her from advancing her dreams, developing a complex understanding of the value of color, and as a result, expanding the experiences with color of those around her.
“But on her first day of work (at Walt Disney Studios)
the men in charge
didn’t want to talk about cerulean
or celadon or cerise.
They were only interested in
black and white.”
This book is just absolutely delicious to read (words and images). (Delicious may be the wrong word given the focus on visual images ;) The colorful illustrations reveal how vivid color was part of Mary Blair's world throughout her lifetime.
I highly recommend reading aloud in k-3. (Depending on your purpose – you might read aloud to older students as well—totally worth it.) The writing of co-authors Guglielmo & Tourville lends itself to reading aloud and oh, how students will delight at Barrager’s illustrations.
INTERACTIVE READ ALOUD SUGGESTIONS –
• If you’re trying to help students think about how to OBSERVE THE WORLD around them, this might be a good fit. They might develop curiosity about how to name the colors around them.
• If you’re in a STEAM focused curriculum, the vocabulary related to color is fantastic – russet, taupe, sienna, azure, viridian and more. Read aloud a page and then stop and ask the students to look closely at the illustration; prompt discussion for partners by asking, “How does the illustrator reveal the richness of colors Mary observed? Or Mary incorporated/used in her own art?”
• Discuss THEMES in the book by asking questions like –
o How did visiting new places expand Mary’s world? How do the authors and illustrator reveal this?
o How does Mary persevere over and over again? Or how does Mary reveal her determination to use a variety of colors in her work as an artist?
o What does the author mean by “Mary tucked her friend lemon in her pocket”? “She would save these shades for just the right time”? “He showed her rosy pink and blushing red. She kept those colors in her heart”? (Or how does the author reveal Mary’s relationship with color?)
BOOK TALK AND LEAVE FOR STUDENTS TO EXPLORE – I imagine pairs of students might really enjoy reading this and then exploring all of the colors named in the book. What is sienna? (Look it up on the internet?) How do we explain this color without saying “brown”? What other vocabulary do we need to describe this color (e.g., earthy, yellowish-brown, reddish-brown, brown like…? How does Barrager integrate this color into the illustration? Where might we see this in our world?
2017 Eureka Gold Winner for Nonfiction.
I reviewed this book in 2018, but I didn't do it justice. I've started a new bookshelf - bio-visual-artists!
on a red dirt road,
in a lemon-yellow house,
there lived a little girl named Mary.
Other children collected marbles or dolls,
but Mary collected colors
of every shade and every hue."
I didn’t realize how color had been limited by animators/designers/advertisers in the USA until the early to mid 20th century. Mary Blair’s work was groundbreaking. Blair was also a strong woman who refused to play by the rules and didn’t let “the rules” stop her from advancing her dreams, developing a complex understanding of the value of color, and as a result, expanding the experiences with color of those around her.
“But on her first day of work (at Walt Disney Studios)
the men in charge
didn’t want to talk about cerulean
or celadon or cerise.
They were only interested in
black and white.”
This book is just absolutely delicious to read (words and images). (Delicious may be the wrong word given the focus on visual images ;) The colorful illustrations reveal how vivid color was part of Mary Blair's world throughout her lifetime.
I highly recommend reading aloud in k-3. (Depending on your purpose – you might read aloud to older students as well—totally worth it.) The writing of co-authors Guglielmo & Tourville lends itself to reading aloud and oh, how students will delight at Barrager’s illustrations.
INTERACTIVE READ ALOUD SUGGESTIONS –
• If you’re trying to help students think about how to OBSERVE THE WORLD around them, this might be a good fit. They might develop curiosity about how to name the colors around them.
• If you’re in a STEAM focused curriculum, the vocabulary related to color is fantastic – russet, taupe, sienna, azure, viridian and more. Read aloud a page and then stop and ask the students to look closely at the illustration; prompt discussion for partners by asking, “How does the illustrator reveal the richness of colors Mary observed? Or Mary incorporated/used in her own art?”
• Discuss THEMES in the book by asking questions like –
o How did visiting new places expand Mary’s world? How do the authors and illustrator reveal this?
o How does Mary persevere over and over again? Or how does Mary reveal her determination to use a variety of colors in her work as an artist?
o What does the author mean by “Mary tucked her friend lemon in her pocket”? “She would save these shades for just the right time”? “He showed her rosy pink and blushing red. She kept those colors in her heart”? (Or how does the author reveal Mary’s relationship with color?)
BOOK TALK AND LEAVE FOR STUDENTS TO EXPLORE – I imagine pairs of students might really enjoy reading this and then exploring all of the colors named in the book. What is sienna? (Look it up on the internet?) How do we explain this color without saying “brown”? What other vocabulary do we need to describe this color (e.g., earthy, yellowish-brown, reddish-brown, brown like…? How does Barrager integrate this color into the illustration? Where might we see this in our world?
2017 Eureka Gold Winner for Nonfiction.
I reviewed this book in 2018, but I didn't do it justice. I've started a new bookshelf - bio-visual-artists!
July 5, 2018
While other children collected things like marbles or dolls, Mary collected colors.
Pocket Full of Colors is about Mary Blair, one of the first women to be hired at Walt Disney Studios. The story was about an imaginable and creative woman working with unimaginable and uncreative men where everything had to be their way or no way at all.
When working with the men became unbearable she left her job and became an illustrator of children books and creating sets for plays and television.
It was Walt Disney himself who lured her back to the Studios.
Pocket Full of Colors was a very good read on an individual many of us have never heard of. The illustrations were very good and a disappointment at the same time because I expected more from writers who were writing about Colors and Disney.
Pocket Full of Colors is about Mary Blair, one of the first women to be hired at Walt Disney Studios. The story was about an imaginable and creative woman working with unimaginable and uncreative men where everything had to be their way or no way at all.
When working with the men became unbearable she left her job and became an illustrator of children books and creating sets for plays and television.
It was Walt Disney himself who lured her back to the Studios.
Pocket Full of Colors was a very good read on an individual many of us have never heard of. The illustrations were very good and a disappointment at the same time because I expected more from writers who were writing about Colors and Disney.
August 30, 2017
Mary Blair was an artist who worked on and off for Disney (starting in the 1940s). Her fascination with and use of color was wild and vibrant and many of her supervisors were reluctant to use her designs and considered them too bright and modern. Still, some of her ideas were accepted and after leaving Disney, she was a successful commercial artist, set designer, and picture book illustrator. She rejoined Disney once again to contribute to the Small World project. This picture book biography captures the spirit of her work and passion for color and introduces an artist whose work is better known, perhaps, than her name. Inspiring. An author's note accompanies this kid-friendly biography, giving more details about Mary's life and artistic career/contributions.
September 15, 2017
This book is about the struggle and triumph of an amazing artist named Mary Blair, who worked for Walt Disney. The Walt Disney executives didn't recognize her talents at first, but later she went on to be one of Walt Disney's most celebrated artists. Her ability to see and duplicate colors was phenomenal. If your child is artistic, this book can be life-changing once they're old enough to reflect on it. A "Pocket Full of Colors" was an inspiration to me. I loved every bit of this picture book. If I could have given it more than 5 stars, I would have. Happy reading!
December 14, 2017
Love it. Great art style. Colorful of course. Lovely. This is a delightful picture book biography of one of the most iconic Disney artist's of her period--and one who young readers may not yet know. Using colors as a framing device this book follows the life of Mary Blair from her early artistic aspirations and her career as a Disney artists working on movies including Alice in Wonderland and Cinderellas as well as her later work designing the It's a Small World Ride in Disney World.
September 1, 2017
Colorful, large-scale picture book about pioneer female animator Mary Blair. Her penchant for color didn't really fly at her first Disney job, so she left and pursued it in other venues (such as Little Golden Books). I love this aspect of the story. Later in her own career, Walt Disney asked her to design the It's A Small World ride. Happily, some of her colorful concept art is now being appreciated in new picture book editions of Alice in Wonderland and Cinderella.
August 30, 2017
Absolutely fascinating biography of the woman behind It's a Small World's iconic, vibrant look, as well as other early Disney films. My only wish was that there was some back matter, including a resource list, because I want to read more about this extraordinary woman! Love the illustrations as well, so gorgeous and captivating too!
September 4, 2017
Brigette Barrager's illustrations are absolutely stunning--- full of color, unique but with just the right nod to the Golden Age of Disney artists. I found myself wanting to know even more about Mary Blair, which is why I'm giving this four stars instead of five.
July 11, 2017
Engaging biography of a pioneer in animation, energetic digital illustrations enhance the text. Authors' note but no other backmatter or suggested resources.
March 27, 2019
Mary Blair loved color. She collected colors of every shade and hue. She went to art school where she met and married Lee. She went to work for Disney but the men in charge thought her art was too wild and didn't follow the rules. Walt was impressed by her and took her to tour South America. After this trip, she worked on the Three Caballeros and her sketches made it on to the big screen. However, most of her ideas for other films were rejected. She left Disney Studios and found other work. Eventually, she returned to Disney to create the well known ride It's A Small World. My retelling of the facts, however, does not contain the same enthusiasm, heartache or COLOR that this wonderful picture book biography contains. Read it...but better yet, soak in the art work.
August 30, 2017
I think I first came across the name Mary Blair watching DVD special features on older Disney films. I would be astounded by her art usually used during concept and storyboarding stages rather than in the final products which was a shame because they were beautiful. And I've seen some of the stories being rereleased using her illustrations. This wonderful picture book will be great for artists because of all the colors involved. And it's so fascinating how talent that was originally and generally overlooked was then allowed to flourish in such a creative landscape.
January 8, 2018
Mary Blair loved colors from when she was a little girl and had adventures that showed her new colors. She became an artist and had ideas of using vivid colors in movies but was rejected. Eventually, she found her place. As is fitting for a picture book biography of someone who lived bright colors, Brigette Barrager uses a vivid eye-catching color palette in her illustrations and put names to the colors that Blair found, loved, and used.
September 5, 2017
This was such an interesting book!!! I did not know this about Disney or Mary Blair. First of all it is interesting that they hired a woman for that type of position at a time when men were it. I didn't know that it was such a fight to get color into animation at that time. Or that Walt Disney took her over seas to study color and culture for a project. What an amazing life and an amazing story.
September 23, 2017
A wonderfully told story of a female pioneer Disney artist who persisted with her passion for vibrant, mesmerizing colors despite the rigidity and strict rules of the animation patriarchy. Mary's Blair's work is masterful and magical and has influenced and inspired many artists over the last 40 years.
The art and text of this children's book about Blair's story is exquisite. Brings an incredible artist and her work to life.
The art and text of this children's book about Blair's story is exquisite. Brings an incredible artist and her work to life.
July 23, 2017
I love learning more about women who made significant contributions in their field but aren't as well known. time to let the light shine on them.
November 7, 2017
Beautiful, and just detailed enough for a picture book biography!
January 6, 2018
Who would have thought that the visionary behind Walt Disney World’s iconic It’s A Small World ride was a woman!
September 13, 2020
Hmm... on the one hand, I really loved the exuberant colors, the wonderful vocabulary to describe colors with all their marvelous different shades (not just "blue" but "cerulean" for example) and the portrayal of Mary's persevering spirit.
On the other hand, I found this a disappointing biography of an artist whose work I very much admire. I don't feel that I learned much about her personality, other than her love of colors and wanting to do more than just follow the rules of the Disney artists.
I don't know much about Blair's real life story, but I felt that these illustrations really don't do much to showcase her style and I found them very colorful, yes, but not particularly nuanced. Her work in books, theater and advertising is skimmed over. I get that it's focusing on her career at Disney, but still, if she worked on these things in-between her stints at Disney then I feel it contributed to the artist she was/became and needs to be dealt with in more than a few sentences. It's very confusing to those with limited knowledge of Disney to understand why or how Walt championed her unusual use of color yet her bosses at the animation studios constantly turned down her suggestions. Wasn't Walt the boss of everyone, one might think?
This brings me to my other complaint, namely, that the existing animators at Disney are portrayed as stodgy old losers who can't appreciate Mary's wonderful talents and visions. I think that is unfair. Blair was hired to Disney's animation department in 1940. That was a mere two years after "Snow White" was released in theaters. All of these artists were, in some ways, breaking new ground in their work. Feature-length animation was still a very new thing in show business. Note that I said show *business* Remember, these movies had to make money, they were not "art for art's sake." They had to appeal to large audiences. Disney was not financially secure at that time. It's very likely that audiences were not ready for Cinderella's pumpkin coach to be a vibrant teal color, as Blair had suggested. It's fine to say that Blair felt her ideas were not appreciated by the heads of animation at Disney, that she needed to go elsewhere if she wanted to do the work she truly wanted to do.... but to portray these actually very talented and somewhat visionary men (who created many very popular films) as stick-in-the-muds really didn't sit well with me. The way this reads you'd think these guys were all from Kansas and Blair is the only one over the rainbow in Oz. (Of course, Blair does come back to Walt Disney when he wants her to design It's a Small World -- it was the early 1960s and her style was perfectly suited to Walt's vision for the ride.)
The author's note is not particularly involved or nearly complete enough. A timeline would be very beneficial. Also, there's no bibliography, which is really a shortcoming in a biography, in my opinion.
I realize most people loved this book and I would encourage you to read some of the positive reviews and try the book for yourself if you’re a Mary Blair fan.
I'm looking forward to comparing this with Mary Blair's Unique Flair: The Girl Who Became One of the Disney Legends when it comes in at the library.
On the other hand, I found this a disappointing biography of an artist whose work I very much admire. I don't feel that I learned much about her personality, other than her love of colors and wanting to do more than just follow the rules of the Disney artists.
I don't know much about Blair's real life story, but I felt that these illustrations really don't do much to showcase her style and I found them very colorful, yes, but not particularly nuanced. Her work in books, theater and advertising is skimmed over. I get that it's focusing on her career at Disney, but still, if she worked on these things in-between her stints at Disney then I feel it contributed to the artist she was/became and needs to be dealt with in more than a few sentences. It's very confusing to those with limited knowledge of Disney to understand why or how Walt championed her unusual use of color yet her bosses at the animation studios constantly turned down her suggestions. Wasn't Walt the boss of everyone, one might think?
This brings me to my other complaint, namely, that the existing animators at Disney are portrayed as stodgy old losers who can't appreciate Mary's wonderful talents and visions. I think that is unfair. Blair was hired to Disney's animation department in 1940. That was a mere two years after "Snow White" was released in theaters. All of these artists were, in some ways, breaking new ground in their work. Feature-length animation was still a very new thing in show business. Note that I said show *business* Remember, these movies had to make money, they were not "art for art's sake." They had to appeal to large audiences. Disney was not financially secure at that time. It's very likely that audiences were not ready for Cinderella's pumpkin coach to be a vibrant teal color, as Blair had suggested. It's fine to say that Blair felt her ideas were not appreciated by the heads of animation at Disney, that she needed to go elsewhere if she wanted to do the work she truly wanted to do.... but to portray these actually very talented and somewhat visionary men (who created many very popular films) as stick-in-the-muds really didn't sit well with me. The way this reads you'd think these guys were all from Kansas and Blair is the only one over the rainbow in Oz. (Of course, Blair does come back to Walt Disney when he wants her to design It's a Small World -- it was the early 1960s and her style was perfectly suited to Walt's vision for the ride.)
The author's note is not particularly involved or nearly complete enough. A timeline would be very beneficial. Also, there's no bibliography, which is really a shortcoming in a biography, in my opinion.
I realize most people loved this book and I would encourage you to read some of the positive reviews and try the book for yourself if you’re a Mary Blair fan.
I'm looking forward to comparing this with Mary Blair's Unique Flair: The Girl Who Became One of the Disney Legends when it comes in at the library.
February 23, 2022
very cute simplified biography :)
December 18, 2019
Charmingly fun.
October 12, 2017
Mary Blair collected colors as a child, filling her eyes and her world with the colors of her family’s move West across the desert and into California. At art school, she met her husband and the two painted together. Hired as one of the first women at Disney Studios, the men didn’t want to consider her bright colors. Walt Disney invited her on a trip to South America, where Mary discovered new bright colors. She continued to try to get her colors into films, sometimes accepted and other times not. Mary eventually left the studio to create children’s books, advertising and sets. Invited back to Disney for a special project, Mary accepted but only if she was going to be the one in charge. From that agreement came It’s a Small World, a ride still beloved at Disney Parks. The authors capture Blair’s love of color and her signature style that is on full display in her picture books and the amusement park ride. The illustrations dance with those colors, leaping from the page in a merry mix of colors that move from bright to subtle. A picture book that celebrates a leading lady in Disney. Appropriate for ages 6-9.
November 14, 2017
I don't have kids, so I read very few children's books. However, with the upcoming arrival of my nephew, I have been looking at children's books more. Books are [some] children's first introduction to the world, and I believe that learning things should be as important as the pretty picture that comes along with the words. This book had it all.
In a time before the women's rights movement, Mary Blair did it all. She worked in a male-dominated field but managed to hold her own. Not only did she help with the designing of many iconic Disney films, she also illustrated several children's books that are still being sold today. Even when her work wasn't appreciated, she remained true to her style and is now credited with changing Disney to the company we know and love today.
Without being too complicated for children to understand, Pocket Full of Colors did an amazing job telling Mary Blair's story. I loved the illustrations, the factual yet fun story, and the beautiful writing. I chose to give the book 4 stars because it was amazingly well done and I enjoyed it completely.
In a time before the women's rights movement, Mary Blair did it all. She worked in a male-dominated field but managed to hold her own. Not only did she help with the designing of many iconic Disney films, she also illustrated several children's books that are still being sold today. Even when her work wasn't appreciated, she remained true to her style and is now credited with changing Disney to the company we know and love today.
Without being too complicated for children to understand, Pocket Full of Colors did an amazing job telling Mary Blair's story. I loved the illustrations, the factual yet fun story, and the beautiful writing. I chose to give the book 4 stars because it was amazingly well done and I enjoyed it completely.
October 4, 2017
I choose this wonderful, magical and colorful book for my personal pick for the Caldecott. This book gives an outline of Mary Blair's life and experience with Walt Disney. She got hired and the committee was full of men that only preferred black and white images. She feels trapped and she needed to spread her wings so she ended up leaving. Walt later reaches out to her and gives Mary another opportunity to use her colors for a project, meant just for her. By the end, it shows the very diverse "It's a Small World After".. a child and adult forever favorite. Every time you turn a page, your eyes are fulfilled with the brightest and most exciting illustrations. Brigette Barrager has presented me with some of the best illustrations I have ever seen in a book. I love the last two images of the end result of her project- it's a small world. It reminds me of the Disney World ride- childhood memories. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
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