PENCILS, PENS & BRUSHES

Minibiographies of women behind Disney animation highlight their skill sets and unique contributions to the enterprise.

For each entry, two pages of text describe the woman’s background, skills, and place in Disney history; one cartoon illustration represents her at work; and one page highlights an inspirational, rhyming couplet set in large display type. “By improving the quality of work that we do, / Great Girls accomplish so much that is new,” supposedly sums up the work of color innovator Hazel Sewell, for instance. Some of the women are noted more for accomplishments unrelated to their work at Disney (such as a section about women who also flew planes). Japanese American artist Gyo Fujikawa and Cuban artist Berta “Bea” Tamargo are the only women of color represented. The illustrations are attractive, and each story contains valuable information to educate and inspire. Unfortunately, the text layout and lackluster writing make it difficult for those who are not industrial-strength Disney fans to persevere. Frequent references to specialized roles and processes defer explanation to a closing glossary, which acts as a further deterrent to casual readers. The insistent use of “Great Girls” to refer to these women disappointingly diminishes the importance of their work.

A treasure for a niche; disappointing for most.