My Top 7 (So Far) Disney Books for 2020 Gift-Giving, Including “Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks”

Hi everyone!

I’ve been asked for a list of my top Disney books this year, and I have not yet read ten books I feel could be on this list – but I am up to seven and I expect to be able to round the list out in the next couple of weeks.

2020 is a more challenging year for books because a number of releases were postponed – more than usual. But there are also some wonderful choices, including Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks and 3D Disneyland.  I have most of these books reviewed already. Here are my current top books in no particular order!

1) Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks: Celebrations Around the World from Fall to Winter – This was the perfect year to release Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks. With Halloween and Christmas looking so different at the Disney parks and many people not traveling, this massive book offers some holiday joy in 1600 photos. There are also historical photos and information. My review is here.

2) – The Disney Monorail: Imagineering a Highway in the Sky – If you like monorails, there is a ton of concept art along with photos in the book (both historical and current). Jeff Kurtti is a prolific author and he teams with Vanessa Hunt and Paul Wolski on this one. My review is here.

3) – They Drew as They Pleased Volume 6: The Hidden Art of Disney’s New Golden Age – The only disappointment is that the They Drew as They Pleased series is now complete. Didier Ghez is a thorough researcher and the books have all been a pleasure to read. My review is here.

4) –Disney Eats: More than 150 Recipes for Everyday Cooking and Inspired Fun – What I love about Disney Eats is that the recipes are so accessible. Many cookbooks call for ingredients that are harder to find, and most items in this were easy to find and the recipes often creative (and delicious!). My review is here.

5) – 3D Disneyland: Like You’ve Never Seen it Before: This is an AMAZING book, it reminds me of having a Viewmaster (photos include the opening year of Disneyland). I have not reviewed it yet but will this weekend.

6) – Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse. The Ultimate History. 40th Anniversary Edition – This is a $25.00 condensed version of the Taschen XXL Mickey Mouse book – a fantastic addition to a bookshelf at a great price! My review is here.

7) – The Art of Soul – This was to be a year that two Pixar films were to be shown in theaters, Onward and Soul. Instead, Onward debuted briefly and Soul will land on Disney+ Christmas day. Each received an “Art of” book from Chronicle books filled with wonderful concept art (though not nearly as much text as in previous years of “Art of” books). My review on The Art of Soul is here, and The Art of Onward here.

By mid-December I expect this list to include ten books, check back then for more recommendations!