With today being National Polka Dot Day (January 22nd), who else better to pay tribute to than the one and only mouse known for her polka dots? Minnie Mouse! As much as Mickey is known for his shorts and those familiar ears, Minnie is known for her dots – her polka dots. And the folks from Disney Editions have come out with a book to celebrate this most famous of mice – The Art of Minnie Mouse.
Title: The Art of Minnie Mouse
Author: collective effort of Disney Book Group
Cost: $40
Age: Any Minnie Mouse fan will appreciate this book
Publisher: Disney Editions
Genre: Non-fiction, art
Most “The Art of…” books are about movies and feature pre-production artwork (and sometimes post-production) relating to the film. It shows concept art, alternative storyboards, missing characters and the like, but this is a different type of “The Art of…” book. Instead, this book celebrates the character in depth. But not with tons of minutia, but instead with different artistic interpretations of the queen of the Disney kingdom. Artists from within the Walt Disney Company shared their visions of the mouse in polka dots. Some were cute, some were classy, some were classic, but all of them showcase Minnie’s personality in one form or another (except maybe the spread of Minnie as the different Disney villains).
Minnie is an integral part of the Disney legacy. Indeed, she has been there from Day One right alongside Mickey. Did you know that even though Steamboat Willie was the first official Mickey Mouse animated short (which also starred Minnie), both characters appeared earlier in a preview of Plane Crazy? For as long as there has been a Mickey, there has been a Minnie. And guess who originally voiced both? Walt himself. Another interesting tidbit – Minnie was once referred to in the comic strip as “Minerva Mouse” but her name is and always has been Minnie. While The Art of Minnie Mouse features great artwork, it is also the first book to include a comprehensive filmography as well as highlights from Minnie’s career. So for those of you who love Minnie trivia, there is plenty to find here within these pages.
If you’re looking for the perfect gift for the Minnie fan in your life, or you just love Minnie Mouse, this is a great addition to your collection. At $40, it’s not exactly inexpensive, but the quality of the book makes it worthwhile for any die-hard Minnie Mouse aficionado. Disney Editions refers to The Art of Minnie Mouse as a museum-quality book and it certainly is. I hope one day they put these artistic impressions up in a gallery somewhere. They would certainly be interesting to view up close and in person!
Disney Nerds 