Delightful and informative, scholarly and opinionated, Larsen's book isn't just a history of Disney cartoons, it's the history of film through Disney cartoons. The book pulls off the temporal magic trick of walking us back to when future global brand icons were still just characters trying to win a laugh, and shows us the alchemy of how commerce, technology, world history, ego clashes and love of craft get spun into Mickey, Snow White, Pongo and Perdy, Stitch, and Moana. If, like me, you grew up on Disney cartoons, this book is like finding the Rosetta Stone to your childhood viewing and saying 'Oh, that's why that one looked the way it did!'. I would have read it faster, but every chapter had me pausing to watch some old favorites and new-to-me treats.

Brandon Sawyer, Emmy Award-winning writer and producer, "The Boss Baby: Back in Business" and "The Penguins of Madagascar"

Thoroughly reported with a keen eye for detail, Larsen weaves a compelling history that contextualizes the artistic and technological gambits of the Disney Studios, both successes and failures alike. A fascinating look at Disney studio history, The Disney Cartoon is chronicled honestly with a great deal of care and interest while avoiding saccharine sycophancy. A bold and refreshing historical deep-dive on the societal and cultural factors that influenced America's most well-known cartoon studio.

Anthony Holden, story artist and character designer, "Forgotten Island," "The Bad Guys 2," and "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish"

The Disney Cartoon is an insightful chronicle of filmmaking and an incredible decade-by-decade view of the studio at the heart of the animation industry. Larsen manages an academic deep dive on the output of the studio that invented feature film animation that is also a riveting journey through the ups and downs of the intersection between art and commerce. It is a work of history and criticism that succeeds on both fronts. Harrowing, inspiring, and absolutely compelling.

Chris “Doc” Wyatt, television animation writer and producer, “Ultimate Spider-Man,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” and "Star Wars: Resistance"

The Disney Cartoon feels like the official text for Disney geeks and animation-heads alike. It is a master class in animation history-just make sure you have popcorn and fast Wi-Fi, because you are going to want to dive into the films alongside Larsen's thorough analysis. I was captivated throughout the whole book.

Jerusha Hess, writer, "Napoleon Dynamite"

A tour-de-force from a preeminent animation scholar who clearly loves cartoons, The Disney Cartoon deftly traces a century of art and craft. The book is sure to become a standard resource for this always-entrancing canon of cartoon classics, as it moves from the simple, obscure Laugh-O-grams of the 1920s to the prospects and perils of Disney+ in the 2020s. Set aside a long time to read this book because you'll want to take copious time-outs to go off and watch the cartoons!

Randy Malamud, regents' professor emeritus of English, Georgia State University and author, "Reading Zoos," "Poetic Animals and Animal Souls"

Darl Larsen's The Disney Cartoon is a masterful chronicle of how Walt Disney transformed animation from a novelty into a true art form despite decades of financial and technical obstacles. It is a much-needed account of how a handful of animators and visionaries redefined what was possible on screen. The book places Walt and his work firmly within the context of the era and the limited resources available to him. Larsen tells that story with biting wit, remarkable readability, and a deep appreciation for both the artistry and the relentless persistence behind it all. This is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand not just Disney, but the birth and evolution of animation.

Rebecca Thomas, director and writer, "Electrick Children" and "Stranger Things"