The partners statue in the hub at Disneyland park.
By D’land Diva
My kids are obsessed with the Mickey Mouse cartoons from the 1930’s, 1940’s and 1950’s. They have watched these cartoons over and over again, taking delight in their humorous story lines and most importantly, the star of all the cartoons- Mickey Mouse. As Disneyland Annual Pass Holders for over fifteen years, it is safe to say that Mickey is not just an important part of my children’s lives. No, we all love Mickey in my family! From cartoons, to photos with Mickey Mouse in the theme parks, Mickey is very present in the D’land Diva household.
This was one of the biggest reasons I was more than happy to read The Book of Mouse by Jim Korkis! A whole book about Mickey Mouse? Yes, please!
Jim Korkis, the author of The Book of Mouse is a Disney Historian and has written much about Disney over the years. This book is so special because his love for Mickey pours out on every page. This book is a true compilation of all things Mickey- past and present. Any question, any curiosity, you have about Mickey Mouse can be found in this book. The book is terrific combination of history, behind the scenes stories, and facts. It is a very entertaining read for true Disney enthusiasts.
It is easy to navigate the book, which is broken into the following sections: Mouse-ce-llaneous, Mouse-ka-Tales, Mickey at the Movies, Mickey Mouse Annotated Filmography (1928-2013), Mickey at the Parks, Speaking of the Mouse and Final Word: Walt Disney on Mickey Mouse. The first section of the book was so fascinating! Questions such as Why Does Mickey Mouse Wear Big Shoes? are answered. The answer? Walt Disney told Bob Thomas in an interview that Mickey had big shoes to give him the look of a kid wearing his father’s shoes. After reading this section of the book, I learned a great deal about Mickey Mouse came to be and why he was created the way he was.
The second section of the book was perhaps my favorite section of the book! The Mouse-ka-Tales section provided fun facts, quotes and stories about Mickey Mouse. Some of my favorite facts? During World War II, Mickey Mouse appeared as a military insignia on 37 units- units like the chaplain’s unit and the signal corps. While he wasn’t thought of as very war like, Donald Duck appeared on 216 insignia! Another favorite fact, in 2012, Disney donated more than 100,000 Mickey Mouse plush toys via the Red Cross to give to children who had lost everything in Natural Disasters.
The Mickey at the Movies section of the book was interesting because it examined in depth the first Mickey cartoons. I enjoyed reading about the making of the cartoons, and found it fascinating that the Disney Studio could not afford to produce it’s own music for the cartoons, so it relied on music from public domain. My how times have changed for Disney! The story behind Sorcerer Mickey was also discussed, and I was able to tell my son about how his favorite Mickey Mouse came to be!
The Filmography section of the book was great because while reading it, I realized how many Mickey cartoons I have missed seeing! I also really enjoyed reading the little notes under most of the films on the list. The notes gave just an extra glimpse into the cartoons.
Mickey in the Parks, was of course, a delight to read since I am such a huge fan of Disney Parks. Did you know that Walt Disney wanted to build a Mickey Mouse Park near the Disney Studios in Burbank back in the late 1940’s? It’s true! Mickey Mouse was such a popular cartoon character that people wanted to meet him! Of course, Mickey Mouse would later be one of the most beloved characters at Disney parks, and serve as the inspiration for such attractions as Mickey’s PhilharMagic and Mickey’s Toontown and Mickey’s Toontown Fair at Walt Disney World. In reading about the specific details of Mickey’s house in Toontown, I was surprised by several specific details inside his home. And this coming from a seasoned Annual Pass Holder who has visited Disney parks over four hundred times!
It seems appropriate that the book ends with quotes about Mickey Mouse. Quotes from very well known Disney folks and excerpts from interviews given by Walt Disney himself can be found here. My favorite Walt Disney quote about Mickey Mouse? “Fancy being remembered for the invention of a mouse!” Oh, Mr. Disney, you have no idea just how much this mouse has meant to so many people!
I highly recommend this fun and entertaining read about Mickey Mouse. I look forward to reading more books by Mr. Jim Korkis.
If you are interested in reading The Book of Mouse- A Celebration of Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse, be sure to check out this website:
http://themeparkpress.com/book
* Please note, a copy of this book was provided to me in exchange for a review*
