Thursday, September 20, 2018

An Autobiography by Bill Peet

Something a little different this month. Even though this book is found in the juvenile biography section of our library, Bill Peet's An Autobiography is one adults will also enjoy, probably more than children will. It is a pleasing look back at Midwestern history, the birth of the Walt Disney animation empire, and, the beginnings of a successful children's author and illustrator. As you would expect, Peet also handles all the artwork for his life story.
Peet's work is familiar to many parents, and the Pella Library has several of his books including Ella, Smokey, Capyboppy, Cock-a-doodle Dudley and many, many more. Peet details an entertaining, but restless youth in Indiana and how his growing love of art led to a career choice.
This choice would eventually lead him to Walt Disney and the Disney Studios. Peet recalls the inner-workings of Disney and how many of its early classics came about. Movies that Peet worked on included: Dumbo, Fantasia, Song of the South, Cinderella and many others. He takes the reader behind the curtain and discusses the hierarchy of Disney illustrators, how he worked his way to the top, and what it was like dealing with Walt Disney. All of this information is very enlightening, but I think adults will actually get more out it than younger children.
While at Disney, Peet began writing and illustrating his own children's books and would make this his full-time calling. An Autobiography is a lot of fun to read and look at. A nice piece of animation history.

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