[Nonfiction Wednesday] Reinventing Disney’s World Through Colors ala Mary Blair

Myra here.

We are delighted to join the Nonfiction Picture Book meme 2019 hosted by Alyson Beecher @ Kid Lit Frenzy. We would also be linking our nonfiction choices with our reading themes throughout the year, when we can.

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Pocket Full Of Colors: The Magical World Of Mary Blair Disney Artist Extraordinaire

Written by Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville Illustrated by Brigette Barrager
Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers (2017)
ISBN: 1481461311 (ISBN13: 9781481461313) Literary Award: Maine Literary Award for Children’s (2018)
Borrowed from the Jurong West Public Library. Book photos taken by me.

A year ago, Fats has written a review of this same book for our biographies theme. I am thrilled to finally discover this lovely title available in our public library. Allow me to share it yet again, as I feel it fits our current reading theme perfectly.

The story begins with Mary as a young girl, and how she has fallen in love with colors, chasing it from their small town to the big city where she has spent her growing up years.

What I especially appreciated in this narrative is how Mary was shown to have integrity, despite the fact that:

..the men in charge didn’t want to talk about cerulean or celadon or cerise. They were only interested in black and white.

It is to Walt Disney’s credit that he recognized Mary’s genius, even when his big men in charge didn’t.

After awhile, though, despite the many opportunities afforded her – including a trip to South America – she decided to leave Disney and chart her own path. Until Walt asked her to come back – this time providing her free rein to let loose the colors in her mind – and actualize her vision unimpeded by monochromatic constraints. She can now reinvent Disney’s World in the manner she chooses with her pocket full of colors.

I am sure it must be difficult being a psychedelic visionary amongst narrow-minded sparrows convinced of their own genius – but hey, Mary’s outstanding Small World has proven that colors will ooze out despite small minds’ attempts to constrain it.

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#WomenReadWomen2019: United States of America