An Embarrassment of Riches

Disney Delight - by Steve (listen, read) Yesterday I bought my very first LP record.  For Christmas I bought myself a new record player. It's actually one of those fancy cd/cassette/radio/record players that looks like it's an antique.  While doing some window shopping on Hawthorne, I came across a tiny store that had odd things for sale.  They had a stack of records, which I thumbed through enthusiastically.  I came across a recording of Walt Disney's Fantasia, conducted by Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra.  Now the library doesn't own any LPs, but we do have a CD version of the same album.  The artwork is spectacular, with vibrant color that mimic the film.  I haven't listened to it yet, but I'm sure it will transport me back to when I first saw the film.

The artwork from my beautiful new record actually reminds me of another item in the library's collection.  Children's author Jon Scieszka has retold the story of Alice in Wonderland, and the artwork inside is magnificent.  The illustrations used in the new edition are by Disney Legend, Mary Blair.  Known for her brilliant work as a conceptual designer for Disney, each page is uniquely painted and very stylistic.  Her images and his story work together wonderfully.  She has a few other titles in our library system that are also visually stunning.

While I cherish my childhood memories of Disneyland, I'm learning to appreciate the time I spend with Disney as an adult.  I think I've even found where I want my next vacation to be...