Between Books - Marking Mary Poppins

As someone who has loved past books by Todd James Pierce and listens to his Disney History Institute podcast weekly, I get pretty excited about any new books or articles he publishes. Having heard some of the material from his latest book in a multi-episode podcast, I was a little worried that his new book would not seem fresh to me. I am happy to report that this anxiety was needless.

Making Mary Poppins: The Sherman Brothers, Walt Disney, and the Creation of the Classic Film by Todd James Pierce provides an engaging and well-researched history of the film. The film’s story is not seen through the life of Walt Disney or Pamela Travers, but instead through the lives of his boys, Richard and Robert Sherman. Pierce begins and ends his story with the brothers, their father Al’s career as a professional songwriter, and the experiences that shaped two very different personalities. It was Al who saw the potential of his two adult sons and songwriting. One son, Robert (or Bob), was a World War II veteran who wanted to write novels. His other son, Richard (or Dick), was a young father and divorcee who dreamed of writing musical theater. With his introvert son Bob and his extrovert son Dick struggling to establish careers, Al challenged them to write a song together that an artist would be willing to purchase. After some early false starts, in 1958 their song “Tall Paul”, recorded by Annette Funicello, would become a hit!

Their continued collaboration with Funicello would garner the attention of Walt Disney Studios. The two met with Walt Disney to discuss potential work on the television show Zorro. But Disney’s focus was on a song that could be used in a future movie that would become The Parent Trap. This led to another meeting, and another assignment, and another meeting…until eventually the Brothers were hired full-time as studio songwriters, contributing to numerous projects across the studio. One of those projects was to provide potential songs for a movie based on Travers’ Mary Poppins, a book lacking a sequential plot fit for a movie. The two brothers would spend the next few years working and reworking songs, and help develop the plot of the film as it entered production. Pierce deviates from the brothers with the film in production as he turns his focus to other artists who worked on all aspects of the film. The book finishes with the successful premiere of the film, a night where young fans looking for stars labeled the two men as nobodies, invisible despite the enormous contributions they made in shepherding the story through music.

I had experienced some of this material in audio form on the Disney History Institute podcast. I enjoyed the storytelling in that format. But I worried that in book form it would feel like material that I had all heard before. However, that was not the case. Even without Pierce narrating the tale, I was still able to pull myself into this story. The Sherman Brothers and their often differing personalities are two characters that you want to cheer on as a reader, so while some of the story has been told before to me, on the page, I was still pulled in. Making Mary Poppins is one of those books that is a joy to read and engage with. It is both well-written and researched. The volume is also accessible for those who are tone deaf, like me! Often, I felt like I was reading the book that inspired Saving Mr. Banks, giving the audience the real story… although the movie was released years ago.

One of the aspects of the book that really stood out to me was the struggle. As a fan who largely knows of the Sherman Brothers well after they reached Disney Legend status, it is hard to imagine that they were not instant successes. In fact, their father may have seen them as grown adults without purpose. He was the parent of two men who were living together, only out of familial connections, and hitting rough patches in their lives. Even after he put them on a path to future success, they still were not instant successes despite Al’s career. The two had false starts on major recordings, had a somewhat unsuccessful publishing business, and had to work other jobs, including Bob as a flower arrangement instructor. This is a story not of overnight successes, but one could argue the American story of hard work and effort. It is a story that makes them even more relatable.

Making Mary Poppins: The Sherman Brothers, Walt Disney, and the Creation of the Classic Film by Todd James Pierce is easily one of my five favorite new Between Books of 2025. Pierce has again written an accessible and engaging story, built around the two figures who had in my opinion the most creative impact on Mary Poppins with little of the credit. Even those who have heard Pierce’s earlier audio-only version of some of this material will still find it feels fresh! It is a volume that only helps you feel even more admiration for Robert and Richard Sherman. 

 

Review Copy Provided for Review

This post contains affiliate links, which means that Between Disney receives a percentage of sales purchased through links on this site

 

Between Books - Mickey's Walt Disney World Adventure

Mickey Mouse has a big job. But can he lead the parade without his hat? As a hat dude…I am officially tense.

Mickey’s Walt Disney World Adventure by Cathy Hapka with illustrations by the Disney Storybook Art Team is a hide and seek adventure through the Magic Kingdom. Mickey and Minnie are enjoying a bi,g magical day at the park. Mickey is excited to lead the parade that evening. But he can’t find his drum major hat, an essential part of his uniform to march through the Magic Kingdom. In order ot find it, the duo speed run the park. They see attractions in all of the Magic Kingdom’s lands, bump into friends like Donald and Goofy, and gather clues to the hat’s location. We tour the entire Kingdom and seek an answer to the question, can Mickey find his hat?

I have to admit. Mickey’s Walt Disney World Adventure for a young children’s book, has a lot more words than I expected. I can see how this is a rewarding challenge for a new reader. The illustrations are tied to the action described, are colorful, and engaging. Hapka also gives us a story full of drama, because can Mickey find his most important possession, a hat? I really did feel worried that the parade could be cancelled. And I’m not four!

I do think this Little Golden Book can fill two separate purposes. For a child who has not been in the Magic Kingdom Park before, it does give them a colorful preview of what’s to come, sets some expectations, while still not spoiling any key moments. It can also be used for a child and their family to help remember their memories of their recent visits. It’s a fun and tense way to prepare and recall a future visit.

Mickey’s Walt Disney World Adventure by Cathy Hapka, with illustrations by the Disney Storybook Art Team is a more challenging book than I expected. I was surprised by the number of words on the page, and I can see how it can be a challenge to a reader who’s mastered another Little Golden Book. And as an adult, I was challenged by the drama and tension that was created.

Maybe kids and I get stressed out by the fear of a cancelled parade!  

 

This post contains affiliate links, which means that Between Disney receives a percentage of sales purchased through links on this site 

 

Between Books - Star Wars: The Acolyte: The Crystal Crown

 

Hunger Games meets The High Republic is not what I want to see on the back of a book. So clearly, I won’t care about anyone’s Crystal Crown!

Star Wars: The Acolyte: The Crystal Crown by Tessa Gratton provides a young adult prequel to the Disney+ show Star Wars: The Acolyte. The story follows Jedi Padawans Jecki and Yord Fandar as they join their masters on a mission to support an investigation into the failing negotiations with a potential new member of the Republic. The Silinese people appreciate strength, and to soothe relations, they invite Jecki and Yord to join their finest young warriors in their ritual contest, the Crowning Convocation. The three-part event includes a duel, a survival journey, and a wild hunt, with only the finest warriors passing to the next event. Jecki and Yord use this opportunity to learn about the young Silinese, make some friends, and have some fun, all while being restricted from using the Force. As the two Padawans participate, they find themselves pulled into a crisis as participants seek to make their name in this coming-of-age ritual.

You all know that the High Republic and I don’t always get along. But honestly, I really liked it. I found that Gratton gave a very character-focused story, which was founded on adventure. Now, I’m not a hunter or duelist or survivalist, but the fact that we got to meet other youngsters through Jecki’s and Yord’s eyes allows us to see a new world and people. As an audience, we know that the Padawans will make it to Star Wars: The Acolyte. But the new characters give us real stakes, because we get to know these youngsters, but have no idea what’s next for them. And this provided me, tension…Yes, I was tense.

One of the things I like about this story is that it’s what in the comics world we would label street-level. The scope of the threat is really Jecki, Yord, and their newly made friends. Sure, there are repercussions for the Republic. And I think Siline as a world may have some cultural stakes. But it’s a High Republic story that doesn’t feel like the entire galaxy, and its fate is dependent on this story.

As you know, one of my complaints is that sometimes Star Wars gives us new worlds and aliens that we don’t have a foundation of understanding for. This can be really harsh when they drop like 5 on us! The nice thing here is we have mental reference for Jecki, Yord, and Master Sol. So we really only have to weave images for Siline and the new young Silinese characters introduced in this adventure. We also get to know Jecki and Yord more, and maybe come to appreciate and see their interactions in a new light.

I don’t like The Hunger Games and a lot of The High Republic. But I do really like Star Wars: The Acolyte: The Crystal Crown by Tessa Gratton. It’s a character-based adventure that gives you plenty of time to get to know two characters that we’ve seen on Disney+. Best of all, it’s a street-level space adventure that allows our minds to visit new worlds and peoples.


Yoda, who’s Yoda?

 

This post contains affiliate links, which means that Between Disney receives a percentage of sales purchased through links on this site 

Between Books - Disney Adults

 

Everyone has an opinion about Disney Adults! Even you, who is likely a Disney Adult, have your opinions about other Disney Adults. But who are these creatures, what drives them, and why do they even run wild?

Disney Adults: Exploring (and Falling in Love With) A Magical Subculture by AJ Wolfe is an examination of the Disney Adult from a Disney fan culture insider. Wolfe opens the book with the declaration that Disney adults are the most hated group on the internet, you know, the place you are right now. Wolfe shows readers how Disney fandom moved from visiting a Disney park to an online community that used the early stages of the internet to connect and share their knowledge. As an online community with members able to connect, they grew to the point where they can connect with other fans but also create a mass that can be targeted. Wolfe then moves on to the bigger question: how did we get here? She starts with a bold premise, it's not really about the hobby. It’s about what fans get from it. Wolfe shows how Disney fandom provides a mix of escape, safety, nostalgia, immersion, and community…largely benefits that fans of multiple fandoms can offer their fans. The book then enters detailed examinations of the Disney Adult, including profiles, communities, and the perils of fandom. Finally, Wolfe details how fans have influenced Disney and the future of Disney and fandom.

With Disney Adult currently serving as such a charged word, I didn’t at first know what the approach would be. Would this be a hit piece? Would this be nothing but praise? No, Wolfe has done neither. Wolfe has attempted to provide a balanced and serious look at the fandom. On the negative side, Wolfe does not ignore the excesses including at times crippling debt and the dissociation from others by hyper focusing on the fandom. But she also provides a clear psychological understanding of why we are this way with Disney providing us escapism, discovery, immersion, achievement, and influence. And I would agree that my fandom to varying degrees does overlap with much of this. I do have to admit though I am part of the odd 10% of Disney Adults who started their prime fandom as an adult (and parent) with only Uncle Mike’s Sunday not introductions as my primary childhood connection.

I also think Wolfe does a good job of comparing why Disney Adults are part of this fandom with the motivation of other fans. As someone who is a die-hard Cubs fan, Marvel Comics, and Star Wars fan, much of her analysis tied to age, nostalgia, escapism, and other attributes just makes sense to me in my love of these properties.

One of the key observations is that Disney is everywhere, a point that I have made in my own fandom. No matter where you live, Disney does connect to you and pull us into the park. If you live in Florida, California, or Indiana Disney is calling to you. And it’s only getting bigger as a company. As part of the change, Disney Adults have a voice as outspoken criticism about what we want, our own expectations of quality. And we do know that Disney listens to us as very key customers.

It does make sense that Wolfe would not attempt to write an attack piece on Disney Adults. Along with being a self-identified Disney Adult, Wolfe is a deep insider to the Disney fan community as the owner of the Disney Food Blog and AllEars, two very popular fan sites which cater to Disney Adult’s needs for parks’ related content that can be viewed internationally in multiple online formats. Disney Adults are truly a prime customer for these outlets. But in this position, Wolfe is a self-proclaimed Disney Adult who has countless online and in-person interactions with the community. And this is likely why she can provide a balance of the good and bad in the community, as she quite literally lives in that fandom daily. Wolfe can give us a view not of a dispassionate outside researcher, but someone deeply embedded in the community.

I have a hard time believing that if you read this review this far, you’re not a Disney adult. Disney Adults: Exploring (and Falling in Love With) A Magical Subculture by AJ Wolfe is a resource that can help you understand who you are and perhaps give you the language to explain your silliness to others. But it also can provide warnings of excesses that fans in any community can be trapped into, such as poor financial choices or focusing on the wrong parts of life. Perhaps the greatest value this text can provide is self-reflection, as you get to know yourself and your relationship to any fandom.

 

Review Copy Provided for Review

This post contains affiliate links, which means that Between Disney receives a percentage of sales purchased through links on this site

 

Between Books - X-Force by Geoffrey Thorne Vol. 1: Fractures

 s

Let’s play Betweenland’s favorite game…IS IT GOOD DEADPOOL?

X-Force by Geoffrey Thorne Vol. 1: Fractures written by Geoffrey Throne and illustrated by Marcus To provides a post-Krakoa start to the paramilitary mutant special forces. The story follows Forge as he sets up a new X-Force team, with hardly any pre-Krakoa X-Force members, as he tries to save the world from armageddons. Forge uses a new toy to predict future fractures that will lead to the destruction of the world, and uses his secret team and custom devices to face off against the end of the world.

The book covers features Deadpool, a classic X-Force member, front and center. And the collection description notes, “Forge will recruit a specialist for each target: first up, that regenerating degenerate, Deadpool!” So we have to ask, is this good Deadpool.

• Community: Wade is a traditional member of X-Force, but you don’t get the sense that he’s joined up with the group for more than getting his bag. We never get to see our friend have a good hang with anyone.

• BetterUp: At no time does Wade attempt to become a better person. He’s along for slashing, shooting, and fighting.

• Laugh Away the Pain: Wade quips, we laugh. But it honestly covers no emotional development.

• Your Pal Wade: Deadpool does make a joke or two for us that reminds us that he knows he’s a multimedia giant. But he has so little page time, that we really don’t get to spend time with our buddy.

X-Force by Geoffrey Thorne Vol. 1: Fractures is bad Deadpool. Despite the cover and the marketing, Wade Wilson’s time in the story is truly a guest spot as he’s just not on the page a lot. It feels like Thorne was given an editorial note to add the Merc with the Mouth for sales, through his appearance and cover art. Maybe they thought his inclusion would connect the title with other runs. But, I have a hard time saying that Wade is featured here or that Wade grows in any meaningful character way in the middle of this cast. It’s bad Deadpool in the sense that he fights and jokes, and his impact, other than establishing that Forge recruits to fix individual problems, is not essential.

It is Forge that gets highlighted here. We learn that his power of creating solutions, usually through machines, is completely passive. He has the mutant gift to create a counter to what is coming. But he may not understand the future or how his solutions even work.

Along with not being the best Deadpool, I don’t think this is the best X-Force either. I am a fan of this team being the special forces of the mutant world as seen in its Cable-based origins or during the Daniel Way run. Honestly, this run feels like a superhero team that is somewhat secret but not gritty and grim. Again, did editorial order a book titled X-Force for the legacy title, but had really gotten a superhero book that could have been published under another X-Men or X-Factor title?

X-Force by Geoffrey Thorne Vol. 1: Fractures is a fine mutant or X-book. But it’s not great Deadpool or even strong X-Force in my opinion. 

 

This post contains affiliate links, which means that Between Disney receives a percentage of sales purchased through links on this site.  

 

Between Books - Star Wars: The High Republic A Valiant Vow

Star Wars…YEAH.

The High Republic…MEH!

But, hey I can be kind towards a book not meant for Sith adults…right.

Due to time and my past engagement, I have been trying when I can to complete High Republic books through audiobooks. Spoiler, I feel like this plan has been solid for me.

Star Wars: The High Republic A Valiant Vow, a book meant for young adult readers, by Justina Ireland, follows two groups on the planet Eriadu. The first group, a pair of Jedi knights including Imri Cantaros, support the planet’s population as the Nihil Stormwall is opening, allowing refugees to flee if they want. They must balance the weather, the creeping Gray, and a crooked government. Meanwhile, three young friends in Jedi young Tep Tep, Churo the Hutt, and Zenny, a Senator’s daughter, try to stop a Hutt plot and free Churo from the clutches of his family. The two groups may meet together for a big climax.

I have to admit, I read an earlier volume with Tep Tep, Churo, and Zenny, and I wasn’t a fan. I found there was too much going on, too many characters, and the story failed to fill my imagination. But in this case, narrator Todd Haberkorn helps the reader by providing engaging voices and clear transitions between his narration and characters. I think that element helped keep me engaged, even if the story is not the big set-piece battle one would expect for a book written for a different audience, angry Star Wars fans. The story, actions, and character growth opportunities are all appropriate for the audience age group, and I think engaging for the intended group.

It’s Imri Cantaros that most interests me. We really get to spend time here with Imri and see his character develop. We saw in Ireland’s most recent Star Wars story that Imri is remembered nearly a hundred years later as a great Jedi thinker. We even have time for Imri and Vernestra to spend time together, putting him on that journey. Readers come to enjoy a Jedi who believes in compassion and empathy. And this makes it clear to us that the fan casting of Imri as Darth Arms just can’t be true! Ireland has been spending a lot of time thinking about Imri, and wow she’s putting out books quickly.

Science should be ethical. I like Churo, not spelled Churro, and his desire to be a scientist. But I do think that his science mentor is a little quesitionable in standards. And I think we would do a little better in showing kids that science and ethics should go hand-in-hand.
 

Star Wars: The High Republic A Valiant Vow by Justina Ireland is a young adult adventure, filled with moments of friendship and empathy. It’s a book that helps us learn our lessons by watching fictional characters on an adventure. And I think that narration by Haberkorn improves the experience, and keeps this grumpy old man from going negative.

Yoda…where are you at pal?

 

This post contains affiliate links, which means that Between Disney receives a percentage of sales purchased through links on this site.  

Between Books - Walt’s Utopia: Disneyland and American Mythmaking Second Edition

If you read enough Disney books, there are a few different formats which you find recurring. One common format is the park walk around, where the author strolls from land to land sharing secrets and history. It is a familiar book type to Disney fans, where if you have read five Disney books you’ve read this format at least twice. Honestly, I have read the walkthroughs enough, I’m not sure one could add a new flair to it. But I am willing to give an academic version of this style a chance.

Walt’s Utopia: Disneyland and American Mythmaking Second Edition by Priscilla Hobbs provides a new take to a familiar format. Hobbs takes readers through Walt Disney’s original park, Disneyland, with a look not to fun facts, but discussions of myth making in the park. Hobbs declares that Disneyland is one of America’s most mythic spaces as a location where reality is often surplanted by imagination. Here the American myths of exceptionalism can be built out and explored by guests on a physical canvas, allowing guests to create their own connections and personal myths about the park. Hobbs adopts an interdisciplinary approach to explore Disney myths. Hobbs uses textual analysis to break down the stories that Disney offers guests to reach their foundations. Additionally, Hobbs relies on contextual analysis to better understand the symbols and metaphors that guests are immersed within. Often what Hobbs finds are stories that provide guests reassurance, not lost on me as a goal of Disney Legend John Hench. In a world that may not have always seemed orderly, Disneyland often bolsters the myth of human progress even going so far as allowing one to buy into the myth through the purchase of items tying guests back to the park. With an approach set to review the myths of Disneyland, Hobbs walks readers through the park from Main Street USA to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, discussing not just the history of the attractions and lands, but also the myths the lands communicate to guests as they immerse themselves in the themed environments.

I found Hobbs’ discussions to be interesting and enlightening. I would remind us all that theme parks are often seen as a setting for children and play. Therefore, you may wonder if one really needs to analyze the messages an myths that the park is projecting. But Hobbs helps us to understand the power of the myths and why they are so attractive to audiences like Disney adults, who seek a more ordered world, let’s be honest working isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and why the parks are able to make individual connections that foster return visits and return spending. For example, I love the Adventureland’s of the world. I think of them as places where one can explore and have fun. Hobbs notes that placemaking here is attempting to establish a world that was seen as exotic by mid-century Americans. The plants, sounds, and smells all created a hyperreality of an unspoiled world. Where, myself and my own studies of the British Empire has made it clear that what I am seeing is fiction. But I find myself returning to enter the myth Disney storytellers have crafted for me.

Along with Hobbs’ argument, I also appreciate Hobbs’ viewpoint. I don’t feel like Hobbs is ever anti-Disney. We have all seen or heard about academic Disney books with only one goal, burn it all down! Hobbs is a Disney Parks fan and I believe quite comfortable in the explored lands. Hobbs is just able to separate from the placemaking to step outside and review the story being told. And while Hobbs may show some fandom, the author especially with this edition is still able to hold Disney accountable by noting the connections between their mythmaking and the consumption and consumerism it encourages. As I often say, Disney doesn’t leave a dollar on the table. So I think even the most ardent Disney defenders must admit that while we love the parks they are quite good at separating us from our money. I also appreciate that Hobbs is very transparent on their academic approach, not leading me to believe that I am reading a history book when I am really reading a literary deconstruction of a physical place.

Walt’s Utopia: Disneyland and American Mythmaking Second Edition by Priscilla Hobbs is a unique way to walk through a Disney park. Hobbs reminds us that Disneyland is a myth, one that creates reassurance about the world and human progress. Additionally, this created deep individual attachments to the park, even for adults playing in a land seen as childish by others. These attachments support Disney corporate goals as guests become consumers and consume beyond park tickets to further their personal attachment. Overall, I found Walt’s Utopia to be well-written and thought provoking, a good read for Disney fans who want to think about their park visits intellectually. 

 

Review Copy Provided for Review

This post contains affiliate links, which means that Between Disney receives a percentage of sales purchased through links on this site