When it comes to the Art of book, Disney has been the gold standard in recent years (especially since Pixar arrived on the scene), setting the standard that similar books have been following since. The standout of a great Art of book isn’t just how it shows you the work that went into creating the project, it also shows off the passion too, which is probably why Disney excel at these types of books.

From the preface by John Lasseter to the forward by Ron Clements and Jon Musker, to the pages packed full of photos, concept art and paintings The Art Of Moana is packed full of passion and love for the project and the process of bringing it to the screen.

Mixing the Disney style with Polynesian art and the locations and colours of the Pacific Islands make for some deep and rich images, especially in the location designs and concept paintings. This especially comes across in the ‘Into the Realm of the Fantastic’ chapter, which is packed full of images and character designs that live up to the chapter title.

The book is rounded out with a wonderful double page (entitled ‘A Culture of Collaboration’) that talks briefly about life in the story room and highlights the facts that the story team is always sketching. These pages feature several sketches that the team created, all caricatures and cartoons about the people and process of being a part of the room and the team.

THE ART OF MOANA / AUTHOR: JESSICA JULIUS, MAGGIE MALONE / PUBLISHER: CHRONICLE BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW