Reviews

"A lot of fun to read. Velarde writes in an easy-to-read style and beautifully draws out themes of hope, identity, justice, friendship, humor, family, courage, adventure, and love. . . excellent for a small group, a church, or even a series of family discussions."--Bill Boerman-Cornell, Christian Schools International, Fall 2010
"Velarde draws sensive conclusions and connections between the Christian life and many Pixar characters and plotlines. The themes of hope and imagination run throughout many of the films. Concice chapters and discussion questions make this book accessible for group studies."--Bonnie Bruner, Christian Retailing
"With its discussion questions, movie discussion guide, and appendixes on Pixar's plots, this is perfect for Christian discussion groups and should also serve Christian educators very well."--Library Journal, May 1, 2010
"In this insightful book, Velarde provides a great service to Christian families who love movies. His analysis of Pixar movies in light of their themes of identity, friendship, family, courage, ambition and other values is a great help for those who want a fuller, richer experience from their movie viewing. He helps to draw out important values from Pixar movies that illuminate for the viewer/reader that these movies are much more than family-friendly entertainment; they are modern parables of wisdom and virtue."--Brian Godawa, screenwriter, To End All Wars, and author, Hollywood Worldviews: Watching Films with Wisdom and Discernment
"Robert Velarde has made an interesting and thoughtful contribution to film and philosophy literature. He avoids an overly simplistic analysis without getting bogged down in heavy moral philosophy. Not only will this book help readers gain a deeper understanding of virtue ethics, it will increase their appreciation of one of the best studios in film."--Douglas M. Beaumont, author of The Message Behind the Movie
"Wow. And here I thought I was just watching cartoons with my kids! I love how Robert takes readers through the beauty, fun, depth and warmth of Pixar films and frames the solid values that run through them. This book is a must-read for parents who love Pixar films as much as their kids--and for those interested in generating some great postfilm family conversations."--Caryn Rivadeneira, author of Mama's Got a Fake I.D. and cofounder of TheMommyRevolution.com