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- Reading is the best way to enter a new world, and there's no better world to escape to than Disney.
- We rounded up the best Disney books below, from themed cookbooks to Disney history books.
- Still looking for a gift? Check out our list of the All-Time Best products we've ever tested.
If you have a friend or family member who's wild about Disney but already has every piece of merch, try gifting them a book about the best place on Earth. Books, in general, are unexpected gifts, but they're actually super thoughtful — they make for great conversation starters, double as decor, and can be read over and over again for years until the binding starts falling apart.
From cookbooks filled with Disney-inspired recipes to an inside look at Disney costuming, any superfan would be thrilled to add these to their coffee table. Bonus points if you gift a Disney Plus subscription or even park tickets alongside one of these great books so they can truly live out their Disney dream.
Here are 22 Disney books every fan would love:
'The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook'
"The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook: From Delicious Dole Whip to Tasty Mickey Pretzels, 100 Magical Disney-Inspired Recipes," $11.99, available at Amazon and Target
Besides their namesake, of course, one of the things that the Disney parks are best known for is their food. From the iconic dole whip to Mickey-shaped... everything, this cookbook allows you to bring the nostalgia of the Disney parks right into their home. Park anecdotes are sprinkled throughout each recipe, so they'll get a twinge of nostalgia with each food they try.
'Disney World at 50: The Stories of How Walt's Kingdom Became Magic in Orlando'
It's Disney World's 50th anniversary, and such a milestone comes along with a ton of history. This book will break it all down for them, and even the most knowledgeable Disney buff could learn something new.
'One Day at Disney: Meet the People Who Make the Magic Across the Globe'
"One Day at Disney: Meet the People Who Make the Magic Across the Globe," $25, available at Amazon
It's jaw-dropping to think about how many people work for Disney all around the world, from vets at the Animal Kingdom in Florida's Walt Disney World to sculpture artists at Disneyland Paris. In "One Day at Disney," you'll get to see what goes on at Disney on any given day from the perspective of more than 80 cast members.
The book also has a companion series on Disney+. Here's everything to know about the new streaming service, along with how to gift a subscription if they don't have one already.
'Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look at Making More Magic Real'
For those who can't get enough of "The Imagineering Story" on Disney+, they'll want to add the beautiful "Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look at Making More Magic Real" to their bookshelf. This book gives a behind-the-scenes look at how Imagineers create the happiest place on earth.
'From All of Us to All of You: The Disney Christmas Card'
"From All of Us to All of You: The Disney Christmas Card," $37.53, available at Amazon
The exchanging of Christmas cards was an important tradition at the Walt Disney studios with their leading artists creating the graphics for the cards. This beautifully produced book is a collection of many of those vintage holiday cards, making it a fitting gift for the season.
'Walt Disney's Disneyland'
"Walt Disney's Disneyland," $39.99, available at Amazon
This large coffee table book includes an eclectic collection of illustrations, photographs, and documents about the happiest place on Earth. It's a gorgeous guide to the history of the Anaheim theme park.
'The Art of Disney Costuming: Heroes, Villains, and Spaces Between'
"The Art of Disney Costuming: Heroes, Villains, and Spaces Between," $24.99, available at Amazon
This large-format coffee table book gives a detailed look at the costumes from Disney blockbusters like "Mary Poppins," "Aladdin," and "Maleficent" with interviews, trivia, and of course, a beautiful array of photos.
'Maps of the Disney Parks: Charting 60 Years from California to Shanghai'
This graphic-heavy coffee table book includes six decades' worth of maps of Disney parks all around the world. The cool thing about this one is that the pages actually unfold into full-sized maps.
'Ink & Paint: The Women of Walt Disney's Animation'
"Ink & Paint: The Women of Walt Disney's Animation," $45.55, available at Amazon
If they're interested in Disney animation, then you'll want to get them this book about the women who were such a key part of the success of early Disney films and shorts. Disney+ is currently developing a documentary series based on the book, so this is a great time to brush up on the topic.
'The Disney Monorail: Imagineering a Highway in the Sky'
"The Disney Monorail: Imagineering a Highway in the Sky," $31.49, available at Amazon
The Monorail is infamous to Disney lovers — it's the go-to form of Disney transportation. This story dives deep into the transportation system's rich history from its inception. Photos from throughout the years and development art will have them seeing the Monorail through new eyes.
'The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company'
This #1 New York Times bestseller is a memoir about leadership and success by Disney's CEO Bob Iger. It's suited for those with a curiosity about how the most powerful entertainment company in the world is run from a business angle.
'Entertaining with Disney: Exceptional Events From Mickey Mouse to Moana!'
For the friend or family member who loves hosting, they will be delighted with "Entertaining with Disney." It has all the instructions and recipes on how to throw a party inspired by "Frozen," "Princess and the Frog," Disney villains, and many others. Check out our full review of the book here.
'Eat Like Walt: The Wonderful World of Disney Food'
"Eat Like Walt: The Wonderful World of Disney Food," $28.43, available at Amazon
"Eat Like Walt" is a culinary look at the history of Disney foods, the eating habits of Walt Disney himself, and more. Fun fact: He had simple tastes and he liked nothing more than a bowl of chili.
'Walt Disney's Ultimate Inventor: The Genius of Ub Iwerks'
"Walt Disney's Ultimate Inventor: The Genius of Ub Iwerks, $44.36," available at Amazon
Penned by Imagineer Don Iwerks, Ub Iwerks' son, this large volume is an intimate look at the man who helped create Mickey and Minnie Mouse alongside Walt Disney. The book also looks at the many inventions and accomplishments credited to the legend.
'Marc Davis in His Own Words: Imagineering the Disney Theme Parks'
We're huge fans of Imagineer Chris Merritt and Pixar's Pete Docter's extensive and impressive two-volume book set "Marc Davis in His Own Words: Imagineering the Disney Theme Parks." For more about this must-have book for any Disney Parks fan, check out our feature on the book set right here.
'Art of Hand Lettering Love: An inspirational workbook for creating beautiful hand-lettered art about LOVE'
Perfect for those curious about calligraphy, "The Art of Hand Lettering Love" is a crash course on how to do lettering inspired by the fonts used in Disney films and paired with the quotes they came from.
'The Walt Disney Studios: A Lot to Remember'
"The Walt Disney Studios: A Lot to Remember," $50.99, available at Amazon
This behind-the-scenes look at the Walt Disney Studio in Burbank features photographs and artwork that spans of 90 years of filmmaking.
'Mickey Mouse: From Walt to the World'
"Mickey Mouse: From Walt to the World," $42.99, available at Amazon
Published in conjunction with the Walt Disney Family Museum's exhibit on Mickey Mouse, this beautifully illustrated book dives into the history of the world's most famous mouse, alongside text by acclaimed Disney animator Andreas Deja.
'Birnbaum's 2022 Walt Disney World: The Official Vacation Guide'
"Birnbaum's 2022 Walt Disney World: The Official Vacation Guide," $15.99, available at Amazon
If you happen to be giving the gift of tickets to Disney World this year, then the official vacation guide is an ideal companion to the present. The book includes insider tips as well as money-saving strategies.
'The Art of Frozen 2'
"The Art of Frozen 2," $20.48, available at Amazon
Adult "Frozen" fans will enjoy this in-depth look at how the Disney film was made by taking a look at the development art, character sketches, storyboards, color scripts, and more.
'Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: The Official Black Spire Outpost Cookbook'
"Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: The Official Black Spire Outpost Cookbook," $16.34, available at Amazon
"Star Wars" fans, particularly those who have had the chance to visit Galaxy's Edge in Disneyland or Walt Disney World, will get a kick out of this cookbook dedicated to the foods of the fictional land of Batuu.
'They Drew as They Pleased Vol 5: The Hidden Art of Disney's Early Renaissance - The 1970s and 1980s'
This is a whimsical look at the '70s and '80s eras of Disney animated films like "The Jungle Book," "The Aristocats," "Robin Hood", and "The Rescuers."
Sunny Chanel Freelance Reporter, Insider Reviews Sunny Chanel is a freelance writer based in San Francisco who has written thousands of pieces on topics such as travel, parenting, pop culture, products, and entertainment for a variety of online sites. She also happens to be a shopaholic whose personal mission is to find the coolest and best new things out there. Besides stringing words together professionally, Sunny once co-founded a luxury subscription box, curated a whimsical pop-up shop in San Francisco called Treasure Hunters Club, and recently inherited a vinyl-only records store in San Francisco. When she's not out shopping, she's plotting her next trip to Disneyland, remodeling her 1920s bungalow, and hanging out with her tween and their new puppy. And yes, Sunny is her real name. Say hello at Sunnychanel13@gmail.com. Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here. Read more Read less Emily Hein Associate Editor, Health Emily is an Associate Editor for the Health team within the Service Journalism division of Insider. She and her team provide digestible, actionable advice for readers' most pressing health questions. She has a particular passion for mental health advocacy, which has led her to pursue a Master of Social Work degree at NYU (expected 2024).Emily joined Insider back in 2019 as a Story Production fellow, later growing into a Senior Story Producer role. Her years of experience formatting and optimizing stories in Insider's CMS have provided her with a unique perspective on the editorial process, shaping her thoughtfulness as an editor. Prior to Insider, Emily graduated from the University of Michigan, where she studied communications and English. Read more Read lessncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSoqWeq6Oeu7S1w56pZ5ufonyowcidnKxnl56ztb%2BOnaCsppWueqO7zqSqZp%2BZm8G0