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In his charming and candid introduction to the first volume of the new Walt Disney Animation Studios Archive Series, STORY (Disney Editions; $50 suggested retail price) creative guru John Lasseter remarks on the collaborative nature of animation. Giving ample evidence to the now ubiquitous battle-cry �story, story, story�, this stunning 270 page volume is the best holiday gift Disney Publishing has delivered in quite some time.

Championed by Lasseter, the man who put the Toy ahead of the Story, this ambitious publishing project has done both animation scholars and aficionados alike a huge favor; it brings a museum quality sampling of the exhaustive but otherwise inaccessible Animation Research Library (ARL) holdings into the light for general consumption. More important, it is a fairly comprehensive look at the diverse talents who have made Disney their home over the years and their unique individual approaches to visual story telling.

One cannot help but smile and shed a tear when looking at the work of the late Joe Ranft, who was as close, and possibly closer, to Lasseter than any other creative colleague. The untimely and tragic death of Ranft in 2005 marked a turning point in Lasseter�s life, and this beautiful book stands as tribute to Ranft�s spirit (which is sweetly represented by a series of deceptively simply boards for The Little Mermaid. Don�t be misled by the doodle-like drawings. Pay attention, instead, to the clarity of staging and take a lesson from a master.)

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The book�s chronologically ordered plates, sans any artist attributions until the appendices, help educate the reader in what makes a good story drawing. Working from the �Steamboat Willie� through to �Lilo & Stitch�, the chronologically arranged �text� is entirely pictorial, so that as we �read� along we gain an appreciation for the craft of visual story telling. Knowing who the artist/writer is, at this stage, is not important. No, not every board is a graphic masterpiece, but each panel is perfect story artistry. There�s quite a lesson to be learned here in art appreciation and respect for craft. One quickly comes to understand that when it comes to animation, it isn�t how the board is rendered but how it�s staged that truly matters. No other book on story does it as beautifully, or as comprehensively.

The solid intentions rendered in a great storyboard give valuable guidance to the artists who will turn to these boards as a roadmap when animation production begins. Some years ago I sat through the first screening of one animated feature�s theatrical cut, while sitting next to the head of story on the feature, and one of the industry�s finest contemporary story artists. When the lights came up I leaned over and asked �so, are you happy?� �Oh, yes�, came the reply, �every panel we drew, every board we struggled and fought over is up there on screen. I�m very happy.�