The Art of Pocahontas
The Disney animation juggernaut has high hopes thatPocahontaswill equal or surpass in revenues last year's blockbuster,The Lion King. Whether it does or not, plenty of kids and adults will line up to see its romanticized, revisionist, politically correct take on the historical legend of the Indian princess Pocahontas and Capt. John Smith, and many will then want to look behind the scenes with this handsome coffee-table presentation that features 400 color and black-and-white illustrations, ranging from early conceptual drawings to production stills, and commentary by the movie's creators. The book downplays the film's message of multicultural harmony and its ecological import, instead stressing its compelling character designs, lavish backgrounds, and bold color schemes. Libraries in which the art book accompaniments for other recent Disney animated features have proved popular should add this one, too.Gordon Flagg