This is just a brief little bit of news today, but still worth sharing. Several of the Toy Story 4 books that are listed on Amazon have recently gotten official covers!
Last week, the final design for the Toy Story 4 Official Guide cover was revealed. This week, we have three more (so far)…
Forky in Craft Buddy Day, written by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by George McClements and Stephanie Kardos, is set to be released on May 7. Here’s the synopsis on Amazon:
Featuring stylized illustrations from a Pixar artist and a hilarious story by Drew Daywalt, this picture book will welcome fans into the world of Toy Story 4 through the perspective of a brand-new breakout character.
This is a preschool-kindergarten level book, on the smaller side with 40 pages. It still looks like a cute one – perhaps “Craft Buddy Day” is when Forky is made in the first place, or maybe it’s an original story where she takes him back to school. We’ll have to wait and see.
The Toy Story Storybook Collection, also releasing on May 7, is the second book with finalized cover art. I have several of these storybooks – comprised of both strictly Toy Story stories and a combination of Pixar films – and they’re some of my favorites. Also made to appeal to younger children, but with over 300 pages of original stories and charming illustrations, they’re really a lot of fun to read through. Here’s the synopsis for this one:
Everyone’s favorite toys are hitting the big screen! But the fun can be taken home and enjoyed over and over again with this brand-new storybook collection, timed to the release of Disney*Pixar’s Toy Story 4! Young readers are in for hours of rollicking good fun with this collection featuring gilded pages, over 250 illustrations, and 18 action-packed stories to read. This latest addition to the best-selling storybook collection series will make the perfect gift.
While the images of Buzz, Jessie, Bullseye, Woody and Bonnie’s toys are nothing really new (the art style is great, though), it’s fun to see Bo with her cape flying out behind her, and her sheep! It’s also worth noting that the antique store visible in the Super Bowl clip can be seen behind her, and a carnival booth to the side. I think it’s safe to say, from this, that the antique store may play a role in the story.
Lastly, Toy Story Toy Box: Words to Play By, written by Suzanne Francis and illustrated by Jerrod Maruyama, will be out on May 7 as well. According to this picture, it’s a set of five books, so I’m guessing it will be a boxed set. It also has a synopsis on Amazon:
Follow fan-favorite Toy Story characters in this unique format that includes inspirational and hilarious words of wisdom from beloved Toy Story characters old and new!
Like the others, it’s for little kids, and is about 120 pages in all. The characters on this cover are those who have been seen most in the promo material so far – Buzz, Woody, Bo, Ducky and Bunny, and Forky. But I think these three new books in general look to be a good balance of the classic and new characters, so I’m okay with that. I love Jerrod Maruyama’s style, and I really look forward to seeing the rest of the illustrations inside.
There are a lot more Toy Story 4 books hitting shelves on May 7, so we should be seeing the artwork for those as well in the very near future. I’m keeping a lookout for updates, so stay tuned!
Images © Disney/Pixar and Disney Publishing.
Toy Story Fangirl 