I Am Walt Disney

I Am #11

by Grace Norwich, Phil Parks (Illustrator)

I am the creator of Mickey Mouse. I am Walt Disney.

As a child, I had a wild imagination and a great curiosity. As I grew up, I used those qualities to become a cartoonist. Eventually, I turned these drawings into films and began my own animation business. One of my characters, Mickey Mouse, became so popular that movie theaters sold out and I won an Academy Award. After pursuing a career as a film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, entrepreneur and entertainer, I added developer to my resume when I created Disneyland amusement park. I became tremendously successful and beloved by children of all ages because of my belief that even the impossible is possible. I am Walt Disney.

To this day, Walt Disney's characters remain some of the most recognizable images in the world. With books, TV shows, films, and amusement parks devoted to his creations, the Walt Disney name lives on. Learn all about this remarkable man's fascinating life in Scholastic's biography series, I AM.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Childrens

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Grace Norwich has written many books for young readers on a variety of topics, including health, fashion, animals, and more. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Reviews

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Walt Disney was a very creative man who brought joy to hundreds of people. Walt Disney had created the first American, fully animated film. He had created so many shows, and other movies that brought so much happiness to the world. all of Walt Disney's work had changed the world, and showed the amazing cartoon world. His passion for drawing never stopped. He never gave it up. He kept drawing, being creative, and getting ideas. His passion for drawing grew over the years as he became super successful with all his work. Walt never stopped his courier, and loved doing what he was doing. He created so many cartoons, and became a world superstar. He had later created Disney land. He had also created Walt Disney world. He created these amazing theme parks to show the love, and appreciation he had for his family, and all of his loving fans. Walt sadly died on December 15, 1966. Walt will always be remembered for all of the joy he brought to us.

[SerenitySmith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book i read was the Walt Disney book i love this book i remember that Walt Disney was known for the best moving art i think but anyway I enjoyed this book i would recommend this book to kids in the fourth grade.

[Isabelle]

I am Walt Disney
Hello, today I am going to be reviewing the book “ I am Walt disney” by Grace Norwich. This book is about the life Walt Disney lived and all of the amazing accomplishments he faced during his amazing time on earth. While Walt was alive he created the happiest place on earth...DisneyLand! Now you might be thinking to have created such a happy place he probably had a great childhood. Not really walts parents were very strict, but he loved to draw which helped him pass time. I definitely recommend this book if you would love to learn more about Walt Disney and his life.

[Abigail Wasnik]

I loved loved the book it was so good I read so many things that I did not know.

[Ernesto]

Hi i'm Ernesto and I am going to tell you about "I Am Walt Disney" if you like learning about people in the past and short information, I recommend this book to you. This book is a fun book meaning that its easy. It took me 1 day to read this whole thing. This book tells you about the adventure of Walt Disney [the creator of Disneyland]. It tells you his childhood to his death. I recommend this to people who are researching about him. It is a fun book.

[Heather Shembarger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this short biography on Walt Disney. This remarkable man did not have an easy childhood, and yet he found a way to rise above. He had amazing talents and his many innovations were truly remarkable. He suffered betrayal while trying to start a successful business and had to start all over. Things were definitely not fair on many occasions in his life, but he still managed to end up on top. When you read about all he did and in such a short time on this earth, it truly is an eye-opener that will leave you in awe.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book about the entertainment genius Walt Disney. His story is also an inspiration to two groups of dreamers, those that dream and imagine and those that have dreams of success. Disney was both and he grew up in very difficult circumstances and in his early years of his entertainment business there was very little money. He was an indifferent student at best, spending his time drawing rather than paying attention to the instruction.
He even suffered a setback when his character “Oswald the Lucky Rabbit” was sold out from under him. It was at this time that he thought up a new character that he originally named Mortimer Mouse. A quick name change and the famous “Mickey Mouse” was born.
There was no greater creative force in entertainment than Walt Disney. He suffered before he succeeded and there is no question that his early struggles helped forge the strong personality that created the Disney entertainment empire.

[McKenna Friesen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nonfiction/Twin Text Entry #4

The fiction text I chose to pair with "I Am #11: Walt Disney" is "Disney Alice in Wonderland Magical Story." I paired these texts together because understanding the history of how Disney characters came to be will make students appreciate the stories more. "I Am #11: Walt Disney" discusses when and how each character came to be so when students read "Disney Alice in Wonderland Magical Story," they will have a better grasp on the purpose behind the creation!

The genre is Biography Nonfiction because it tells of the story of Walt Disney based on facts of his life. The target audience is 1st grade because it uses simple text, along with pictures and diagrams to assist readers.

[Zarah]

The book “I am Walt Disney” by scholastic is such an amazing book. I think this because it give all the details you need to know about Walt and his childhood. It states that as a young kid he had a wild imagination and great curiosity. The book also talks about how he grew up wanting to be a cartoonist. It also talks about how when he grew up and was older, started to grow the passion of becoming a cartoonist. Then all these details lead up to one thing. Walt Disney finally building an amusement park that we know now as DisneyLand. This book is amazing because it fills you in on all the things you never knew about Walt Disney. I recommend this book to 3-6th graders who want to learn more about Walt and his story behind building DisneyLand.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading about Walt Disney because I learned so many things about Walt Disney. I enjoyed all the interesting facts about Disney my favorite was probably the fact that his daughters were his inspiration and I also enjoyed knowing that Mickey Mouse's first name was Mortimer. I know so many things that I did not know now that I have read the book. I did not know how Walt during his life had many struggles and challenges. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys Disney and would like to learn how it was created.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence: Without me, Walt Disney, there would be no Mickey Mouse.

Premise/plot: I Am Walt Disney is an early chapter book biography for young readers (elementary-aged). The book spans Walt Disney's entire life--not just his childhood, not just his success and fame, not just his professional life, not just his legacy. It gives an overview in an age-appropriate way.

My thoughts: I liked this one. I did. I probably would have LOVED it as a kid. It includes photographs, illustrations, sidebars, a timeline, glossary, and more. I think it definitely has appeal and is reader friendly.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about one of my favorite people! I read Who Was Walt Disney? around the same time I read this book and this bio is way better! The facts were interesting and there were lots of great illustrations and photos.

No matter how many obstacles stood in his way he never gave up and always managed to create magic.

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am Walt Disney is a good book because walt disney talks about how he grew up and what problems he had as a kid. This book is worthy of reading because it talks about his struggles, challenges and accomplishments he went through in life to make a disney parkand become a cartoonist.

[Libby Manship · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a book the kids chose for bed time reading. It was really great in parts, but in other parts it felt a bit too technical. Regardless, the story of Walt Disney is inspiring and his legacy is remarkable!

[Christina (Confessions of a Book Addict) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent biography on Walt. I feel like he lived such a compelling life and I wish it would have gone into more detail regarding his creation of Mickey as well as his theme parks. My son agreed. We will probably check out a more detailed biography in the future.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a pretty simple, easy read, but much is learned from it. The writing style is engaging, and I liked the addition of sketches of Walt's life, along with actual photos. It's a great introduction for young kids (or anyone) wanting to know more about Walt.

[Kat Ice · Rating 5 out of 5]

another super quick easy read about Walt Disney! Loved this one! It even had some pictures and fun facts. I think it's super easy for any kid to read.

[Laura Bellese · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very informational book and is fun to read!

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good overview of Walt Disney.

[DelAnne Frazee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: I Am #11: Walt Disney - I Am Series Book 11
Author: Grace Norwich
Published: 1-7-2014
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks
Pages: 128
Genre: Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense
Sub Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
ISBN: 13: 9780545629188
ASIN: 00ED05C6A
Reviewer: DelAnne
Reviewed For: NetGalley
Rating: 5 stars


I received a copy of "I Am #11: Walt Disney" from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.


Description From the Publisher:

I am the creator of Mickey Mouse. I am Walt Disney.


As a child, I had a wild imagination and a great curiosity. As I grew up, I used those qualities to become a cartoonist. Eventually, I turned these drawings into films and began my own animation business. One of my characters, Mickey Mouse, became so popular that movie theaters sold out and I won an Academy Award. After pursuing a career as a film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, entrepreneur and entertainer, I added developer to my resume when I created Disneyland amusement park. I became tremendously successful and beloved by children of all ages because of my belief that even the impossible is possible. I am Walt Disney.


To this day, Walt Disney's characters remain some of the most recognizable images in the world. With books, TV shows, films, and amusement parks devoted to his creations, the Walt Disney name lives on. Learn all about this remarkable man's fascinating life in Scholastic's biography series, I AM.


My Review:

Walt Disney is a name known the world over. As much for his theme parks as for his beloved cartoon characters, especially Mickey Mouse. He brought laughter and joy to millions.


"I Am #11: Walt Disney" gives a biographic back-ground of Walt Disney on a level that can be understood by any age. There are photographs and interviews used to document his life. Learn of Walt Disney from his childhood to his family life and his success. Learn of the man that reminded everyone you never really loose your inner child.


I found it interesting and informative. I gave "I Am #11: Walt Disney" a 5 out of 5 stars.



Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ED05C6A/...


Barnes and Noble link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/confe...


GoodReads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...


The Reading Room link: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I Am #11: Walt Disney is a young reader's history of Walt Disney. It tells the story of Walt Disney in 128 pages from his birth to his death. There are illustrations and pictures.

I used to read a series of early readers called Step Up Books from Random House in which different historical figures were featured (my favorite was Meet George Washington). This series seems to be in the same vein, but for a slightly older group of readers. It reminds me of that earlier series, and I really enjoyed it.

The book features a list of people who are key to the story you are about to read. It ends with a list of 10 things you should know about Walt Disney, then a second list of 10 more thanks that are pretty cool to know. There is a glossary and a list of places to visit. In this case places to visit include theme parks, but also the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco (which is an excellent museum) and Walt's home town of Marceline, Missouri.

It's told in a kid friendly way, but harsh facts are not held back. You learn Walt's father was not a pleasant man, and that he lost his early creation, Oswald The Lucky Rabbit. It's well told and engaging.

I was given a review copy of this book by Scholastic and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

[Samantha Groth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose I Am #11: Walt Disney for my third non-fiction book. This book is more of a chapter book and has some pictures, but not many. I think this book would be great for third-fifth graders. I think this book is set up great, it has chapters that go by moments in his life, and small pictures when fitting. The one thing that I love about this book is at the end it has 20 fun facts for the reader! I think Walt Disney would be fun to learn about for students, everyone can relate Walt Disney to their favorite Disney movie or show! This a biography non-fiction book about Walt Disney. It is a biography because it is not wrote by Walt Disney, but by Grace Norwich.
I paired the fiction book, World of Reading Level 3: Mickey Mouse with I am Walt Disney. These books really help aid one another. Mickey Mouse was Disney's first character and is talked about frequently in this book. By giving students a book about his character and himself they will be able to connect the dots how powerful Walt Disney's imagination is!

[Annie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is written to appeal to 3rd and 4th graders, and certainly the subject of the biography--Walt Disney-- could be very engaging for students. The book talked about Disney's failures and successes equally, which I think is important, and to my knowledge, the information is accurate. There are photographs throughout, although many times the author resorts to using a "stock photo" that only represents what could be, instead of using primary sources (although many may not have been available). There is a timeline, inserts of facts, and a glossary. As far as social studies content goes, this does very little to place Disney's life in historical context. It references him living through the Depression, but doesn't explain this or why this may be significant to the reader. All of the elements of a biography genre are there, and Disney is a historical figure, but this could be stronger with social studies content.

1/3

[Lindsical · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rated this a four star simply because I only give a rating of 5 if I know it's going to end up being one of my favorite books.

This book provided excellent information about Walt Disney and his life in a way that young students would be able to enjoy. It's a great informational book for 3rd-5th graders (which is why I read it, to see if it's something my 3rd graders would enjoy).

There is just enough information to be interesting for children and not too much to overwhelm or bore them. It provide details on Walt's life in Marceline, through his childhood, struggles in the business industry, and finally all of his many successes. Being an avid Disney fan, I learned a few new things myself, and I especially enjoyed the 20 interesting facts the author provided at the end of the novel.

[Reanna Borgen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very interesting. I thought it was interesting to learn that Walt Disney' s father was very strict and didn't allow his children to roughhouse or play around. It was also interesting to learn that very few people encouraged Walt to braw despite he was very talented. I enjoyed the parts of he book when Walt gets some cool ideas and just makes them happen. He's the kind of person that never gives up even when money stands in his way. This book is very informative and I would recommend it to anyone who loves Disney and wants to know more about it. The important lesson in this book is that no matter what, if you believe in yourself you can make anything happen.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love all things Disney, so I was excited that this "I Am" book was included in the set I purchased through Scholastic. While I realize the information is basic and many aspects of his life are glossed over, I feel that this is a great format to get students reading non-fiction books. The "I Am" books are compelling and interesting without being so wordy they are boring. I really appreciated that information about the time he lived in was woven into the story, which would pique many students' interest, but not to the point that it detracted from Walt Disney's life. Overall an excellent book for 3rd and 4th graders!

[Sabrina Acosta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am Walt Disney by Grace Norwich
Shelves:Biography, Series, RED 315
Reading level: 6.6
Interest level: grades 2-5

The man who created Mickey Mouse is a pretty important person especially to those children who love all the creations he has made. This book is a will written biography which appeals to students. I would use this book to show kids that they can do anything they put there mind to just like Walt Disney did. It shows not only his accomplishments but also his struggles and that's why I really enjoyed it.

[Nicole :0 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading the book I am Walt Disney by Grace Norwich because i learned SO much more facts about him and it was great! I think the coolest facts were Mickey Mouses original name was Mortimer and i think that is really cool, and another fact i thought was really interesting was the myth that Walt had frozen his body and the staff that worked and Disney Land hid it in the pirates of the caribbean ride and there going to unfreaze him when there is a cure for long cancer.I really reccomend this book to anyone that is interesting in learning about Walt Disney.

[Dashawn Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nia02031@hotmail.com terra satellite television service was initially a little bit of them have been in the kids to do that for all about the d dad scar dads c quip qq overkill

S quip quip am an really need the kids to get a chance we can do that to get a chance to see you better be a little bit



Power amp for a lot more then one day at
Disney super speed is a lot better for u like my phone and tomorrow and children books for.

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I personally love anything about Disney so this book was perfect for me. This book was also pretty easy to read. It would be perfect for an upper grade class. If any student is interested in Disney this would be the perfect book for them to read. There are many other books like this about different people as well. The students could use these to do projects on famous or important people in history. I would definitely use this book in my classroom.