The Art of Cartoon Saloon: 25 Years: The Official Retrospective of the Award-Winning Irish Animation Studio behind The Secret of Kells, Wolfwalkers, and Song of the Sea

by Charles Solomon

The official visual retrospective of the first 25 years of Cartoon Saloon, the award-winning, internationally renowned Irish animation studio behind The Secret of Kells , Song of the Sea , Puffin Rock , and Wolfwalkers The Art of Cartoon 25 Years takes fans on a gorgeous illustrated journey through the first 25 years of the award-winning animation studio.Cofounded in 1999 by Tomm Moore, Nora Twomey, and Paul Young in Kilkenny, Ireland, Cartoon Saloon has garnered countless accolades for their stunning hand-drawn animation, including four Academy Award nominations.Their body of work encompasses feature film releases including The Secret of the Kells, Song of the Sea, The Breadwinner, Wolfwalkers, and My Father’s Dragon, and the beloved children’s series Puffin Rock, as well as short films and commercial work.The studio’s 2D films, which have persisted and thrived in a cinematic landscape that increasingly favors computer-generated imagery, are vibrant, engaging, and wholly unique. This book illuminates the history of the animation studio and the creative processes that have created a timeless aesthetic distinct to Cartoon Saloon.

Genres: Animation

304 pages, Hardcover

Published July 7, 2026

Reviews

[Alec Longstreth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I almost didn't buy this book because I already own a bunch of "Art of" books from my favorite Cartoon Saloon features, but I've been burned in the past by missing an animation book in its initial print run only to have to pay four times the cover price for a used copy, so I went for it!

I have no regrets. This book is a definitive history of the formation of Cartoon Saloon and all the work that went into each of its projects. It's not unlike Solomon's excellent history of the National Film Board of Canada which was also released this year. There were pages and pages of beautiful concept art covering each era of the studio, but for me, the highlight of this book was the detailed history that came before each of these sections. This book is a must for fans of Cartoon Saloon!