It's Saturday Morning!: Celebrating the Golden Era of Cartoons 1960s - 1990s

by Joe Garner, Michael Ashley

With concept art, archival images, and all-new interviews, Saturday Morning Cartoons celebrates the shows, characters, songs, and commercials that made Saturday mornings a pop culture event.

Broadcasting into family living rooms from the 1960s to the 1990s, this wildly creative art form wrought a beloved rite of passage. From the hours of 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., parents could sleep in while their children plopped on the couch to consume cartoons galore. From The Bugs Bunny Show, The Jetsons, and Jonny Quest to The Smurfs, He-Man, and Animaniacs, this window of time promised pure entertainment and an experience that united generations.

With concept art, archival images, and all-new interviews, this collection is a celebration and exploration of the shows, characters, songs, and TV commercials that made Saturday morning cartoons a pop culture event. This highly produced package is perfect for artists and illustrators, pop culture fanatics, or anyone who loves a heaping portion of nostalgia.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Adult, Comics, Tv, Art, Picture Books

224 pages, Hardcover

First published October 23, 2018

Reviews

[Gemma · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a blast from.the past! This was a light, fun read that I enjoyed .
It wasn't quite all I expected but still enjoyable.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much nostalgia. Great coffee table book!

[Mai M Ibrahim · Rating 3 out of 5]

فكرة الكتاب حلوة اوي وهو تجميع الكارتون الامريكى من الستينيات الي التسعينات والناس اللي وراها وقصتها وهكذا وهي ونوستالجيا لطيفة لو حد شاف مثلًا الحاجات دي زي ninja turtles و غيرها
ياريت لو ف كتب زي كده مصرية تفكرنا ب سبيستون وغيرها
هصور الكتاب كله ع قناة "عن الفن" ع اليوتيوب
3nelfn@

بصور الكتب اللي بستعيرها من المكتبة العامة وينزلها ع انستجرام 👇
mai.designer92@

[Arcelia Ramos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brief recount of the cartoons that were shown during Saturday mornings. If you were a child and had a TV during the time this book covers, you must absolutely know what watching cartoons during Saturday morning was like. Yes, this could be a very nostalgic trip for some readers, but the book can also be a nice reference resource to add to libraries. The book is divided by decades, which are 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. It is not by all means a thorough recount, but it will get the ball rolling for those who would like to do more research about the subject. I received a free copy via NetGalley.

[Ramona Mead · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully thorough history of children's cartoons featured on Saturday morning television from the 1960's-1990's. With a full history of each show, the characters and their voice actors, this book is not only a trip down memory lane. It was enlightening to learn the backstories of some of these shows, super interesting from start to finish. Also included are blurbs called "After These Messages," which feature many of the popular toys and cereals that were advertised during these beloved shows. Packed with bright lovely photos that warmed my heart, this book is a must have for those who grew up watching these cartoons, or pop culture buffs in general!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced Digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

You can find my reviews and other bookish musings at www.ramonamead.com

[Etienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book for the nostalgic of those Saturday morning of TV cartoons. It cover TV shows from the 60s to the 90s so it could be interesting for a wide public and even if you’re born later, some of those olds shows might have been a part of your childhood as well. I was born in 1987 and I know and have listened to a lot of those 60s shows. It has some info on every show, and some small facts (networks, numbers of episodes, etc.). Nothing extraordinary but like I said the nostalgic may love it, and it’s always nice to find a shows that you forget about and then all of a sudden remember it and have so good memories flow in. I was a bit disappointed to see that many of my favorite shows weren’t there, but it can’t have all of them so it’s okay and it has a nice enough variety.

[Dan Sendker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obviously the authors' main goal was to deliver a heaping dose of nostalgia, and man did they deliver. Anyone ages 25-30 and older will enjoy reconnecting with their favorite Saturday morning cartoons and learning about other ones that they didn't watch. This book felt like a comforting hug.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Quarto Books and Netgalley for a copy of It’s Saturday Morning for review! What a walk down memory lane!
The pictures in this book are stunning. My husband and I sat and flipped through the book with our son and he loved seeing what we used to watch. The book ranges from The Flintstones to The Animaniacs with a lot of information and fun facts about each show along the way.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hooked by Howie Mandel's heartfelt foreward with a note on how cartoon availability has changed the genre. This book transported me to the 1960s & 1970s when I watched Saturday morning cartoons on 2 different tv sets so not to miss my favorites. I also remember the Saturday morning cartoon preview shows. In the 1980s' animated shows, I became a father and watched several with my kids. I saw a handful of 1990s shows.

Authors, Joe Garner and Michael Ashley cover the decades: 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, & 1990s. Under each, they featured popular or ground-breaking cartoons. They also dedicated a section to Hanna-Barbera.

The book also spotlighted commercials that hawked products: Slinky, Battleship Game, Alpha-Bits/Life/Golden Crisp cereals, Lite-Brite, Kenner's SSP Smash-Up Derby Set, Encyclopedia Britannica, Cabbage Patch Kids, Teddy Ruxpin, Micro machine Cars, and Mentos. There were also many cartoon-related merchandise advertisements. My parents knew that these commercials affected our shopping. I was surprised that they omitted Barbie dolls; cereals like the Monster Cereals, Captain Crunch, Lucky Charms, and Coco Puffs; and Oreo Cookies. They did mention the numerous show-related products.

The Bug's Bunny Show (1960-1970s) was my favorite show. It's re-incarnations kept Bugs, Daffy. Elmer, Porky, Yosemite Sam, Tweety & Sylvester, Speedy Gonzalez, Wile E. Coyote, Pepe Le Pew, Marvin the Martian, Foghorn Leghorn, et al in the spotlight. I did understand some of the humor until I grew up. Dominating this cartoon universe was voice icon, Mel Blanc who I remember from other shows, including on The Jack Benny Show which my father exposed me Blanc's talent. I floored when I heard all of Blanc's character voices. I treasure Looney Tunes because of him.

The Flintstones (1960-67), a Stone-Age family was comedic, based on The Honeymooners. This adult cartoon was a nighttime show before it went into day reruns. Fred & Barney's (Alan Reed & Mel Blanc, respectively) antics were the reason for its success. Jean Vander Pyl was Wilma and Pebbles. It was not until later, that I understood some the lines, satire, and innuendos. Still, they remain a favorite. The Stone-age gadgets were creative and sometimes funny. The many spin-offs: Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show, the Flintstone Comedy Hour, The New Fred and Barney Show, The Flintstone Kids, and Cave Kids expanded the Flintstone universe. Hanna-Barbera called this their best show.

The Jetsons (1962-63) was another family sitcom but set in the future. This adult sitcom was based on the 1950s sitcom, 'Blondie." George O'Hanlon played George, Penny Singleton (who played Blondie) was Jane Jetson, Janet Waldo was Judy, Daws Butler was Elroy Mr. Cosgrove,, Don Messick was Astro, Jean Vander Pyl was Rosie the Robot, and Mel Blanc was Cosmo G. Spacely. Like The Flintstones, The shows had varying themes and comic delivery. Set in the 21st Century, the gadgets were inventive, again. Although it lasted only one season, the series went into syndication and new episodes aired in 1985 to 87. A feature-length was made in 1990.

Jonny Quest (1964-65) was an adventure cartoon that emulated the 1930s and 1940s serials. This action-packed cartoon lasted only one season but it was syndicated and re-broadcast on all three major networks. Jonny Quest's creator, Doug Wildey took inspiration from James Bond, Doc Savage, Tom Swift and Jack Armstrong - the All-American Boy to create an intelligent, action-packed, thrilling mystery-adventure show. Jonny (Tim Matheson), Race Bannon - patterned after Jeff Chandler (Mike Road), Bandit (Don Messick), Hadji Singh (Danny Bravo), and Dr. Benton Quest (John Stephenson) were the Quest team who flew in the Dragonfly plane on many exciting adventures. There have been several re-incarnations of Jonny Quest and company but none match the creative storytelling and animation of the original.

Underdog (1964-73) starring Wally Cox (TV's Mr. Peepers) was tv's super animal answer to Mighty Mouse. The character of Underdog was initially created to sell sugary breakfast cereals but grew into a show. He was based on Superman with a nod to Mighty Mouse. George S. Irving (Rankin-Bass' Mr. Heat Miser) voiced the villains: Simon Bar Sinister, Riff Raff, Fearo the Ferocious, and Batty Man. Norma Macmillan voiced Sweet Polly Purebreed. I loved the chapter episode model. I remember the hoopla about Shoeshine Boy popping a pill to become Underdog.

The Archies (1968-69) while not my favorite had good music and the spin-offs. The tv show was based on the classic comic book characters and radio program (1943-53). The Archies were inspired by the Andy Hardy movies that starred Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland. The 1960s version by Don Kirshner (rock music producer), Lou Scheimer (Filmation Associates), and John L. Goldwater, the creator of Archie Andrews emulated The Monkees show and remade the Archies into a music-animated show. It was comprised of several segments: an Archie story, Dance of the Week, Song of the Week (performed by The Archies - Ron Dante and Toni Wine on vocals), a short skit, and an Archie story. The series included: Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle, Jughead, Hot Dog, Mr. Weatherbee, Miss Grundy, Pop Tae, Mr. Big Moose, Dilton Doily, Coach Kleats, and Big Ethel. The fictional Archies scored a number 1 hit song, "Sugar, Sugar" in 1969 on the Billboard Hot 100 song chart. The show was expanded to The Archie Comedy Hour in 1969. Two-spin-off series were launched by the Archies, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and The Groovie Goolies in the 1970s. The Archies also set the stage for future musical-accented animated shows of the 1970s. The Archies also were made into a real-life series in 2016.

Space Ghost (1966-68) is the first superhero cartoon I watched. Hailing from Ghost Planet, Space Ghost (voiced by Gary Owens), Space Ghost launched the humanoid superhero cartoon genre. Space Ghost was designed by Alex Toth, a comic book illustrator. He and his craft, the Phantom Cruiser had an invisible cloaking capability. The show featured power packs, laser wrist bans, and many other gadgets but only lasted only one year before going into syndication.

One cannot have a book about Saturday morning cartoons and not mention William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. The duo were the creative producers of over 100 animated shows and won 7 Oscars and 8 Emmys in a career that spanned their years with MGM and then on television. The 1970s was their best decade and secured a place in American culture.

The Pink Panther Show (1968-79) was expanded from an animated movie credit short for The Pink Panther movies. Isadore "Fritz" Freleng, the creator was asked by his creative partner, David H. DePatie, Freleng's create its own short film in 1964. The film won the 1964 Academy Award for Animated Short Film. This led to an animated show in 1969, replete with Henry Mancini's theme starring the stylish and pantomiming Pink Panther who only spoke (Rich Little voiced him) twice. The show was retitled and expanded several times: The Pink Panther Meets the Ant and the Aardvark (1970-71), The Pink Panther and Friends (1974-76), The Pink Panther Laugh and a Half and a Half Show (1976-77), and The All New Pink Panther Show (1978). The Pink Panther universe included the Announcer (Marvin Miller), Charlie the Ant (John Byner), The Inspector and Sergeant Deux-Deux (Pat Harrington, Jr.), and Masterjaw (Arte Johnson). The Pink Panther later returned in two tv specials: Olym-Pinks in 1980, Pink at First Sight in 1981. The character returned in a reboot in 1993 in Pink Panther and Sons.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? premiered in 1969. My fandom of the show was fed by my great-grandmother telling me ghost stories. In an indirect way, this classic animated show whetted my interest in the paranormal to the point that today I am now a spiritual prayer warrior/exorcist. 'Scooby- Doo' was the brainchild of Fred Silverman who proposed a series about young people in a haunted house, a dog, a beatnik character like Maynard G. Krebs from The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, and the Frank Sinatra song lyric, "Scooby-do-be-do". Writers, Joe Ruby and Ken Spears created a show about four young people (including a beatnik character, Shaggy), a Great Dane maned Scooby-Doo, and a van called The Mystery Machine. The four would solve scary mysteries with a lot of comedy thrown in. Master illustrator, Iwao Takamoto was called in, voice talent was identified and stories were created around creatures, ghosts, phantoms, ghouls, witches, et al with a comic spin. The voice cast was comprised of Don Messick as Scooby-Doo, Casey Kasem as Norville 'Shaggy' Rogers, Frank Welker as Fred Jones, Stefanianna Christopherson as Daphne Blake, and Nicole Jaffe as Velma Dinkle. The show resonated with young viewers, and me. Shaggy and Scooby-Doo were the lovable cowards, Velma was the brains, Fred was the skeptic, and Daphne was the clumsy beauty. Each episode also included a final chase scene with a song playing in the background. Starting with the line, " And, I would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for those meddling kids!" became a famous trope. The show and characters' iconic position was enhanced by the many other catchphrases. In time, the series spawned numerous follow-ups and spin-off series: The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour (1976-78), Scooby's Laff=A-Lympics (1977-78), Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo (1979-2010), A Pup Named Scooby-Doo (1998-91), and What's New, Scooby-Doo? (2002-06). The show remains popular to this day.

Josie and the Pussycats spun off from the Archies and jumped to tv in 1970. Building on an established formula, the show featured three leopard-leotard wearing girl rockers tangling with a villain. The Pussycats (Josie -Janet Waldo / Valerie - Barbara Pairot / Melody - Jackie Joseph), Casey Kasem as Alexander Cabot III, Jerry Dexter as Alan, Sherry Alberoni as Alexandra Cabot, and Don Messick as Sebastian the cat. While Barbara, Josie and Alan dealt with the villains, Sebastian & Melody provided comic relief, and Alexandra connived against Josie. The girls always defeated the villain with a song-backed chase scene. The singing voices were provided by Cathy Douglas, Patrice Holloway, and Cheryl Ladd. who released a pop album in 1970. The series was re-packaged and retitled in 1971 to Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space. The shows only lasted two years but they returned in the 1973 show, The New Scooby-Doo Movies. A live-action movie was made in 2001. This show is credited for inspiring the Jem show in the 1980s.

Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972-85) had an urban setting about the Junkyard Gang, a group of boys dealing with real-life situations. There was always a moral lesson delivered in the show. Creator, Bill Cosby served as the narrator, Fat Albert, and James 'Mushmouth' Mush with Lou Scheimer voicing 'Dumb' Donald Parker, Eric Suter was Rudy Davis, Gerald Edwards was 'Weird' Harold Simmons, and Jan Crawford was Russell Cosby & Bucky Miller. The show began as a CBS TV Special in 1969, Hey, Hey, It's Fat Albert. It joined the Saturday morning schedule in 1972. The show also had three holiday specials, The Fat Albert Halloween Special, Fat Albert Christmas Special and The Fat Albert Easter Special. Fat Albert taught lessons about life and integrity.

Schoolhouse Rock! (1973-83) was the brainchild of adman, David McCall who was inspired by his son's struggle with math to come up with a method of teaching a school lesson that would 'stick.' Schoolhouse Rock! was not a regular show, rather it was comprised of several-minute fillers in between the cartoon shows. Behind these bite-size animated shorts was McCall, Bob Dorough (jazz musician), Blossom Dearie (jazz singer), Essra Mohawk (songwriter), Jack Sheldon (trumpeter & singer), Lynn Ahrens (lyricist), Dave Frishberg (jazz pianist), Phil Kimmelman & Associates (animators), and George Newell (production manager), Schoolhouse Rock! taught math, history, civics, manners, and science. Who knew, one could learn from a cartoon?

Super Friends (1973-86) fed my love of DC Comic characters. Established superheroes: Superman, Batman & Robin, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman were joined by teens, Wendy & Marvin and Wonder Dog. Guest superheroes, Flash, Green Arrow, and Plastic Man would appear to help. Danny Dark, Casey Kasem, Olan Soule, Shannon Farnon, Sherry Alberoni, Frank Welker, and Ted Knight lent their voice talents. Animator, Alex Toth (Space Ghost) brought the series to Saturday with villains and excitement. The series changed its name The All-New Super Friends Hour with a new trio: The Wonder Teens, Zan & Jayne and their pet monkey, Gleek. Other superheroes: Hawkgirl, Hawkman, Green Lantern, Atom, Black Vulcan, Apache Chief, El Dorado, and Samurai also joined the growing group. The show changed names three more times from 1978 to 1985. In 1978, the Legion of Doom (Lex Luthor, Cheetah, The Riddler, Solomon Grundy, Black Manta, Captain Cold, Giganta, and other) was added to battle the Justice League. The diversity and growth of the concept of good versus evil made this a long running and popular cartoon.

Tarzan, the Lord of The Jungle (1976-1980) was a faithful adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan character. It featured a voice cast of Robert Ridgely, Joan Gerber, ted Cassidy, Linda Gray, and Lou Scheimer. This show was mature and well-scripted. Initially, Tarzan stayed loyal to the original story line but in 1978 was modernized and paired with modern superheroes. It limped to its end in 1980 but inspired future live action and animated films in the 1990s and 2000s.

The Battle of the Planets (1978-80) was an adaptation of a Japanese anime series, Science Ninja Team Gatchaman. The Battle of the Planets was replete with G-Force, a band of orphans dedicated to fighting the evil lord, Zoltar in the year 2020. The gadgets, vehicles, and plots coupled with great animation made The Battle of the Planets a landmark animated series. The veteran voice cast of Casey Kasem, Ronnie Schell, Alan Young, Keye Luke, Janet Waldo, Alan Diehart, Jr., and Alan Oppenheimer added to the show's success. This was one of the last animated shows that I regularly watched.

The Smurfs show (1981-89) was a toy that became a cartoon. The whimsical fantasy show featured Smurfs, small blue creatures who lived in a mushroom village in an enchanted forest. Veteran voice actors: Don Messick, Frank Welker, Lucille Bliss, Danny Goldman, Paul Winchell, June Fray, and Alan Oppenheimer coupled with winning storytelling, minimal violence, and fantastic realms made this a hit.

Alvin and the Chipmunks (1983-90) was the second series to feature the singing trio and their adopted father, David Seville. Originally created in 1958, the Chipmunks were modernized and repackaged with decent story-telling and their classic songs. Creator, Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. provided most of the voices along with Dody Goodman and Janice Karman. They were later joined by the Chipettes and live-action movies followed in the 1990s, keeping the Chipmunks in the public eye in the 2000s.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe aired (1983-85) made the jump from the toy aisle to the tv. The fantasy series about Prince Adam aka He-Man (John Erwin) battling Skeletor (Alan Oppenheimer) mixed fantasy and science fiction. It had positive social messaging and has a cult following.

Jim Henson's Muppet Babies (1984-91) was born from the dream sequence of the movie, The Muppets Take Manhattan. The cartoon was sweet and loved by small children. Jim Henson & the Muppets troupe provided all the voices. The show dealt themes like friendship, kindness, loyalty, and self-esteem.

The Transformers (1984-87) is a cartoon based on the Hasbro toy. The show featured a never-ending war between Autobots and Decepticons, aliens who can transform. I never was a fan not liked the movies.

The Care Bears (1985-88) were Kenner toys, 9 bears who represented emotions and lived in Care Bear Kingdom. They had a loyal following among younger kids. The show spawned several movies in the 1980s.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1985-86) featured the Marvel toy line in animated adventures battling COBRA, their arch enemies. The show was violent and controversial. Live-action movies followed in the 2000s.

Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears (1985-91) took place in Candy Land, a fantasy world where Gummi Bears battle Licorice Whip. It borrowed heavily from classic Disney fantasy films and European Medieval folktales.

Thundercats (1985-89) was the Rankin-Bass show about cat-like people protecting Earth. It featured the voice talents of Earl Hyman and Larry Kenney.

Pee-Wee's Playhouse (1986-90) remains a classic because of Paul Reubens' manic persona and a colorful group of talented friends: Globby, Cowboy Curtis (Laurence Fishburne), Miss Yvonne (Lynne Marie), Chairry, Jambi, Reba (S Epartha Merkerson), Captain Carl (Phil Hartman), Conky, and Cartoon King (William Marshall). John Singleton and Rob Zombie were part of the production team. The show won several Emmy Awards. I loved this show.

Garfield and Friends (1988-94) was a popular comic book character who was sarcastic and manipulative. Voiced by Lorenzo Music, the show spawned several award-winning specials.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987-96) were another comic book character that became a popular tv show. The reptilian quartet battled the Evil Shredder while spewing surfer lingo. This show had a huge fan base and led to several movies. I did watch this show.

Bobby's World (1990-98) featured Howie Mandel as Bobby was a character from his stand-up days. He was re-packaged as a children's cartoon that featured morality from a child's view.

Tiny Toon Adventures was a 1990s cartoon was produced by Steven Spielberg it featured Buster Bunny, Babs Bunny, Plucky, Duck, Furrball, Hamton J. Pig, Elmyra Duff, Montana Max, and Dizzy Devil. This show was wild and hilarious with biting scripts.

Darkwing Duck (1991-93) was a clever reboot of classic cartoon shows. Darkwing Duck (Jim Cummings) was a crimefighter who battled Taurus Bulba (Tim Curry).This show balanced humor and action.

Animaniacs (1993-98) was another Spielberg hit but irreverent slapstick show was set the 1920s and 1930s. Yakko, Bosko and Honey, 3 wacky B & W siblings intelligently dealt with major events. The low brow humor was controversial.

Pinky and the Brain (1995-98) spun off of Animaniacs. Pinky & Brain are 2 mice whose brains were altered by genetic splicing with the Brain scheming to rule the world. His constant failure was the running gag. This was a cartoon for adults.

This book was a joy and one which I will treasure for years.

[Pop Bop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Memories and Browseable Tidbits

Bugs Bunny got his name because he was first drawn by an illustrator whose nickname was Bugsy; when anyone referred to the unnamed character they called it "Bug's Bunny". If you think that's interesting or amusing, then this is the book for you.

It's organized by decade. Each major cartoon show opens with a details factoid box, (date of airing, number of episodes, and so on), and then there are two to five pages of narrative text giving you the history of the show's development and run and syndication fate. I say this is browseable because the tidbits can vary in appeal. I was actually a living kid when "The Flintstones" first came out, so I don't need a detailed explanation about how it was modeled on the TV show "The Honeymooners". Everyone knew that. But then, again, it never occurred to me that "The Jetsons" was a variation on the TV sitcom "Blondie", and was even voiced by some of the actors from that show. So, depending on how old you are, what you knew, what you now remember, and what you care about, there are all sorts of odds and ends that will entertain and amuse.

The book runs from "the 60's" through "the 90's", which makes it a sort of multi-generational journey. I'm all 60's, with a thorough knowledge of Bugs Bunny, Flintstones, Jetsons, Johnny Quest, and Underdog. The 70's, featuring Scooby-Doo, Josie, Tarzan, and Fat Albert, is a dark glass. By the 80's my kids started coming on-line, and so I'm back up to speed with Smurfs, Alvin, Transformers, Care Bears and He-Man. Then we go vague again and Darkwing Duck, Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, and Bobby's World are all strangers. The grandkids are now all Paw Patrol, the second life of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and P.J. Masks, but their shows are beyond the reach of this book. (The author argues that the great Saturday morning blocks ended at the end of the 90's when the networks moved away from that model, but cable and Nickelodeon would probably beg to differ on that score.)

The narrative style suits the material. It's chatty without being corny and informative without being academic. There are lots of stills from the shows and even more behind the scenes photos of the actors and illustrators. A nice touch is that each decade has a few ads for contemporary toys, (Slinky, Battleship, Transformers), that create some childhood context and prompt a few fond memories.

So, either as a trip down memory lane, or as a surprising bit of cultural history, this was an entertaining, and surprisingly informative find. And I liked the illustrations.

(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

[Riq Hoelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great concept, less thrilled with the execution, for this book on Saturday morning cartoons of the '60s-'90s.

The book opens well with:

It might as well have been called Kidsday. Outside, snowflakes are falling. Inside, you are toasty warm beneath your Scooby-Doo patterned comforter. As the first rays of sunlight dance across your window pane, your eyes flick open with one all-consuming thought: It's Saturday morning! You scramble down your bunk bed, throwing the covers off your little brother. Unlike a school day, he doesn't need prodding to get going. The two of you tiptoe past your parent's closed door all the way to the kitchen to gorge on sugary cereal: Cap'n Crunch, Lucky Charms, Cocoa Puffs or Cookie Crisp. Milk splashes onto the linoleum floor and countertops - endearing little remains for your hardworking parents snoozing 'til noon.

You don't have time to worry about such messes. The Smurfs are calling. You have an appointment with them. Pronto. Then it's off to see Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears, Muppet Babies, and Alvin and the Chipmunks. Come to think of it, you have quite a packed morning. It's time to get going. You grab your brother's hand, rushing toward what promises to be another amazing Saturday morning of childhood bliss."

All the details are wrong, but conceptually this is exactly how it was.

One big surprise was that for many shows very few episodes were made.

Bugs Bunny Show: 52
Scooby-Doo: 41
Jonny Quest: 26
Jetsons: 24
Space Ghost: 20
Archie: 17
Josie & the Pussycats: a measly 16

Yet some of these shows went on for years and we kept watching them! That we were subjected to so many re-runs retrospectively annoys! I just thought we always happened to miss the new ones somehow.

The book also covers Schoolhouse Rock and some of the popular projects that were advertised such as Battleship, Life Cereal and so on.

I found the era during which I watched, up to about age 12, very interesting, but after that just as with the shows themselves, not so much, apart from Pinky and the Brain.

The book is doubly difficult to read as it is oversized, but with tiny print.

I wish they had made four books, one per decade, with more coverage of each show. Every show should have had at least half a page rather than covering only 7-10 for each and completely ignoring the rest.

But for the shows it covers, generally the most popular, culturally significant or later made into live action movies, it does a very nice job.

[Boyce McClain · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tradition has been lost.

It used to be that on Saturday mornings kids all over the good old U.S.A. would wake up early, grab a bowl of sugar-packed cereal while still in their pajamas and when finished eating would rush to watch the family TV.

Saturday morning was the time kids got to watch their fill of animated cartoons and shows (on all of the networks!). Superhero, funny animal and live action were all targeted to kids. No adults allowed.

From the 1960s to the 1990s kids’ shows ruled. Networks loved them because sponsors loved the money they racked in selling kids toys, gadgets, candy, cereals and much more. The more the sponsors made, the more the networks saw cash.

Writers Joe Garner and Michael Ashley, along with publisher becker&mayer! books, present It’s Saturday Morning! Celebrating The Golden Era Of Cartoons 1960s _ 1990s.

The beautiful, oversize hardbound book is absolutely packed with photos from classic shows such as The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Scooby Doo, Super Friends, The Smurfs, The Care Bears, G.I. Joe, Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, Darkwing Duck and so many more!

Besides the photos fascinating text delves into the history of Saturday Morning kid fare, who created it, the voice actors, scriptwriters, animators, production and even the classic commercials that accompanied the shows.

Each and every show is lovingly covered and explored with delightful bits and bites of behind-the-scenes stories and secrets.

I grew up watching many of the shows and then my kids loved their own series created specifically for their childhood years.

What a wonderful and delightful trip down Memory Lane. The book brings back so many fond memories. It reminds me of how much fun it was to be a kid, plopping myself on the floor or couch, still dressed in my pajamas, a glass of milk or juice nearby and turning on the TV and loosing myself in the magic of kids' Saturday morning TV shows.

"For I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness, One who relents from doing harm." — Jonah 4:2

[Eric Copeland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad overview of the "golden era" of cartoons, even if the book itself tends to be a bit unwieldy due to its size and shape.

With an introduction by comedian Howie Mandel (who not only grew up with some of the earlier cartoons mentioned in the book's pages, but also voiced characters on "Muppet Babies" and his own animated show, "Bobby's World"), the author was pretty judicious in his choices of which cartoons to cover. Each of the decades represented here has really just a handful of programs represented, though Mr. Garner intersperses his discussion of each show with pages that depict some of the toys, cereals, fads, and other aspects of Saturday morning cartoons -- which is fun because it enhances the cultural exploration of that era.

I was most familiar with the cartoons from the mid-'70s through the early '80s -- I was born in 1970, but my brother, who was born in 1978, watched some shows that I probably would not have seen otherwise. The '60s cartoons included here were known to me mostly through reruns/syndication or just as a general knowledge; the late '80s and '90s programs were mostly ones I knew only by reputation.

The author here chooses shows not necessarily based on their longevity, but on their cultural impact. Longevity was sometimes a factor, but there were several shows that lasted only a season or two... and are still well known today because of what they represented to kids and the world since then.

Pop culture and its history are among my favorite topics, so this book was right up my alley.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

*thank you to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group - becker&mayer kids! for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*

5 fantastic wonderful stars!!

Ohh My Lord! As a child born in 1985, I just HAD to have a copy of this. It was the cover (particularly the Care Bears picture) that grabbed me full force.

'A Look Back at Four Decades of Animation, Pop Culture, and Tradition'

I wanted to take my time with this book and thoroughly go through each and every page. I absolutely loved that the Foreword was written by Howie Mandel himself. That was another reasons I felt I would just love this. He was the perfect choice for being the one to start this book off. The cartoons are listed chronologically, from the 1960s to 1990s. The information about each cartoon makes this a really interesting read. It doesn't matter if you flip through this book because like me, you are also a child at heart looking to take a trip down memory lane or if you were born as a 2000s baby and are interested to see what cartoons were like 'back in the olden days'. This book will be a great read for you either way. Presented the way it is, it is definitely what is called a Coffee table book. Meaning it is one that you can pick up and put down as often as you want. It's an interesting read and the images are just pure love. This book easily met my expectations and did not disappoint.

[Richard Tolleson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful trip back in time to the days when networks went to war each and every Saturday morning, in a quest for Kid TV supremacy. For each show selected, there are behind-the-scenes stories detailing how the show came to be, and tales of the production.
Many favorites are included, but many more were left out. For instance, while Alpha-Bits and Sugar (now Golden) Crisp are mentioned in sections detailing advertising of the era, the show in which those two cereals and several others were heavily advertised was left out. The Linus the Lionhearted Show was, at the time, the most expensive Saturday morning show ever. With Sheldon Leonard, Carl Reiner, Ruth Buzzi, Jesse White, and Jonathan Winters among the voice talent, surely this show was worthy of inclusion.
But that's a minor quibble. This is overall a fun, informative book. Those who lived through the era will enjoy looking back, and perhaps future generations will look at this book and realize what they missed out on with their video games and their internets.

[Katrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice piece of nostalgia for anyone growing up in the age of Saturday morning cartoons. Sorted by decade, the more popular cartoons of that time are on show here, complete with a rather detailed overview of the production work and cultural impact that each one had.

A lot to like in this book. Some of the information was new to me, and I enjoyed reading about the cartoons that came before my time and previously never heard of.

The little factoids about the accompanying commercials was also a nice touch.

Rather liked this book.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[L.H. Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect dose of nostalgia!

Anyone who grew up during this time can enjoy this. While I wasn't born until 1994, I still have lots of memories from Saturday morning. To this day I still remember Disney's One Saturday Morning theme.
If you still, somehow, have The Little Mermaid on VHS (I do!) then you can watch one of the promotions for it, right before the movie starts. As someone who didn't really grow up with cable. Saturday mornings were something that I always looked forward to. Recess, Sabrina the Teenage Witch (animated, of course), and Pepperane were just some of my absolute favorites. And does anyone remember Mickey's House of Mouse?

[Mhorg · Rating 1 out of 5]

This seems to me to be a crass attempt for cash by playing on the memories of baby boomers. The writers really need to do some better research. How can you write about Bugs Bunny and NOT mention Bob McLampett, one of the Warner Brothers geniuses? And barely a mention of Tex Avery, who with Bob are the real father's of the wascally wabbit, not Chuck Jones, who came along later. Also, calling the Jonny Quest villain, Doctor Zin, a villainess? And later on was the Underdog balloon retired in 1984 or 85? Both dates are claimed. This book isn't close to being inclusive - where are the Herculoids, the Impossibles, the Galaxy Trio and many others? Just a very disappointing book.

[Scott Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 stars) For someone of my age, this one brought back a few memories. Saturday morning (and weekday afternoon) cartoons dominated the airwaves for kids back then. Scooby Doo, Looney Tunes, Garfield, etc. A fun trip down memory lane. Plenty of pictures and some interesting text to offer information and the back-story. Likely, the era of those type of shows/productions is by the wayside, with the internet and other mediums. This is mainly for those that remember actually watching this shows live, or fairly live. If this doesn’t apply to you, maybe a decent reference work, but not much more than that.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is American so some of the shows I don’t recall seeing over here but I loved the varied mix of Saturday morning cartoons over the years. Some well known others totally new to me.
Next to Walt Disney I loved all of the Hanna Barbera shows and reading about the company was a real eye opener.
The after these messages inserts are a lovely nostalgic twist about adverts that were shown during these shows for products that were all the rage of the years.
All in all it’s a lovely nostalgic look at when Saturday Morning TV was great for animation.

[GONZA · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew most all the cartoons that were shown in this book, even if in Italy there were more Japanese Anime compared to U.S., Still it was a journey in some very good childhood memories and I enjoyed it a lot!

Conoscevo la maggior parte dei cartoni animati in questo libro, anche se in Italia la parte del leone la facevano gli Anime giapponesi. Resta il fatto che questo libro mi ha permesso di fare un salto nel passato e ricordare la mia infanzia "televisiva" e questo mi é piaciuto molto.

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

[Thomas Mengeling · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great fun read about the good old Saturday morning cartoons. I liked the illustrations from every cartoon in the nook. It was a neat ritual for me back as kid, turning on the television at 7 and watching till the sports came on. The commercials also of every toy, food and clothing we kids back then wanted. Sad that it soon died away, only leaving reality shows and news now. I miss Bugs, superhero’s and Scooby but at least you can get them on DVD and show your kids what Saturday morning was.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book for those wishing to relive their childhood Saturday mornings sat in front of the tv. Mainly aimed at the US adults, but I do recall seeing many of these in England during my childhood. It covers from the 60s through to the 90s.

Its great to read, lots of facts on the programmes and includes those hits such as Scooby-doo, bugs bunny and the Smurfs along with lots of animations and retro adverts of kids toys.

I received this book from netgalley in return for a honest review.

[Fraser Sherman · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the introduction notes, Saturday morning as the part of the week kids watched cartoons is no longer a thing. This looks back at the cartoons of the 20th century: Jonny Quest, Flintstones, Schoolhouse Rock, Gummi Bears, Animaniacs, Josie and the Pussycats, etc., though I question some of the choices (Transformers and Thundercats ran in syndication throughout the week).
Informative, but not as mostalgic as I'd expected.

[Jay Gabler · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title promises a lot, and the book delivers enough that most readers probably won’t be disappointed. I reviewed It's Saturday Morning! for The Tangential.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This coffee table-sized book was lovely. Although 1, I noticed a HANDFUL of typos (smruf instead of smurf, three lines in the Josie and the Pussycats segment didn't feature a single space, etc) and 2, there were a few big-name shows that were seemingly forgotten: Captain Planet, Carmen Sandiego, etc.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd like to thank netgalley and quarto publishing for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. More like 3.5 stars. A fabulous throwback to the cartoons I used to watch as a child that includes full colour photos and information I never knew.

[Cristie Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It brought back such happy memories of my childhood growing up in the 80s. Saturday mornings were for watching cartoons and the authors provided me with new insight into the shows that were such a huge part of childhood for me and so many others.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun trip down memory lane. This book even included some of the most popular commercials during the specific time periods. I had forgotten about a lot of the cartoons and commercials, it was fun to be reminded. If you watched cartoons ever, this book is a must read.

[Paula Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This really took me back to a simpler time in my life. My worries included making sure that I got up on time to watch my favorite Saturday morning cartoons. The later cartoons reminded me of watching them with my older children. Kids these days don't know what they are missing!