''Once Upon A Dream''

Just picked up Charles Solomon's new book, ''Once Upon A Dream'' about the history of ''Sleeping Beauty''. It begins with the Perrault version of the story, continues with background information about him, and includes material about the subsequent Tchaikovsky ballet, and more background history concerning the tale's origins. The major part of the book deals with the making of the Disney classic. Quotes from some of the animators who worked on the film are integrated into the text. While by no means exhaustive (as were J.B Kaufman's 2012 ''Snow White'' volumes) it is the most detailed account so far. The big draw here is the wealth of artwork,(sketches, inspirational paintings and full color cels) much of it reproduced for the first time, and beautifully presented. The book concludes wit a chapter on the new ''Maleficent'' film, also showcasing sketches, photographs and paintings, along with comments from the filmmakers. This one's a keeper!.