117. Bill Peet: An Autobiography

Bill Peet: An Autobiography by Bill Peet


Pages: 190
Finished: June 27, 2008
First Published: 1989
Genre: children, non-fiction
Rating: 3.5/5

Reason for Reading: After reading all those Bill Peet books a while ago I remembered I had always wanted to read his autobiography.

First sentence:

In that compartment of the brain where visual memories are stored mine has
been cluttered with an endless assortment of things starting with the two pigs
we raised in my birthplace of Grandview, Indiana.

Comments: More memoir than full-fledged autobiography, Peet gives glimpses of his childhood before settling down with the tale of his artistic career. A great portion of the book deals with his Disney years and the book would have been a treasure just for that alone. But in grand Bill Peet style his autobiography is not like any other I've read. Just like his other books (for children) this is a picture book with not more than eight lines of text per page and that text is surrounded with b/w illustrations. Each page is a visual feast from top to bottom. Peet lived such an interesting life it would have been more informational if the book were written in the traditional sense and included more details but since Peet considered himself an artist and not a writer this format is understandable. The intended audience for this book (even though it is a picture book) is for older children, ages 10 and up. Though I think adults will be the most appreciative of the text. A great read for fans of Peet's children's books and for Disney fans who'd like to hear about the Bill Peet years with Disney from his own mouth. A great read that left me wanting to know much more about Bill Peet. Recommended.

P.S. Please help me out with suggestions of documentary TV Shows suitable for kids in my post here. Thanks!