“Disney Parks Presents: The Haunted Mansion”

Disney Press recently released “Disney Parks Presents: The Haunted Mansion,” a 32-page children’s picture book that takes readers on a tour of the Disneyland Haunted Mansion attraction. The book is the first in the new “Disney Parks Presents” series, which will eventually feature other Disney theme park attractions, notably Pirates of the Caribbean and the Jungle Cruise. Illustrated by James Gilleard, the book contains full-spread artwork of nearly every scene in the beloved attraction—the foyer, the changing portrait hallway, and the limbo scenes are not represented.

Jumping right into the “story” will put you at the endless hallway scene, which confused me for a few seconds. Surely, a tour of the Haunted Mansion can’t begin there! But, low and behold, the tour actually starts on the outside of the book.

The front cover starts the reader at the Mansion’s entrance, the three Hitchhiking ghosts and the book’s title embossed on ghostly foil printing. Flip the book over, and you see the pet cemetery, the family crypts, and the hillside tombstones on the back cover. Open the front flap of the book cover, and you’ll see—rather, not see—the ghost horse that is perpetually hitched to the hearse. Inside, the credits and copyright notices are printed on the walls of the stretching portrait gallery.

The illustrations have a contradictory nature of being bold & colorful while at the same time being faded and unsaturated. They remind me of old photos where the colors have faded and shifted, giving overall casts of pink, green, blue, or yellow. It’s very retro. If you look closely, there is even some grit and grime worked into the graphics. Visually, the book is eye candy for any Haunted Mansion fan or imaginative child. And, a lot of imagination is needed.

“Disney Parks Presents: The Haunted Mansion” is a picture book, not a story book. There is no story or narrative to guide you through the Mansion, sadly. I think making this a story book would have given it a lot of life as well as help bring more parents and children together during story time. Unless they have Mansion geeks for parents that can elaborate more on what’s happening in the images, children will have to be content with staring at the pictures and using their imagination (not that that’s totally bad).

The pages do have the lyrics of “Grim Grinning Ghosts” written throughout the book, but they hardly match the scenes they’re printed on.

The book comes with an audio CD containing the song, “Grim Grinning Ghosts,” prefaced with the Ghost Host’s opening lines from the attraction’s foyer. But, other than a fun song (I know it by heart), it doesn’t add much to the book. Trying to flip through the book in sync is nearly impossible because of the song’s fast pace. Sure, you can keep up, but you don’t have time to enjoy the illustrations.

Personally, I suggest slowly browsing the book with “The Haunted Mansion: An After Hours Tour,” from Joshua Harris’ “A Chilling Night in the Haunted Mansion,” playing in the background. It’s an appropriate 13 minutes and 13 seconds in length. Play the track on a loop; you’ll thank me.

Besides lacking a story/narration, “Disney Parks Presents: The Haunted Mansion” is a beautiful book that will capture young minds. Just remember that you’re buying pictures and a song before you dish out too much money; shop around.

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