So You Want To Be An Animator (So You Want To Be A...)

"So You Want to Be an Animator is one of more than 180 career-orienting books by Linda Soules. Dedicated to the profession of being an animator, it is an illustrated non-fiction book for children aged between ten and fourteen. With the aid of colorful, stunning pictures, the author explains the art and science of animating, what it takes to make a character drawn on paper move and breathe in a film, what other professionals work side-by-side with animators, animators’ must-have skills, and even the pitfalls in creating animation. The book also includes reading suggestions, websites to explore, things to do, organizations of animation professionals, and a list of the other books in the series. So, what does it take to be an animator?

So You Want to Be an Animator by Linda Soules has not a single dull moment. As an adult who still likes animated films, I discovered many fascinating new facts about the profession. I enjoyed exploring the colorful pictures and the informative narrative and marveled at the stellar quality and clarity, with perfectly balanced text and visuals. I also enjoyed the exercises – especially the thaumatrope! - for young readers to try their hand at creating an animation and experience the results! But most of all, I liked the author’s honesty in explaining the effort and the skills a person needs to succeed as an animator. I highly recommend this book to parents and teachers for their junior mentees who are curious about careers, especially children interested in drawing."

"So You Want To Be An Animator is a fun, colorful, and surprisingly detailed look at what it really means to work in animation. Written for kids ages 10–14, this illustrated nonfiction book goes way beyond 'animators draw cartoons' and shows readers how much patience, skill, teamwork, and imagination are involved in bringing a character to life. From hand-drawn animation and flipbooks to 3D computer animation, character rigging, storyboarding, and digital tools, the book gives young readers a clear picture of the many steps between a sketch in a notebook and a finished scene on screen.

One of the best things about this book is how honest it is. Soules doesn’t make animation sound easy or magical. She explains the actual craft behind it, including timing, squash and stretch, anticipation, follow-through, and the careful observation of how things move in the real world. In the section labeled The Hardest Parts of the Job the author states, 'Animation is extraordinarily time-consuming… a single second of fully drawn animation needs twenty-four separate drawings.' I didn’t consider this even as an adult. Kids who love drawing will likely find themselves looking at movement in a whole new way after reading this.

The book also does a great job showing that animation is a team effort. Animators work with directors, writers, sound designers, riggers, and many other artists to build a world that feels seamless to the audience. I appreciated that the book talks about the hard parts too, like the long hours of practice, the technical learning, and the patience it takes to create even a few seconds of finished animation. The exercises, glossary, suggested websites, organizations, and further reading make it feel practical, not just inspirational.

So You Want To Be An Animator is an encouraging and informative book for creative kids, especially those who are always sketching in the margins or pausing animated movies to study how characters move. It’s easy to understand without talking down to readers, and it’s interesting enough that adults may learn a few things too. I would highly recommend it to parents, teachers, and young artists who want a realistic but exciting look at animation as both an art form and a possible career."

"So You Want To Be An Animator by Linda Soules belongs to the So You Want To Be series, a growing library of career guides built for curious young minds. This volume turns a child's notebook sketch into an honest look at real craft, giving parents a clear view of what animation demands. A thoughtful entry point for families exploring creative careers.

What I appreciated most is how Soules moves from ancient cave paintings to a kid flipping notebook pages without the book ever feeling like a textbook. She explains what animators actually do: the five roles they juggle as actor and timekeeper, the tools from light boxes to digital rigs, and the quiet patience behind three seconds of screen time. There are profiles of pioneers like Miyazaki and Lotte Reiniger, plus genuinely usable prompts for flipbooks and stop-motion. I kept pausing to share sections with my kid, and she kept asking for one more page.

Soules writes with warmth and precision, weaving history with clear explanations of squash and stretch, walk cycles, and the twelve principles. The prose never talks down. A handy glossary backs up the terminology, and the closing pages feel genuinely moving without being sentimental. The illustrations are lively and inviting, giving children plenty to linger over on every page. The voice stays confident throughout, and the pacing makes it easy to follow on their own.

If your child draws in every margin and wonders how cartoons come alive, this book belongs on their desk. For parents, it treats animation as serious art and honest labor, not a cute hobby. Encouraging without sugarcoating the grind, it opens a door worth walking through together."

"So You Want to Be an Animator by Linda Soules takes young readers behind the scenes of something many of them probably encounter every day without thinking much about how it was created. Before reading this book, a child might assume that being an animator mostly means being really good at drawing. I knew there was obviously more to animation than that, but even I found myself thinking differently about animated characters after reading Soules’s explanation of what actually makes them feel alive. Animators aren’t simply artists. They are observers, actors, storytellers, students of movement and physics, and people with an extraordinary amount of patience. Their job isn’t just to move a character across a screen. It’s to somehow convince us that something made from lines, shapes, or pixels can think, feel, hesitate, react, and have a personality.

One of my favorite parts of the book was Soules’s description of an animator as five things at once: an actor, physicist, timekeeper, observer, and marathoner. That may be one of the best explanations in the book because it immediately shows children how many different abilities come together in animation. An animator might physically act out an expression or movement before drawing it, study how a cat lands or water falls to understand physics, and then manipulate tiny differences in timing to communicate what a character is thinking. I especially liked learning how much a pause can say. A character hesitating for just a fraction of a second before doing something can make us believe that character actually stopped to think about it. That’s such a small detail, but once Soules explains it, you begin noticing animation differently.

'Linda Soules shows young readers that animation isn’t simply about making drawings move—it’s about understanding movement, emotion, and timing well enough to make an audience believe those drawings are alive.'

Soules also gave me a new appreciation for the patience behind animation. A professional hand-drawn animator may complete only about three to five seconds of animation in an entire day. Traditional film runs at twenty-four frames per second, meaning a single second of fully drawn animation can require twenty-four separate drawings, although animators can also work 'on twos,' holding one drawing for two frames. Imagine spending an entire day working on only a few seconds of a character’s movement and knowing an audience will watch all those hours of work almost instantly. Then imagine being told the scene has changed and some of it has to be redone. Soules is surprisingly honest about that side of the profession. Revision can mean reworking something you thought was finished, and repetition is simply part of the job. I appreciated that she doesn’t take away the magic of animation while showing children just how much work creates it.

The 'Tools of the Trade' section was another part I enjoyed because it brings the old and new sides of animation together. Soules discusses pencils and light boxes alongside digital tablets, software, timelines, and exposure sheets. But what stood out to me most was her explanation that one of an animator’s most important tools is something they already have: their eyes. Animators watch the world. They study how a person walks, how a bird lands, how water falls, and how faces change with emotion. Many even keep a mirror at their desk so they can make an expression themselves, study their own face, and then use it as a reference. I can imagine children having fun with that idea because suddenly making ridiculous faces in the mirror can legitimately be called animation practice.

The 'A Day in the Life' section made the profession even easier to picture. Soules follows an animator working on a character lifting a heavy box. The animator begins by filming themselves lifting one, watches the footage repeatedly, and studies where the effort appears in the body. From there come key poses, feedback from a supervisor, computer-assisted in-between movement, adjustments, and finally the tiny details that make the performance believable. I was fascinated by how small those details can be—a slight delay in the fingers, shoulders that continue moving after the rest of the body stops, or a blink just before a major effort. By the end of the day, the animator watches the scene again and still finds things to fix tomorrow. That says quite a lot about the patience this career requires.

I also enjoyed seeing the different forms animation can take. Soules introduces hand-drawn 2D animation, stop-motion using puppets, clay, or cutouts, computer-generated 3D animation, and silhouette and cutout animation. I think this is particularly encouraging for children because it shows there isn’t only one doorway into this kind of creativity. A child who loves drawing may become fascinated with traditional animation, while one who enjoys building with clay or constructing little worlds might discover stop-motion.

The history section was equally interesting. Readers meet Hayao Miyazaki, Lotte Reiniger, Walt Disney, and Floyd Norman, and I liked that Soules chose people who demonstrate very different ways of contributing to animation. Reiniger created The Adventures of Prince Achmed using intricate black-paper silhouettes. Miyazaki’s work demonstrates the power of hand-drawn animation, while Walt Disney’s story illustrates what persistent imagination can build. I especially appreciated the inclusion of Floyd Norman, who became the first Black animator at Disney. Soules explains that he helped animate Sleeping Beauty and The Jungle Book and later worked for decades on Disney and Pixar productions. Together, these stories show children that animation has been shaped by different people, techniques, technologies, and artistic visions.

'Soules celebrates not only the magic audiences see on the screen, but the patience, observation, repetition, and imagination of the artists who create it one tiny movement at a time.'

The fun facts were some of my favorites. One minute of fully drawn animation contains 1,440 frames. Mickey Mouse’s four fingers originated as a practical shortcut because four were faster to draw than five. And Merida’s wild red hair in Pixar’s Brave was so complicated—with 1,500 hand-sculpted curls controlling almost 112,000 individual hairs—that Pixar’s existing software couldn’t handle it. A team developed a new simulator specifically for her hair and named it Taz. These are the kinds of details that could make children go back to their favorite animated movies and start wondering how everything they’re seeing was actually made.

I also liked that Soules doesn’t leave children thinking animation is something they have to wait until adulthood to try. They can make a flipbook, create a simple stop-motion film using toys, clay, LEGO bricks, or other objects, act out movements before drawing them, experiment with facial expressions, or practice drawing the same character repeatedly until they can keep its appearance consistent. That last exercise says a lot about the profession. Drawing a great character once is one thing; drawing that same character again and again while making it look like the same person is an entirely different skill. Best of all, children don’t need expensive software to find out whether animation interests them. As Soules points out, they can start with paper, a pencil, and curiosity.

Overall, So You Want to Be an Animator is an engaging introduction to the creativity, observation, patience, collaboration, and technical skill behind animation. Linda Soules does a great job of preserving the magic of bringing a character to life while showing children that the magic doesn’t happen magically. It takes thousands of tiny decisions about movement, timing, expression, weight, emotion, and storytelling. I would recommend this book for young readers who love drawing, animated movies, storytelling, computers, art, building characters, or simply figuring out how things move. More importantly, it may help a child who is always drawing little characters in the corner of a notebook realize that those drawings don’t necessarily have to stay there. With enough patience, practice, and imagination, they might just learn how to make them move."

"Linda Soules does an excellent job of describing the day to day life of an animator....Overall, the book is an eye opener for any child or adult wanting to pursue this art!"

"I checked out this book because I have a granddaughter that is consumed with drawing. We are also huge Disney animator fans and I have wanted to find something that might encourage her and give her some things to think about. I was extremely impressed with this work. The detail and the "things to begin to do" at the conclusion of the book were perfect. Now that I've tackled the book, she is next. I can hardly wait to watch her eyes brighten up."

"My little artist loved this book. Especially the 'What You Can Do to Prepare Now' section."

"I was pleasantly surprised by this book. At first I thought it would be for little kids, but my almost 6th grader loved it! It was great at detailing what an animator really does (I had no idea!) and even down to what their average day might look like. The author said “an animator doesn’t move a character…. But moves an audience”. This book was incredible. I plan to read the others in the series as well!"

"So cool- I wish I would have had this type of book when I was younger. It’s such a great insight into the animating profession. The illustrations are multicultural and use vivid colors. This book grasped my attention from the start. It is extremely informative and immersive, to the point where you almost feel like you’re sitting with the animators watching and learning about their jobs. I liked that it also includes history about animation, famous animators, and extra facts. After reading about animators, this book also switches gears from providing information to enabling consideration as to whether this could be a future career or not! It really gets the reader involved."

"This book is a thoughtful and informative introduction for young readers who are interested in pursuing a career in animation. The author provides an impressive depth of knowledge by explaining not only what animators do, but also the skills, tools, patience, collaboration, and creativity the career requires. I especially appreciated how the book breaks down complex ideas like timing, movement, storyboarding, and character expression in a way that feels clear and engaging. The sections on famous animators, animation vocabulary, and ways to prepare right now make the book feel practical as well as inspiring. Overall, this is a positive and useful resource for readers who want a deeper understanding of what it truly takes to become an animator. I would recommend this book for upper elementary to middle school students. This would be a perfect addition to a school 'career day' library or something similar. Animation is a lot more in depth than kids think, so this book is a good resource to show what it takes to be a true animator."

"This book answers the question of what it is like to be an animator for kids. Not only does it give them a guide, but it includes a typical day in the life with times of the day. it makes it easy for kids to realize what it would be like. I love the fact the included more than just walt disney. They included a black animator, which could inspire young african american boys and girls to go into this. It is a shorter book but for the age level this is perfect. It includes a lot of images that kids will associate with the text. It is written with an eye to reach children, and speaks on their level. You can tell the author cares not only about being an animator, but inspiring children to know they could do it too."

"Great book! I'm introducing my kids to different types of jobs so they can figure out what they want to do in the future and this series is going to be great. The art is nice, cozy, and realistic for the job it's showing. They go into the technical description for animation, fun facts, and historical ones. Sooo much in such a small book! Looking forward to the next one!"

"For being a children's book, this is amazingly thorough! It gives some fun, interesting facts (I particularly liked the fun fact about the bison in France 30,000 years ago) and a thorough overview of what it takes to be an animator. Everything from what they do, what they need, and where they can work. My 9 year old son who is an aspiring animator or designer absolutely adored this book!!"

"Kids will be thrilled to learn about a career in animation. This book starts with the history of animation and all the improvements in this field over time. Did you know an animator is 5 things all at once? So much is involved in animation, it's incredible! I love that the author includes the best parts of the job and also the most surprising things about the job. This really helps you evaluate if this is the right career choice for you. Excellent book!"

"Very creative story about a career interest for children. I have never seen another story about the career of an animator. It was interesting to learn about what is all involved in this job. I liked the pictures and how they showed and explained the different parts of the story. Interesting read for kids to explore a new interest."

"Both of my boys (9 & 10) are really into animation and have expressed interest in wanting to become animators when they grow up. This was a good book to give them age appropriate information on what an animator may do for work, how it works and so forth. The illustrations were cute but not too childish. Overall it was a good book for older kids."

"Love this mini series! I wanted to be an animator and if I had this as a child it would’ve really given me the push!"

"I love this series! Each book provides a detailed age appropriate description of the craft including needed skills as well as unexpected skills, who you work with, a day in the life and a list of additional resources. I learned so much about what it takes to be an animator."

"Early in this book the author takes the reader through the 5 things an animator actually does. An actor, a physicist, a timekeeper, observer and marathoner. This page truly shows how many things go into this job and opens the reader up to the information that is going to follow. This helps younger readers see that every job requires a variety of skills. I am constantly impressed by how much detail the author provides on the fields of different jobs. Every book has a what they do, where they work, tools they use, best parts of the job, hardest parts of the job, the most surprising thig about the job, a day in the life, and important qualities for that job. I like how the author always lists famous and known people in that field to provide historical references and then finishes with facts and how to prepare. The glossary for the animator role is a great tool to help learn vernacular and then a list of books, websites, tasks and organizations are provided at the end."

"This book is great for anyone interested in animation, young or old. There is so so much useful information, while also being simple and straight forward enough to not be boring. Also, the illustrations are adorable. I wish this series of books was around when I was a kid!"

"Interesting to read about what a journalist really is and the components of their job. I remember when I finally learned how to read and write, I loved it! Being a journalist involves writing true real stories that the public can read and be informed of what events are happening. I think that a journalist will always have a lot of work to do because events are always going to happen in the world. I feel like the older generations read newspapers while the younger generations read online articles. Without a journalist, we would not always hear about what is going on in the world. People rely on the word of others especially if it’s true and written in detail. I think this author is great for young readers and adults to be informed of the most important jobs the world has to offer."

"For every youth who doodles and wants to know what's next, this book unravels the mystery by providing an interactive birds eye view of a career in this media discipline. Based on the author's input and friendly language, this career appeals to a patient, detail-minded artist who enjoys being part of a team. Illustrations support the written word while homework exercises move the individual from passive reader to active participant. Also included are a history of the craft, a day in the life schedule and short bios of notable animators, such as Walt Disney. Yea or nay. Does becoming an animator feel like home? This book guides you to that answer."

"Absolutely amazing!! The illustrations throughout are beautifully done. This book combines a wealth of knowledge with a fun-loving perspective, keeping you engaged while you learn. I love how it doesn’t sugarcoat the hard parts, but doesn’t just list facts at you either. Highly recommended for any curious young artists."

"So You Want to Be an Animator by Linda Soules is an engaging and informative work for young readers that want a look into the world of animation. The colorful illustrations and easy to follow information make the concepts enjoyable for all ages. The book not only explains the creativity, patience and technical skills required to bring characters and stories to life but also teaches about the process involved from start to finish. Some topics explored are storyboarding, character design, stop-motion and digital animation. The book also teaches about the many professionals that work together to create animations. This book is a valuable guide for aspiring young animators."

"I really like this author. The whole series is just great. Vivid illustrations great way of explaining for a child to understand."

"My boys had different reactions to this one. My 12 year old was really interested in learning how animation is made and was surprised by how much work goes into creating cartoons and movies. My 8 year old enjoyed all the colorful pictures and liked seeing the different animation styles. The book was easy to follow and explained things in a way that kept them interested without being too overwhelming. It also got them asking questions about how their favorite cartoons are made and what it takes to become an animator.

It was a fun and educational read. If your child enjoys drawing, cartoons, or has ever said they want to make their own animations one day, I think they'll enjoy this book."

"This was a really cute and informative book. My daughter has been interested in animation for the last year and it's on her list on what she might want to do for her career. This book does an excellent job on breaking down the parts of the job. It discusses the joys and the hard parts. I love how she explains things in her books and all of the pictures to go with her explanations. There is a lot more into being an animator than kids think about and this book breaks it all down and explains then very well. I am going to look into her other books because I really liked everything about this book."

"I have to admit, I picked up this book because my son is considering making cartoons - or animation. I was expecting Ms. Soules to give a good primer of the process, and leave it at that.

I was wrong. But in the best way possible. Not only does she cover the ins and outs of the daily activity (24 drawings per second of animation! I had no idea!), but she also touches on the history, development of the art over time. I was really pleased to see a mention of Floyd Norman, one of the first black animation artist to work with Disney."

"As a child, I was always drawing and coloring and if I had this book to learn what it takes to be an animator, I think my life would have been a lot different! I loved reading this book about what animators do (drawing movements frame by frame, which is hard but rewarding work! I never would have thought that a3 second frame would that a full work day to create!) , where the work (studio, from home, a cubicle (so many options), the materials they use (omg I didn’t think they would still use a light box in this day and age) and who they work with and more!

Very informative and fun to read for the child who loves animated movies, drawing or is creative in general to make an informed career choice."

"Inspiring book for teens and kids that helps them understand animation. I absolutely loved this book. I read it to my kids and they got excited about making their own notepad animation and so we tried it out. It is the perfect length for older kids and has a lot of fun facts. The animated pictures are really neat and fill little minds with creativity and wonder.

This is a great place to start for kids who love drawing or art. My kids often as for YouTube videos on how to draw or coloring books that have instructions. This book helps children understand how important animation is in movie-making and how long the process can take."

"So You Want to Be an Animator by Linda Soules is a non-fiction book for kids who love drawing, movies, and creativity. It explains how animators bring characters to life and shows that animation is about much more than making things move. Through fun facts, real examples, and easy-to-understand explanations, readers learn about the skills, tools, and teamwork involved in creating animated films. The book encourages young artists to practice, stay curious, and believe that their ideas can become something amazing.

The illustrations are colorful, engaging, and full of energy, helping readers imagine what it is like to work as an animator. The artwork shows characters in action, animation tools, workspaces, and scenes from the creative process, making the information easier to understand and more exciting to read. The pictures work well with the text, adding personality and visual interest to every page. Together, the writing and illustrations create a book that is both educational and fun, making it a great choice for kids who dream of bringing their own drawings to life."

"This book gives readers a great amount of information about all the things that animators do and how everything works. It also talks about famous animators from the past, as well as various other interesting facts. The best part of the whole book was toward the end when it tells readers what they can do now to prepare for being an animator in the future!"

"I absolutely loved this book and couldn't put it down!

I look forward to sharing it with my son as he enjoys drawing. It is a great platform to explore what an Animators job is like.

This book reads a cross between a text book and a novel. Very nice!"

"This was fascinating. Amazing! I learned a lot on how much dedication and time it takes for something, just to bring happiness to people. I read this to my son and so many questions. I've never seen him so excited and show so much interest in something. Can't wait to read the next in the series!"

"This was a very good book. I used to love making animations when I was younger and this got me excited about it again. I showed it to my son, who also likes animation and he loved it too. I love that it gives credit to the start of animation in cave drawing and shows how far we’ve come to digital cartoons now. Makes you appreciate the work that has gone into animations and from animators. I also love the ideas to get kids of all ages started in animation. Very informative and interesting book."

"I love all of the 'So You Want To Be' books. The writer gives so much information without it being overwhelming. Details that wouldn't be thought about on the subject unless you actively look for them. Great read."

"This book does a fantastic of introducing kids and teens to what animators do, the skills they need, the tools they use, and what it's really like to work in the animation industry. The illustrations are beautiful, the layout is engaging and the information is presented in a way it's easy to understand without feeling overwhelming. I especially liked that covers everything from career paths and teamwork to famous animators and practical advice for getting started. Its an inspiring, educational read for anyone who loves drawing, storytelling, or dreams of working in animation. Highly recommend!"

"We really liked this book. It was great learning that animation is about so much more than drawing—it combines creativity, observation, storytelling, timing, and even an understanding of how things move. We especially liked the behind-the-scenes look at both traditional and digital animation and how much patience and attention to detail go into bringing characters to life. The colorful illustrations kept everyone engaged, while the book’s emphasis on creativity, teamwork, and perseverance sparked some great conversations. Overall, this is an engaging and inspiring book for kids who love drawing, movies, storytelling, or have ever wondered how animated characters come to life."

"It was interesting how animators make the character come to life. They have to also show the expression of the character. They all work as a team and can't without one another. I was shocked at the end when they mentioned Mickey mouse only has 4 fingers and they went on to say bugs Bunny as well which I had never noticed. They also stated how Disney went on to change the world and people's lives. How mickey mouse was created and also mentioned Pixar. I thought it was a great book to read. I definitely recommend this to anyone to read. I never had noticed just how much effort goes into animating a character. You have to capture its emotions and play it out. Different roles that make up that character and brings it to life. I definitely love learning about different roles. Looking forward to more books from this author."

"Read this for my art-loving 12-year-old. Great vivid pictures and facts. Learned something new about animation. Love this series."

"My favorite part was learning about character design and story boarding. I thought it was really cool to see how an idea can turn into a whole story. I also liked learning about the different artists who work on animated movies and shows."

"For kids going into middle school who have an aspiration to draw, but yet doesn't know what their sketches can do, this is a good book to help guide them. The fun facts (like Mickey Mouse 4 fingers) is geared towards kids and even middle school. It helps explain how long it takes for one simple frame, and the tools needed if you'd want to become an animator. Great short read for aspiring animators."

"A fun, creative, and inspiring book for children! The illustrations are beautiful, and it explains animation in an easy and interesting way. It encourages children to be creative and follow their dreams. Highly recommended!"

"So You Want To Be An Animator is an inspiring and creative book that explains the world of animation in a way that is easy for kids to understand while still being fascinating for older readers. The author does a great job showing that animation is not just about drawing cartoons, but about bringing characters to life with emotion, movement, and personality.

One of the best examples in the book is the explanation of a bouncing ball. The author explains that a bouncing ball feels alive when it hesitates before bouncing again, almost as if it is 'thinking' before moving. This simple example helps readers understand how animators make audiences connect emotionally with drawings and animated characters.

Overall, this book is encouraging, informative, and full of imagination. It would be perfect for any young artist or anyone curious about how animated movies are made."

"Love to draw and see things come alive? Maybe your little one really enjoys understanding how things work. If so, this book is for you. It’s full of a lot of knowledgeable information. So many things we take for granted when we see Mickey Mouse dance across the screen."

"This book is very informative. The glossary at the end is a great added bonus. Very good pictures to help understand the process of becoming an animator. Looking forward to reading more books in this series."