There are a lot of different imprints at Disney Books, the mammoth publishing arm of the Disney machine. Age of the intended reader is a big differentiator for where books call home, as is the tie-in franchise (if there is one). But there are also a few imprints and brands that fly under the radar and are relatively unknown.

One of those unsung imprints is the Artist Showcase series of picture books under the Disney-Hyperion umbrella. The Artist Showcase program is an opportunity for Disney animators, artists, and writers to flex their creative muscles and tell original stories in a different format. Some stories yearn to be told on the page and might simply work better as a book than as animation.

So, once a year, full-time regular employees of both Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDA) and Pixar Animation studios are invited to submit a proposal for a new children’s book. All the story ideas go through an internal vetting procedure that involves both the studios and Disney Publishing before one is finally selected for publication.

The two series of picture books (one for each studio) center the spotlight on some of the incredibly talented artists at Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Animation Studios. If you’re a Disney fan – or a fan of animation in general – many of the familiar “household names” you know are actually directors. Artist Showcase allows the nose-to-the-grindstone animators and artists to shine.

We’ve previously covered Andy Harkness’s charming Bug Zoo, which is part of the WDA Artist Showcase series. But here’s a roundup of four recent books (two from each studio) that deserve a place on your bookshelf and in your bedtime rotation.

Box Meets Circle

By Aaron Hartline (Pixar Animation Studios Artist Showcase)

Aaron Hartline is an animator at Pixar and has worked on Up, Toy Story 3, Brave, Inside Out, and the upcoming Toy Story 4. Box Meets Circle is his first children’s book. Clearly influenced by Mo Willems’s legendary Elephant and Piggie series, Box Meets Circle presents a similarly unlikely friendship and the hurdles they have to overcome. One loves to jump; the other loves to sit. They want to play together, but unfortunately, neither is capable of doing what the other wants to do. (I’ll let you figure out which is which.)

Fans of Willems will find a lot to love here. There are no backgrounds, and the character designs for Box and Circle are simple yet incredibly effective. Hartline employs an artistic style that conveys a sense of fluid movement – not surprising from an animator. It feels like the two are moving across (and off) the page.

He’s also managed to give both Box and Circle unique and fun personalities – which is impressive since each is composed of only a few lines. And that’s the key. Less sometimes is better. In many respects, Box Meets Circle is a study in visual minimalism.

But the joy it gives is decidedly not minimal.

Henri’s Hats

By Mike Wu (Pixar Animation Studios Artist Showcase)

Mike Wu is a familiar name in our house because of his lovely Ellie picture books and The Oodlethunks series of middle grade books (which Wu illustrates). But Henri’s Hats was his first picture book idea and is his first title for the Artist Showcase series.

At Pixar, Wu was an animator on The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Up, Toy Story 3, and Coco. And the influence of those films can be seen in Henri’s Hats. It shares the intoxicating call of adventure that permeates Up and features – like Coco – a heartfelt story of a boy and his grandparent.

Henri and his mother visit his Grand-Papa, “far away from the lights and sounds of the city.” Soon enough, Henri discovers an old trunk filled with hats, which – along with a little imagination – are like tickets to other worlds, lives, and adventures.

Wu’s art is magnetic, and the message is inspiring for young readers – and listeners. Life is full of adventures. Open your arms and embrace them.

Catch My Breath

By Paul Briggs (Walt Disney Animation Studios Artist Showcase)

As someone who gets paid to play with language, books about idioms will always find a way into my heart. And Catch My Breath by Paul Briggs (storyboard artist and head of story on The Princess and the Frog, Tangled, Frozen, Big Hero 6, Zootopia, and more) is no exception.

As he explains in his author’s note, the idea for the story came to him at a time when his sons were born and his mother passed – when he witnessed both the “first breaths of life and a last breath of life.”

The book is a charming look at some of the many idioms we have about “breath.” Let me catch my breath. She took my breath away. Waiting with bated breath. You get the idea.

A young boy’s breath gets away from him (as a cute red bubble) while running, and as he tracks it down again, he finds it in all sorts of situations that lend themselves to various idioms.

Holly’s Day at the Pool

By Benson Shum (Walt Disney Animation Studios Artist Showcase)

Benson Shum was an animator on Wreck-It Ralph, Frozen, Big Hero 6, Zootopia, Moana, Ralph Breaks the Internet, and the upcoming Frozen 2. He’s also illustrated several children’s books, but Holly’s Day at the Pool was his first.

The book is an adorable look at the fear and anxiety kids imagine for themselves when facing new experiences – such as swimming. Who among us hasn’t gotten caught in a “What if…?” loop that had us stirring together every conceivable (no matter how unrealistic) outcome and prevented us from really, actually just doing the thing?

Holly is a hippo who loves to have fun but balks at the idea of swimming in the pool. What if the water’s too cold? What if she sinks? What if she gets water up her nose?

The what ifs keep coming until she gets the chance to be a hero. Then all those what ifs suddenly don’t seem so important… or likely.