Celebrate the
shows, characters, songs, and commercials that made Saturday mornings a pop
culture event.
It's Saturday Morning! A Look Back at Four Decades of
Cartoons, Pop Culture, and Tradition
By Joe Garner and
Michael Ashley | Published October 23, 2018
With concept art, archival
images, and all-new interviews, It’s Saturday Morning! celebrates the
shows, characters, songs, and commercials that made Saturday mornings a pop
culture event.

That
experience is captured in the new book It’s Saturday Morning! A
Celebration of the Golden Era of Cartoons, 1960s – 1990s, by Joe Garner and
Michael Ashley (becker & mayer! October 23, 2018). “Saturday mornings
were magical,” says co-author Garner, adding, “you waited all week for Saturday
and the cartoons were like fuel for your imagination that powered your play for
the rest of the weekend.” Essentially, for millions of kids the Saturday
morning cartoons were pure escapism at its most vivid and silly. The animation,
characters, voices and stories were something all kids shared, millions
having at least one thing in common: hours in front of the TV every Saturday,
laughing and enjoying the latest cartoon adventures.
It’s Saturday Morning! is
not only a loving tribute, it’s a great resource for everyone who never left
the TV on Saturday mornings. Starting with the 1960’s and The Bugs Bunny Show,
thru the 1990’s and Pinky and the Brain, the book is filled with details on how
and when the iconic cartoons were created and the people behind the writing and
animation. According to Garner, “we had so much fun researching the stories
behind the cartoons. As often as possible, our goal was to make sure that no
matter how much our readers think they know about a particular cartoon,
we tried to make sure to include something in the story that may surprise
them.”
Generations have enjoyed and been
influenced by Saturday morning cartoons and the book is the perfect opportunity
to introduce today’s kids to a magical – yet bygone – era. For co-author
Ashley, the book is not only for the fans of Saturday morning cartoons “but
also for their children. Not only can fans relive their memories but they can
teach their kids about a different time – with unforgettable characters, catchy
songs, hilarious shenanigans, and adventures galore.”
In addition to the stories behind
the cartoons, 400 images including concept art, archival images, and all-new
interviews, comedian Howie Mandel wrote the foreword. “One of the most pleasant
surprises was in discovering how big a fan Howie is of Saturday morning
cartoons, says Garner, adding, “we knew he’d done voice acting for cartoons and
even created one (Bobby’s World). But when he spoke about his experience
as a kid getting up extra early on Saturdays so he wouldn’t miss a minute of
cartoons, it was with genuine excitement and affection.”
Ultimately, It’s Saturday
Morning is not only a must-have for fans, but it was a labor of love for
the co-authors. The book, explains Ashley, “fills a vacuum in our lives.
We grew up watching these shows and loved them…it was a seminal childhood ritual
that shaped our childhoods and influenced our imaginations.” Its
Saturday Morning, Ashley adds, “commemorates a seminal childhood ritual.”
This collection is a celebration and exploration of the shows, characters,
songs, and TV commercials that made Saturday morning cartoons a pop culture
event that still influences today.
Joe Garner is a six-time New York
Times bestselling author. His books include We Interrupt This
Broadcast, Now Showing, Made You Laugh, and 100 Yards of
Glory.
Michael Ashley is a screenwriter and ghostwriter
whose creative talents were behind the Disney TV film Girl Versus Monster
and the books The Six-Figure Writer (2015) and Fiction in a Weekend
(2017). He has ghostwritten both fiction and nonfiction books and established
his own creative content company, Ink Wordsmiths. Michael lives in Los Angeles.
Published by
becker & mayer! | Available October 23, 2018
Hardcover, 228 pages | $34.99 USD, $45.99 CAN |
ISBN: 9780760362945The 411:
Who doesn't remember waking on a Saturday when you were a kid and spending the morning watching cartoons with your siblings? It was one of my favorite things about my childhood. We would lie in the living room and watch The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Pink Panther, Yogi Bear, Bugs Bunny and so many others. There was nothing like it. It was a time that I am so glad I grew up in. There was no You Tube, smartphones, iPads, computers, game systems we all watched the same thing. We sang the theme song, laughed, talked and played. It was a wonderful time to grow up and I get nostalgic even now when I fall upon on of my favorite childhood cartoons.
It's Saturday Morning celebrates the golden age of cartoons and about how the characters were created, how long the show was on air, how many episodes, and who voiced the characters as well as really cool information like...did you know that The Jetsons was the first series to air on ABC in color? No? Me either how cool is that?! Oh and Scooby Doo...he got his name because of Frank Sinatra. And..Josie and the Pussycats were way ahead of their time. As the first cartoon presenting females as lead characters who fought crime "They weren't anyone's Angels. They did their own thing".
It really is a special book and would be a great gift to anyone but especially your siblings who will undoubtedly remember all the times you fought over which show to watch (There weren't many but sometimes...you needed to choose.)
To Purchase:
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary product for my honest opinion. No monetary compensation was offered.
This looks like a great book. Saturday mornings were the best! I can remember each fall there would be a Friday night special at the beginning of each new season showing the new cartoon line up. This book would be like taking a trip down memory lane!
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