The Art of Cartoon Saloon: 25 Years: The Official Retrospective of the Award-Winning Irish Animation Studio behind The Secret of Kells, Wolfwalkers, and Song of the Sea

The official visual retrospective of the first 25 years of Cartoon Saloon, the award-winning, internationally renowned Irish animation studio behind The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, Puffin Rock, and Wolfwalkers

The Art of Cartoon Saloon: 25 Years takes fans on a gorgeous illustrated journey through the first 25 years of the award-winning animation studio.

Cofounded in 1999 by Tomm Moore, Nora Twomey, and Paul Young in Kilkenny, Ireland, Cartoon Saloon has garnered countless accolades for their stunning hand-drawn animation, including four Academy Award nominations.

Their body of work encompasses feature film releases including The Secret of the Kells, Song of the Sea, The Breadwinner, WolfWalkers, and My Father’s Dragon, and the beloved children’s series Puffin Rock, as well as short films and commercial work.

The studio’s 2D films, which have persisted and thrived in a cinematic landscape that increasingly favors computer-generated imagery, are vibrant, engaging, and wholly unique. This book illuminates the history of the animation studio and the creative processes that have created a timeless aesthetic distinct to Cartoon Saloon.

© 2026 Abrams Books (Ebook): 9781647000950

Release date

Ebook: 7 July 2026