Part of My World: What I've Learned from The Little Mermaid about Love, Faith, and Finding My Voice

by Jodi Benson, Carol Traver (With), Paige O'Hara (Foreword by)

Overview

Join Disney Legend Jodi Benson on a magical journey from a Midwestern town to the bright lights of Broadway and the recording booth where she brought one of the most beloved Disney princesses of all time to life!

A treasure trove of colorful characters and unforgettable anecdotes, Part of My World reads like a real-life fairy tale as a girl with a big voice and even bigger dreams sets out on the adventure of a lifetime. Along the way, Jodi shares lessons she's learned about faith, friendship, love, loss, taking chances, making mistakes, following God’s call, and chasing your dreams. In Part of My World you’ll come alongside Jodi as she

• struggles to find her footing in the rehearsal halls of Manhattan;
• finds (then loses, then marries) her prince charming;
• makes a splash on Broadway;
• gives voice to a feisty redheaded mermaid, a blonde bombshell named Barbie, and a Tony-nominated powerhouse named Polly; and
• searches for her own personal happily ever after.

Written with warmth, humor, and disarming vulnerability, Part of My World is a captivating glimpse behind the curtain at the making of one of the most celebrated animated movies of all time, and a must-read for Disney fans of all ages.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781496453273
Publisher:	Tyndale House Publishers
Publication date:	09/13/2022
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	46,400
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.20(d)

Table of Contents

Foreword: "Wait till You Meet Her!" ix

A Quick Note from Jodi xv

1 "Maybe He's Right" 1

2 "I Want More" 9

3 "What Good Is Sitting Alone in Your Room?" 15

4 "What I Want from You Is … Your Voice" 23

5 "I Saw You and the World Went Away" 31

6 "Sick of Swimmin', Ready to Stand" 43

7 "Ask 'Em My Questions and Get Some Answers" 49

8 "Life's Full of Tough Choices, Isn't It?" 57

9 "When's It My Turn?" 65

10 "Poor Unfortunate Soul" 75

11 "No Time Will Be Better" 85

12 "If You Keep On Believing…" 93

13 "Strollin' Along down the… What's That Word Again?" 107

14 "Don't Underestimate the Importance of Body Language" 119

15 "Wouldn't You Think I'm the Girl, the Girl Who Has Ev'rything?" 135

16 "What Would I Pay to Stay Here beside You?" 151

17 "Who Could Ask for Anything More?" 163

18 "But Not for Me" 175

19 "Someone to Watch Over Me" 187

20 "Authority Should Derive from the Consent of the Governed, Not from the Threat of Force!" 197

21 "I Don't Know When, I Don't Know How" 209

22 "Just beyond the Meadows of Joy and the Valley of Contentment" 223

23 "My One and Only" 235

24 John 15:5 251

Acknowledgments 265

Credits for Chapter Titles 271

Notes 275

About the Authors 277

Editorial Reviews

07/04/2022

Actor Benson debuts with an enchanting memoir focused on her Christian faith and starring role as Ariel in Disney’s The Little Mermaid. The author recounts how she grew up in a musical family and fell in love with musical theater in high school, later earning a scholarship to Millikin University despite having auditioned while suffering from chicken pox. She also describes falling in love with her husband after acting with him in a show at Nashville’s Opryland theme park, and explains how his recommitment to Christianity inspired her to deepen her own relationship with God. Benson doesn’t shy from the darker moments of her life, including the rocky early days of her marriage, her miscarriages, and the death of her friend Howard Ashman, the lyricist for The Little Mermaid. Benson recounts her life with an irresistible wide-eyed wonder, and fans of The Little Mermaid will relish Benson’s insider perspective on the making of the film, including her difficulties nailing “Part of Your World” in the recording booth and how a distracted boy at a test screening almost led Disney execs to cut the number. Christian Disney fans will want to dive into this. (Sept.)Correction: This review has been updated to correct the college the author went to.

Publishers Weekly