Heinz Edelmann (1934–2009)

The Blue Meanies decide to take over happy Pepperland, spreading misery over its residents. Only Fred manages to escape in a yellow submarine, which surfaces in Liverpool, finding The Beatles and bringing them back to Pepperland to use music to re-ignite the land.

I picked out this book for a 1960s-themed party I was throwing and, wow, it certainly has the sixties psychedelic vibe going on. Apparently it is adapted from the movie version of Yellow Submarine but never having seen that, I can't make a comparison between the two. I can say the book is definitely a weird fantastical romp with a plot that makes major twists and turns and leaps that defy logic. The text pulls language from Beatles's songs and uses a lot of wordplay, which may be over the heads of the intended audience of young children. The illustrations are big, balloon type of cartoons full of vibrant colors and patterns.

I could see this being a hit for big Beatles fans who want to share that love with the children in their lives or for kids who just really enjoy unusual, imaginative, and fantastic reads. For my part, it was not really my cup of tea.… (more)

Welcome to a children's book for adults.

Being old enough to remember the Beatles as a new phenomenon, I have long been interested in their transformation from the first boy band, to a psychedelic happening. The Yellow Submarine was the first adult cartoon, certainly in my cultural awareness. It is, in equal parts, silly, profound, trite and witty. This book reflects all this in a literary manner.

To look at, this would appear to be a children's annual and, I feel sure that a small child would be hooked by the colourful pages showing images from the film. The literary style too appears to be aimed at a young audience but, lurking under the surface, is John Lennon's rebellious humour. There is surrealism and even darkness in the story. For the oldies, this is a reminder of a magical time, when everything seemed possible: 'All You Need Is Love', was a reasonable assumption and very attainable. Sadly, love turned to financial streams and the movement broke down. Perhaps the World is ready for a revival - heaven knows, we need it. Peace to you all.… (more)