Yellow Submarine [Hardcover]

The Beatles (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

A whole new generation will be climbing aboard this sunny, psychedelic
storybook, while nostalgic Beatles fans of all ages will be clamoring for a ticket to ride.

Once upon a time (or maybe twice), some 80,000 leagues beneath the sea, there lay a colorful land of song and laughter called Pepperland, where Sergeant Pepper's Band was always playing your song — until the Blue Meanies burst on the scene and chased all the music and magic away. So began the classic 1968 film Yellow Submarine, inspired by a song and hailed as an avant-garde amalgam of pop art, Beatles music, and highly innovative animation. Now that film's dazzling images — and its lighthearted, witty tale — is showcased in a glorious picture book sure to be savored by fans and readers of all ages.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-5–In 1968, the movie Yellow Submarine broke new ground by combining popular songs with clever animation to tell a surrealistic story. This book combines an adaptation of the screenplay with artwork from the film. When Pepperland is threatened by the Blue Meanies and its inhabitants are turned into colorless statues, Captain Fred climbs into a yellow submarine and sets off to get help. After landing in Liverpool, he returns with the Beatles and together they journey underwater through the Sea of Monsters, are sucked into an inside-outside world, and survive the Sea of Holes. Eventually, they return to Pepperland to discover that the Fab Four fit into the uniforms of Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. When they begin to sing, everything returns to normal and even the Blue Meanies are transformed into kinder, gentler beings. Trying to translate the ebullience of the movie into a book is a daunting challenge, one that doesn't quite succeed. The text has some of the wonderful puns from the movie, but somehow they fall flat here. Some references might be over the heads of many youngsters. The illustrations combine slightly blurry film cels with pop-art cartoons of the main characters. The color palette is off with some of the yellows turned greenish. Neither the words nor the music of the title song are included. Still, for children who are interested in animation and movies, this book does have a place.–Bina Williams, Bridgeport Public Library, CT
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About the Author

Inspired by the song "Yellow Submarine" from the Beatles' Revolver album, the film YELLOW SUBMARINE was released in 1968 and was quickly hailed as a visionary masterpiece. This extraordinary collaboration of talent — Heinz Edelmann's art wedded with Beatles music — was brought to life in celluloid with groundbreaking animation techniques. More than thirty-five years later, the film continues to beguile adults and children alike.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (July 22, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763624403
• ISBN-13: 978-0763624408
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 9.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #828,816 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for the Kids, September 9, 2004

By 

Blue Meanie (Glen Ridge, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Yellow Submarine (Hardcover)

My two kids are huge Yellow Submarine fans, so this book was a natural fit. The artwork is taken directly from the film, with some slight modifications. The storyline, however, leaves out all of the songs - which in my opinion undercuts some of the story's charm. Gone too are many of the illustrations which accompanied the songs. As a result, you really only get a partial visual retelling.

As a historical comment, since the Beatles has very little to do with the actual movie other than licensing their songs and performing in an awkward two minute appearance in the end of the film, the absence of their music in a book on the subject is both unfortunate and fitting. The absence of much of the film's breathtaking artwork, on the other hand, is inexcusable.

That being said, the actual writing is quite clever. The text does its best to weave in Beatle's song titles into the prose - I suppose as a way of giving some sort of nod to the music which inspired the movie.

The reason I gave it 4 stars is that, despite my nitpickiness, my kids love the book. And if they like it, I'm a happy dad.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beatles Take Over Fourth Grade Classroom!, March 23, 2007

By 

Anthony G Pizza "trivialtony" (FL) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Yellow Submarine (Hardcover)

My son's elementary school hosts "reading day" once a year, honoring Dr. Seuss' birthday. I attended his fourth-grade class today with this book, hoping my love for "Yellow Submarine" was all I'd need to bring film, song, and Beatle wit to kids I'd wondered even knew the group's name.

"How many here have heard of the Beatles?" I started innocently enough. Almost all the kids raised their hands, a good start. (This included my 9-year-old who, with his teenage sister, I've inoculated with their music since singing "I Feel Fine" to them as babies.). "And how many have heard the song `Yellow Submarine'?" "And how many have seen the film?" I asked to fewer and fewer raised hands.

I then introduced and read this story, faithfully summarizing Al Brodax and Erich "Love Story" Segal's whimsical, pun-filled screenplay. I could only approximate amusing British accents (especially "Nowhere Man" Jeremy and the old Mayor) and slowly emphasize John and Ringo's clever puns ("I know Frankenstein. I used to date his sister, Phyllis.") Even casual Beatles fan can hear the film's beloved soundtrack in its pages. But "Yellow Submarine"'s eye-popping psychedelic art, happy ending (the Blue Meanies are flowered, then reformed) and faithfulness to the Beatles' personalities kept this story fresh to children whose parents may not have born in 1968 when it was released.

I reached the last page and its line, "Love is All You Need." The kids applauded, my son's teacher, who smiled at points through my reading, said, "I think I enjoyed it more than they did." My son raised his hand and said "Dad, I heard a lot of Beatles song titles through the book - "Ticket to Ride," "Help," "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band..."

I left happy, knowing I'd successfully shared something I loved with my son and his classmates and proved it timeless. The Beatles, with a top selling CD and sold-out Cirque du Soleil show, are again in renaissance and hardly need more promotion. But "Yellow Submarine," in all its incarnations, recalls the innocence and fun the Beatles' music and personalities continue to bring yet another generation. Highly recommended for fans of the film and group.

5.0 out of 5 stars Beatles Yellow Sub Book Very Nice, March 19, 2010

By 

Chris B. - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Yellow Submarine (Hardcover)

got this for my child who is very into the Beatles yellow submarine movie. basically, we watch it every day! So, wanted this for her to read before bedtime. It came in very good condition and I'm very happy with the purchase.