There is something about Beatles songs that makes them especially appealing to children. Whether it’s the timeless melodies, both bright and buoyant or sinister and scary, the cavalcade of colourful characters included within, or the cartoon artwork that often comes with their most trippy creations, they have a catalogue that appeals to all ages.
This is why it is especially pleasing to learn that Simon & Schuster’s Little Simon imprint will be turning the lyrics of two of the Beatles most beloved songs — ‘All You Need Is Love’ and ‘With a Little Help from My Friends’ into picture books. The latter song does have some pretty explicit drug references in the chorus, but a feeling of highness isn’t necessarily achieved through psychotropic means, right?
“When I was first approached with this opportunity, I couldn’t believe it had never been done before,” said Valerie Garfield, Vice President and publisher of Little Simon.
“We wanted to interpret the lyrics in a way that would show children that there is love in the world. This is a message that has special meaning now and that parents want their children to hear.
“Marc [Rosenthal: illustrator of The Straight Line Wonder by Mem Fox] really understood how to illustrate these words in a way that would speak to people without being too glib, saccharine, or heavy-handed.”
The books will be out next January, just in time to completely miss Christmas. Check out the cover, below.
Love The Beatles?
Get the latest The Beatles news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
