100. We Are The Beatles. Brad Meltzer. Illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. 2025. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [j biography, j nonfiction, series biography, 4 stars]
First sentence: We are the Beatles. I'm Paul McCartney. One of my earliest memories is of lying on the floor and listening to my dad play piano. I didn't take fancy lessons--I learned by ear, just like him.
I am John Lennon. When I was five, I went to live with my aunt and got my first musical instrument, a harmonica. My aunt made me wait until Christmas, but getting that harmonica was one of the great moments of my life.
Premise/plot: Brad Meltzer's newest biography for children is a book called We Are The Beatles. Each Beatle's story is told--though not equitably divided perhaps--through color-coded panels. Each Beatles has his own color. Each is told in first person. So readers should pay attention to the color-clues for clarity. (I didn't need clarity because I might have read a couple dozen books on the Beatles.) Once the group is together-together, the panels are black. And it switches to first person plural--we. (Though the occasional color panel returns to tell individual details.)
The book is written FOR children. So the more adult stuff is left out. The story isn't evenly paced. Some periods of time are told in greater detail, others zoom by quickly. Blink and you miss it.
My thoughts: I wanted to love, love, love this one. (After all, all you need is love.) However, I think my expectations were too high. I think for children, for those new to the Beatles, for those with a passing curiosity, for those who just looking to read a biography [like for an assignment] this one will suit just fine. It annoyed me, for example, that it starts with PAUL and not John. John is OLDER by several years. Lennon comes BEFORE McCartney in their song credits, I believe, and alphabetically as well. No matter how I look at it, Paul should not be the one getting the attention. (I'm not surprised, mind you.) I was also annoyed that not all the Beatles get equal treatment or perhaps equal respect. Ringo deserved better.
I also don't personally care for the illustration style of the whole series. Short, squatty bodies and big heads just doesn't thrill me as an illustration style. Not when all the other characters are drawn as normal looking adults.
That being said, I do love the Beatles. And I'm not going to complain if children are introduced to the Beatles at a younger age.
© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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