40 pages. Book dimensions: 21.59 cms x 0.25 cms x 21.59 cms.
Art by Eric Cash.
From the back cover:
Four lads from a small town called Liverpool changed the face of Rock and Roll - forever. But their story is far more than one of music, it's about having dreams and making them come true, it's about the power of genuine friendship, it's about believing in yourself - and others - and living a life filled with heart, tenacity, and passion.
John, Paul, George, and Ringo gave the musical world its 'Happily Ever After' and for this a billion fans are eternally grateful. But, maybe even more than that, The Beatles' story is a heartfelt reminder to each and every one of us that it's not where you start that counts
Once Upon a Time in Liverpool, is a delightful surprise and welcome addition to the expanding genre of children's books about the Beatles. Special mention must be made of the extraordinarily well-done art of Eric Cash; merely noting 'illustrations by ... ' falls far short of describing his fine watercolors of the Beatles and the city. His work is much more nearly impressionistic - Mendips, the Cavern, a skyline of Liverpool are accurate while at the same time beautiful and evocative, as is the cover - a fantasy of four young boys running down a Liverpool street. Views of the group performing show particular imagination - from the balcony at the Prince of Wales Theatre of the Beatles performing at the Royal Command Performance in November 1963 and a close up on the set of the Ed Sullivan Show. These provide a 'you were there' feel; the choice to show the Cavern from behind Ringo looking out through the brick arch, past the front three Beatles out to the audience is exceptional and refreshing. But it is in the depiction of the Beatles themselves where Cash truly excels. He captures the distinctive features of the four without resorting to the cartoonish caricatures (Lennon's sharp nose, McCartney's cherubic cheeks, Harrison's strong jaw line, Ringo's beagle eyes) that are cheap shortcuts to real portraiture, giving the next generation of Beatle fans, the children who will enjoy this book, images of real people rather than cartoons, to get to know. Another piece - John and Paul singing together at the St. Peter's Church Fete didn't happen, of course - but the artist nails the look and feel of the moment so perfectly you wish they had.
Children and the adults reading to them will enjoy the book, as Kristen has found the right tone and the right words to tell the Beatles' story. Although one might wonder about the message on the back cover (' .. .it's not where you start that counts ... it's how you finish! '), Kristen resists the temptation to over-dramatize and in reading the text it is easy to see how the story could resonate with so many children who face similar situations of modest circumstances, broken homes, step-parents, childhood illness and even dead mothers. Kristen has an honest, yet delicate touch here that will be welcome to parents and children's librarians; the story also includes Stuart Sutcliffe and Pete Best, as well as a period when they 'called it quits for a few weeks' (in real life the post-Hamburg deportations in December 1960), which is admirable. The story, therefore is neither all sunshine and light nor all poor boys on the docks in gritty, grimy Liverpool as is so often the case. There is hard work, perseverance, friendship and above all - music. And that's a good message for any reader, regardless of age.