What do you think?
Rate this book
Who Was . . . ? Series
Who Were the Beatles?
Almost everyone can sing along with the Beatles, but how many young readers know their whole story? Geoff Edgers, a Boston Globe reporter and hard-core Beatles fan, brings the Fab Four to life in this Who Was...? book. Readers will learn about their childhoods in Liverpool, their first forays into rock music, what Beatlemania was like, and why they broke up. It's all here in an easy-to-read narrative with plenty of black-and-white illustrations!
112 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
188 people are currently reading
860 people want to read
About the author
Geoff Edgers
10 books30 followersEdgers is a reporter for the Living/Arts section of The Boston Globe, covering arts and culture. His beat ranges from music and museums to popular culture. His work has appeared in Wired, GQ, and Spin magazines, and he has published several children's books.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews
October 19, 2020
Twitter |
Goodreads |
Blog |
Instagram |
This was a trio down memory lane for me. I was raised on The Beatles! My two older brothers subscribed to their monthly journal. Bought all the records. One of my brothers styled himself on Paul McCartney. (He actually did look similar)
He taught himself guitar and sang. Not just The Beatles songs but ones he wrote himself. He’s in his mid 60’s now and still plays.
I loved The Beatles. I remember reading all about them too and where they came from very poor backgrounds.
About Paul and all of them playing in his parents house.
It was a sad day when John Lennon was killed. He was a bit of a weird one when he married Yoko Ono but he was just making a “come back” with his music and then.......
So sad.
His son is a lookalike I think. And definitely has his Fathers genes.
Great book for anyone wanting to learn about them more or like me, a trip down memory lane.
Goodreads |
Blog |
Instagram |
This was a trio down memory lane for me. I was raised on The Beatles! My two older brothers subscribed to their monthly journal. Bought all the records. One of my brothers styled himself on Paul McCartney. (He actually did look similar)
He taught himself guitar and sang. Not just The Beatles songs but ones he wrote himself. He’s in his mid 60’s now and still plays.
I loved The Beatles. I remember reading all about them too and where they came from very poor backgrounds.
About Paul and all of them playing in his parents house.
It was a sad day when John Lennon was killed. He was a bit of a weird one when he married Yoko Ono but he was just making a “come back” with his music and then.......
So sad.
His son is a lookalike I think. And definitely has his Fathers genes.
Great book for anyone wanting to learn about them more or like me, a trip down memory lane.
December 1, 2022
Awesome. I love it. I love the Beatles so much more now. Awesome Awesome Awesome. Yet It's sad how Lennon died though.
December 15, 2020
Who Were the Beatles? by Geoff Edgers is a short but fact-filled book in the award-winning "Who Was..." series targeted specifically for the youth market. The author shares details about the lives of the members of the Beatles and how they got together to form and name the band. The Beatles, aka The Fab Four, were probably my favorite band when they came upon the scene and are definitely at the top of my charts even today. The author explores and shares what the musical influences and personal backgrounds of each of them were as well as former band members who left earlier. I thought I knew a lot about the Beatles since I was there to witness their rise and enjoy their music when it was new. I found this to be well written and presented the major facts about each of the members of the Fab Four and what they accomplished as a band as well as through the breakup of the Beatles and the launches of their individual careers; great as an overview or refresher for other books that have been written about the Beatles and the stories behind each of the individual members. Enjoyable read for anyone and even rabid Beatles fans. will likely learn something new.
January 19, 2020
I had not ever read a book on The Beatles. I was really pleased with this biography, although intended for kids. It starts off with each of the member's childhoods and then how they got together and became hugely popular.
I wish I had taken my random facts notes, but I started reading these books not thinking I was going to enjoy them so much.
The book made me look up several songs I had not heard before, or thought I hadn't head before.
I was amused by the section on Yoko and I'm not surprised that the rest of the band couldn't stand her and blamed her for the break up of The Beatles. She would sit in on rehearsals and when the band would discuss how to play something, Yoko would lean in and whisper her opinion to John, creating lots of friction between the band and John. Years later, they did reconcile with Yoko, during a tribute in their honor and she allowed them to play some of John's songs.
I wish I had taken my random facts notes, but I started reading these books not thinking I was going to enjoy them so much.
The book made me look up several songs I had not heard before, or thought I hadn't head before.
I was amused by the section on Yoko and I'm not surprised that the rest of the band couldn't stand her and blamed her for the break up of The Beatles. She would sit in on rehearsals and when the band would discuss how to play something, Yoko would lean in and whisper her opinion to John, creating lots of friction between the band and John. Years later, they did reconcile with Yoko, during a tribute in their honor and she allowed them to play some of John's songs.
April 2, 2014
This is a good book to introduce kids to The Beatles. I especially enjoyed how the book dedicated three paragraphs to Yoko's meddling and her contribution to their demise.
June 24, 2017
I liked this book, The Beatles were the world famous rock band of the 60s. there were 4 people in the band there names were John, Paul, Ringo and George. Everyone liked them better then elves at the time. The 4 boys were all from Liverpool, England, and they played in England for a long time then they came to America. The Beatles were a great rock band!!!
October 28, 2012
I love the Beatles, and in my opinion, no band is greater. For any student interested in why these 4 dudes have been continuously praised and brought up, this book is a great introduction to this legendary band. Geoff Edgers takes us back to the childhoods of each individual members (each member gets their own chapter of their upbringing, so there's no favorites), and takes us all the way to "Let it Be" and the breakup of the band. In between, he makes sure to include their first show as a band at the Indra Club in Hamburg, Germany, as well as the tensions formed between the band as their success began to weigh on emotions creating tensions within the group. If you want to spread the influence of this classic group, make sure to give this book to any pupil who is interested! Biographies can be used in many ways in the classrooms, for example, this book could be used as a base for an informative research paper or presentation in a middle grades classroom.
October 21, 2015
Who Were The Beatles is an amazing book that tells about the lives of each member of The Beatles. This book tells about how hard of a childhood each member had, how they became so famous, how they got to be called "The most famous band in history," how they became known as the fab 4, and how each of them suffered a terrible tragedy.
I recommend this book for anyone who loves old time rock and roll, who loves The Beatles, and whoever wants to learn about the lives of The Beatles. This is also a great book for anyone who just generally wants to learn about the bands that were very popular back in the day.
I recommend this book for anyone who loves old time rock and roll, who loves The Beatles, and whoever wants to learn about the lives of The Beatles. This is also a great book for anyone who just generally wants to learn about the bands that were very popular back in the day.
October 13, 2012
I purchased this book for my grandsons (ages 6 and 4) and read it before mailing to them!
I grew up with the Beatles; I was exactly 8 years old when they hit America with a bang in February, 1964. But I definitely learned things I did not previously know about them while reading this book.
A must for all Beatlemaniacs to share with the younger generation.
I grew up with the Beatles; I was exactly 8 years old when they hit America with a bang in February, 1964. But I definitely learned things I did not previously know about them while reading this book.
A must for all Beatlemaniacs to share with the younger generation.
December 15, 2010
Now that I have read that, I know so much more about the beatles than I did before! I thought that they were just another really really good band that was famose, boy was I wrong.
December 22, 2013
Good summary of the lives of the band that I could read with my son. I even learned some things I hadn't known about them.
August 22, 2020
Writing juvenile nonfiction is tricky. It can't be too complicated or too long, but you don't want to skimp out on or downplay the important facts. I'd say this book does a good job of explaining the history of the Beatles to children in just over 100 pages.
Hardly any errors. One is noticeable in the timeline at the back of the book. It says that the "church function" where Paul sees John playing with his band happened in 1956. When of course this happened on July 6, 1957. Beatle fans may be aware that this may not have actually been the first meeting of John and Paul. In Paul's own words, he had in fact first noticed John a year earlier outside a chip shop. Read more here.
Pros:
- It is often very specific with detail and does a decent job of putting things into context; talking about other events which helped shape their personalities, music, and the 60's itself.
- A bibliography is included! I'll tell you, I'd never heard of George telling that nonsensical story about his hair. And some other small little anecdotes. So I will read these sources to learn more.
Cons:
- Illustrations are lacking. They make everyone look the same. Boring and unhelpful!
- Slight vilification of Brian Epstein and not one mention of George Martin
- Misses out on many opportunities to talk more about the music. This book, like many Beatles books, concludes by saying that while the people involved may die, their music will live on and be heard forever, because it was so strong and unique and influential. The Beatles' essence is their phenomenal music. Hardly any songs are mentioned.
-This could be an opportunity to mention famous songs that the Beatles wrote, to remind kids that this was a real phenomenon, that endures. "Here Comes the Sun", for instance-- their most played song on iTunes. Or perhaps, encourage kids to go listen to a particular set of songs to gain more of an appreciation for the group's art.
Overall, however, I understand that to properly explain something one must go into greater deal than a 112 page children's book can permit. So, given the circumstances, well done. Definitely expected more from the drawings though, given this series' famous bobblehead caricatures.
Hardly any errors. One is noticeable in the timeline at the back of the book. It says that the "church function" where Paul sees John playing with his band happened in 1956. When of course this happened on July 6, 1957. Beatle fans may be aware that this may not have actually been the first meeting of John and Paul. In Paul's own words, he had in fact first noticed John a year earlier outside a chip shop. Read more here.
Pros:
- It is often very specific with detail and does a decent job of putting things into context; talking about other events which helped shape their personalities, music, and the 60's itself.
- A bibliography is included! I'll tell you, I'd never heard of George telling that nonsensical story about his hair. And some other small little anecdotes. So I will read these sources to learn more.
Cons:
- Illustrations are lacking. They make everyone look the same. Boring and unhelpful!
- Slight vilification of Brian Epstein and not one mention of George Martin
- Misses out on many opportunities to talk more about the music. This book, like many Beatles books, concludes by saying that while the people involved may die, their music will live on and be heard forever, because it was so strong and unique and influential. The Beatles' essence is their phenomenal music. Hardly any songs are mentioned.
-This could be an opportunity to mention famous songs that the Beatles wrote, to remind kids that this was a real phenomenon, that endures. "Here Comes the Sun", for instance-- their most played song on iTunes. Or perhaps, encourage kids to go listen to a particular set of songs to gain more of an appreciation for the group's art.
Overall, however, I understand that to properly explain something one must go into greater deal than a 112 page children's book can permit. So, given the circumstances, well done. Definitely expected more from the drawings though, given this series' famous bobblehead caricatures.
January 24, 2019
Who were the Beatles?
Did you know that 2 of the 4 Teens from Liverpool were obsessed with Elvis Presley? Which ones?
Did you know that they would lead the British Invasion?
Did you know that they were the First British Group in the United States?
Find out to these questions and more, as the book clearly describes the back stories of George, John, Paul, and Ringo, their first instrument, their family life and backstory, as well as the bands' story. 4 guys from Liverpool who joined up because of their love of Rock and Roll and telling their stories through song to become one of the most iconic bands in music history!
Imagine!
Did you know that 2 of the 4 Teens from Liverpool were obsessed with Elvis Presley? Which ones?
Did you know that they would lead the British Invasion?
Did you know that they were the First British Group in the United States?
Find out to these questions and more, as the book clearly describes the back stories of George, John, Paul, and Ringo, their first instrument, their family life and backstory, as well as the bands' story. 4 guys from Liverpool who joined up because of their love of Rock and Roll and telling their stories through song to become one of the most iconic bands in music history!
Imagine!
March 19, 2022
A really interesting story about the Beatles. I actually learned some things though I thought I knew a lot about the Beatles. I never knew that Ringo had spent a lot of his childhood in hospital or that George actually grew up with both parents and siblings unlike all the other Beatles. I found the story very well written and informative.
April 25, 2018
The kids picked this book for bed time reading. It was a nice light read and had lots of fun facts. They really liked hearing about what rock and roll was like when grandma and grandpa were kids. And I enjoyed it, too — lots I didn’t know!
March 27, 2017
this was a really good book. I thought I already knew a good amount on the Beatles but this gave me a lot of new info. I recommend this book to anyone who likes music.
November 19, 2017
I already liked the Beatles--"Octopus's Garden" was one of my favorite songs. But when my aunt gave me this book for my ninth birthday, I learned all about them and started to become one of the foremost authorities on the Beatles in my next three schools. Changed my life! Then my life changed again when a great-aunt gave me 1 for my tenth birthday. But that's another story.
April 6, 2020
An entertaining summary. I laughed at how many ways the author said Ringo didn't have a good voice.
December 23, 2021
Informative and easy to read.
February 6, 2023
so much info about the beatles and i didn't expect it to be this good
March 16, 2019
First recommendation from my 9 year old son. I actually learned a couple new little tidbits about The Beatles.
September 23, 2019
My daughter truly enjoyed this one as we continue to work through this series. Thanks to my smart speaker, we were able to listen to some of the songs so she would truly understand the impact of this group.
December 27, 2024
geoff edgers did make some errors ngl (like saying abbey road was their last album like bro WHAT??? WHAT HAPPENED TO LET IT BE???) anyway great book brought me back to my childhood (i just bought a pink paul mccartney american flag)
December 21, 2017
Winter reading club book 2
-
That got really sad...but inspiring!! And I grew up listening to the Beatles, but I actually never listened to that many songs!! (I liked The Archie’s, ABBA, and the Beegees the most) Now I’m going through and listening to more of the Beatle’s songs. I mean come on, they’re so iconic.
-
That got really sad...but inspiring!! And I grew up listening to the Beatles, but I actually never listened to that many songs!! (I liked The Archie’s, ABBA, and the Beegees the most) Now I’m going through and listening to more of the Beatle’s songs. I mean come on, they’re so iconic.
March 22, 2019
On the (indirect) recommendation of my grandson and daughter. Not a bad little book at all for kids. Or me.
February 1, 2018
Got this for my grandson who has to do a report for school on Ringo. Found it informative and well done.
May 30, 2012
This book tells about the Beatles, and their life before they became the Beatles. It tells about each member of the Beatles and how they came to like Rock and Roll. Some of them were in bands when they were young. The Beatles actually came from Britain, and that is where they met. But then they came to america and The created a band. Which eventually they got the name of the Beatles, they didn't think of the name, but they agreed on it.
I love the Beatles because I always loved their music, but this book taught me a lot about them. I thought I knew a lot about them, because I learned from my Dad. But surprisingly their is a lot I didn't know. If you like the Beatles you would love this book, it also mentions some of the reasons to some of their songs, and where they came up with them. Some of them wrote their own songs when they were younger.
I would recommend this book to people who love music, and love the Beatles. Although the book is for younger kids, actually really younger kids. It was a nice small read, and I loved learning about them. The book does have pictures, that would make it interesting for kids and did keep me interesting. Because it was for little kids they had to explain what some of the words meant, but overall it was interesting.
I love the Beatles because I always loved their music, but this book taught me a lot about them. I thought I knew a lot about them, because I learned from my Dad. But surprisingly their is a lot I didn't know. If you like the Beatles you would love this book, it also mentions some of the reasons to some of their songs, and where they came up with them. Some of them wrote their own songs when they were younger.
I would recommend this book to people who love music, and love the Beatles. Although the book is for younger kids, actually really younger kids. It was a nice small read, and I loved learning about them. The book does have pictures, that would make it interesting for kids and did keep me interesting. Because it was for little kids they had to explain what some of the words meant, but overall it was interesting.
December 31, 2014
Review first published on My Blog. Check out all my reviews there!
A short children's biography on who The Beatles were (mostly I suspect for parents who loved the Fab Four to buy for the children to get them to appreciate the band more LOL). It is a basic overview of their childhoods, how the band was formed, their part in history, briefly covers the break-up, and the direction their lives took after that up through 2001. It is simplistic, being written for Grades 3-5 but I bought it for my second son when he was about that age because he loved the band (and still does) and now my younger boys also enjoy them and have enjoyed reading the book. I will admit to eye-rolling them when I was younger since that was music from my mother's teenage years and she loved them so I had to rebel and go in for heavy metal so while I was always aware of them, I didn't know much of their background story but I figured I could at least read this to get some idea. I enjoy their music (good thing since the 16yr old plays so much of it on CD, his guitar, and the piano) but I feel no need at this point in my life to dive much deeper into their history so this was a nice compromise for me.
A short children's biography on who The Beatles were (mostly I suspect for parents who loved the Fab Four to buy for the children to get them to appreciate the band more LOL). It is a basic overview of their childhoods, how the band was formed, their part in history, briefly covers the break-up, and the direction their lives took after that up through 2001. It is simplistic, being written for Grades 3-5 but I bought it for my second son when he was about that age because he loved the band (and still does) and now my younger boys also enjoy them and have enjoyed reading the book. I will admit to eye-rolling them when I was younger since that was music from my mother's teenage years and she loved them so I had to rebel and go in for heavy metal so while I was always aware of them, I didn't know much of their background story but I figured I could at least read this to get some idea. I enjoy their music (good thing since the 16yr old plays so much of it on CD, his guitar, and the piano) but I feel no need at this point in my life to dive much deeper into their history so this was a nice compromise for me.
June 3, 2016
Read the story of the best rock n roll band ever heard of! They were once young boys who each had one thing in common: the love of music. They soon created the best band of the 60s! What I found interesting is what movies and cartoons about famous people caught from them. I thought about this myself. THINK. That fans chase the people! Mostly girls! The Beatles created a stereotype! What I also found interesting is the name of the band doesn’t mean bugs! It means the beat. You know? Listen to the beat. So it is basically the plural of the beat. But what I found sad is how John died. He had a kid. He stood for peace! He was a great person! But then a crazy person shot him. With a gun. What I wonder is the symbolism in what happened that I came up with: John was peace for the world. He did not carry weapons. He was helpless as a lamb but stood for peace and what could happen…. The gun stood for: TODAY what WILL now happen and WAR. Basically opposites.
That’s what I learned from this book. And you know what else John stood for? YESTERDAY. The gun was sadly TODAY.
That’s what I learned from this book. And you know what else John stood for? YESTERDAY. The gun was sadly TODAY.
November 22, 2012
-Grosset&Dunlap, leaves3.5
-Time: 11/20=20min, 11/21=54min, 11/23=19min
-7 words summary: Liverpool-gather-popular-breakup-Yoko-dead-forever
-Discussion Questions:
1. Which song of The Beatles have you ever listened to?
A.I have listened to 'Imagine' and 'yesterday'. In the case of 'yesterday', I learned from a music class at high school!!
2.You know Yoko is Japanese. Like her, would you like to marry to a big star? Not a Japanese star!
A. Let me see... I'd not like to marry to like that big star. Because, he'd be very very busy. Therefore he couldn't meet me very often. I don't like the situation. That's why I'd not marry to a big star:-)
Compared with other stories of the same series, this level is higher than those. But, it's easier for me to understand and read it:)) Also, there is much information related to The Beatles which I didn't know. For instance, how to gather the member, where they're born and so on!
Thanks to this story, I want to listen to their songs right now;-)
-Time: 11/20=20min, 11/21=54min, 11/23=19min
-7 words summary: Liverpool-gather-popular-breakup-Yoko-dead-forever
-Discussion Questions:
1. Which song of The Beatles have you ever listened to?
A.I have listened to 'Imagine' and 'yesterday'. In the case of 'yesterday', I learned from a music class at high school!!
2.You know Yoko is Japanese. Like her, would you like to marry to a big star? Not a Japanese star!
A. Let me see... I'd not like to marry to like that big star. Because, he'd be very very busy. Therefore he couldn't meet me very often. I don't like the situation. That's why I'd not marry to a big star:-)
Compared with other stories of the same series, this level is higher than those. But, it's easier for me to understand and read it:)) Also, there is much information related to The Beatles which I didn't know. For instance, how to gather the member, where they're born and so on!
Thanks to this story, I want to listen to their songs right now;-)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews