Baby's in Black by Arne Bellstrof - OPTIONAL

Bellstorf, Arne Baby's in Black, 196 pgs. First Second Press, 2012. $24.99 HC. Language – PG:13 (4 swears, 2 “F”). Content – PG (constant smoking/drinking by those of legal age). No Violence.

Baby’s in Black is a graphic novel recounting the Beatles early years in Hamburg. It focuses on the love between Astrid Kirchherr and Stuart Sutcliffe- the so-called “Fifth Beatle” who died in 1962.

This book will be a draw for Beatles fans who also like comics. I doubt it would work for anyone else. It doesn’t focus enough on the Beatles themselves to work for casual fans, and it is very slow moving for most graphic novel readers. That said, If you have that magic kid who loves the Beatles and comic books, this would be great for them. The artwork is beautiful and simple black and white, but nothing is lost without color. The narrative is sweet but somewhat hard to follow.

HS- OPTIONAL. Reviewer: BLM.