Oh, What Joy! Octopus's Garden by Ringo Starr and Ben Cort

I'D LIKE TO BE
UNDER THE SEA
IN AN OCTOPUS'S GARDEN
IN THE SHADE....

With the fiftieth anniversary of the Beatle's beginning of the "British Invasion" of American music comes a chance for a third generation of youngsters to experience the joy of their music, starting with a swim beneath the waves in that fantastical garden under the sea.

Best-selling artist Ben Cort (for Aliens Love Underpants and the rest of  Claire Freedman's  The Underpants Books) makes good use of Starr's lyrics, evoking what children crave most--movement, novelty, adventure,  security from the storm above, and yes, "no one there to tell us what to do!" His little protagonist looks longingly at his goldfish swimming irresistibly in his fishbowl and follows the fish's leap into a magical sea.   With a page turn, the goldfish leads him deep down under the ocean and the boy and the other children who appear play follow the leader, swimming and dancing among the coral and sea creatures they meet,  and then his goldfish leads him back home, more worldly and wise than he was.

Who wouldn't feel good...

"... KNOWING THEY'RE HAPPY AND THEY'RE SAFE."

Ringo Starr's lyrics are as nimble as George Harrison's familiar intro to this jolly little poem-song, illustrated by the vivid art of fellow Brit Ben Cort in big, bright curvaceous lines and and glowing colors in the just-published Octopus's Garden (Aladdin, 2014).

Along with the book, the included CD of the Beatles' original recording and Starr's own reading of the story are a fine way to introduce the music of the Fab Four to new listeners of all ages.