Oscar-winning film inspired by John and Yoko song ‘War Is Over!’ to be released as a picture book

By Canadian Press on April 30, 2025.

NEW YORK (AP) — Sean Ono Lennon and his fellow creators of the Oscar-winning animated short film “War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko” are releasing a picture book edition.

Viking Children’s Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, announced Wednesday that “War Is Over!” will be published Nov. 4. Like the movie, which came out in 2023, the book tells of a wartime carrier pigeon who inspires soldiers on both sides of the battlefield.

The film and book were based on the holiday-anti-war classic, “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” that Ono’s parents released in 1971. Sean was born to John Lennon and Yoko Ono four years later.

“The tale of our pigeon felt like it needed to be put into an illustrated book,” Sean Lennon said in a statement. “Our wish is that parents will be able to share this story with their kids. War is a difficult subject, and we hope this book will serve as a conversation starter for families and friends.”

The book is written by Sean Lennon, “War Is Over!” writer-director Dave Mullins and producer Brad Booker. The illustrations are by Max Narciso.

Hillel Italie, The Associated Press

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