It's Star Wars day, friends! As long time followers will have noticed by now, I'm a huge Star Wars girl. Not only do I know the movies line by line (at least A New Hope), but I also have read a good chunk of the expanded universe books, attended Celebration IV, and even collect a certain goldenrod droid...
So in honor of this unofficial 'Star Wars' Day, I thought I'd leave you with a few of my favorite clips and links!
Title: Lego Star Wars: Save the Galaxy Author/Publisher: Scholastic Genre: Board Book, Star Wars (yes, it IS a genre sometimes!) Perfect for: Star Wars fans of all ages! Star Rating: 5/5 stars
Taken from Goodreads, "Our heroes must evade Stormtroopers, outwit Darth Vader, and steal plans to the Death Star. With a little luck, they might even manage to save the galaxy! Readers can explore the Death Star, a Jawa Sandcrawler, the Tantive IV, the Cantina, and the Millennium Falcon!"
This is a bit of a mini review because, well, this is a review for an oversized board book based on the Lego Star Wars universe, specifically 'Episode IV: A New Hope'. I picked this up on a whim when it arrived on my shelving cart at work and was sold on it instantly.
The illustrations are based off the popular (and entertaining) Lego Star Wars games, which mean they have a cuteness level of adorable! The story is told in comic form with various actions going on in fun comic squares accompanied by thought bubble dialogue. One of the best things about this title? Lines of dialogue aren't verbatim from the movie. Some are, but many are tweaked in very clever ways. (For example, did you know C3PO speaks dishwasher?) None of the lines make fun of the saga, but they definitely poke fun at it, which is something us Star Wars fans tend to do a lot ourselves!
So, while this isn't the usual fare you find here on the blog, look at this book. It gets 5 out of 5 stars! You'll probably find it in the kids dept, along with some other fun Star Wars books you may have missed!
Recently, a blogger on ChicagoNOW wrote an entry on her daughter, a young Star Wars fan, getting bullied because she used an R2D2 water bottle in school.
"But a week ago, as we were packing her lunch, Katie said, "My Star Wars water bottle is too small. It doesn't hold enough water..."
I was perplexed. "Katie, that water bottle is no bigger than your Star Wars one. I think it is actually smaller."...
I kept pushing the issue, because it didn't make sense to me. Suddenly, Katie burst into tears.
She wailed, "The first grade boys are teasing me at lunch because I have a Star Wars water bottle. They say it's only for boys. Every day they make fun of me for drinking out of it. I want them to stop, so I'll just bring a pink water bottle."
The idea that bullying is going on in a first grade classroom really makes me wonder whats happened to schools these days. Were I this girls teacher, I know what I would have done. I would have gone out to the store, bought a Star Wars themed water bottle and displayed it on my desk to teach the students that nothing is 'just for boys' or 'just for girls'. And the other reason? Because, I really do love Star Wars!
To Katie, I'd like to say that I am a huge Star Wars fan and have been since I was as old as you! I'm in my twenties now and can't remember a time when I didn't love the Star Wars universe! I still watch the movies, quote the movies, read the books, and even collect some of the toys! Star Wars fans come in all genders, shapes, and sizes. You shouldn't feel ashamed of anything you like just because some silly boys don't understand. Me, I think it would be awesome to have a Star Wars water bottle to take to work! Keep your chin up, Katie, and may the force be with you! :)
Female Star Wars fans from all over have been commenting, tweeting (under hashtag #maytheforcebewithkaite), and posting messages to this young Star Wars fan all over the web to let Katie know she's not alone! If you are a SW fan, I invite you to add your thoughts to the newest article, your tweet page, or blog!
As a side note-- if you haven't been to Her Universe to check out the female friendly Star Wars clothing line, I recommend you do! I own two t-shirts and a sweatshirt and LOVE them!
TheS.O.S Book of the Week is where I'll let you in on what new releases I'm looking forward to! S.O.S comes from the term 'Strict on Sale'. It's bookseller speak for a title that you can't sell before a specific date-- think Harry Potter. While the books I have here may not be S.O.S titles specifically, they are all new! TheS.O.S. Book of the Weekis:
I'm a dork when it comes to Star Wars. I can quote all six movies, have read multiple expanded universe books, have a ball joined doll named Kyp and an Animal Crossing village called 'Falcon' (Millennium Falcon seemed too long for my town!), and attended CIV in Cali a few years back. 'The Jedi Path' is the perfect book for all us kids who grew up wanting to one day wake up with the Force.
Authored by Daniel Wallace with a release date of September 28th, this book not only looks leather bound, but also comes with a fantastic vault to store it in! To see the vault in action, watch the video located on Amazon. Very neat, if you ask me!!!
Here's a quick blurb about 'The Jedi Path' via Goodreads:
"This ancient training manual, crafted by early Jedi Masters, has educated and enlightened generations of Jedi. It explains the history and hierarchy of the Jedi Order, and what Jedi must know to take their place as defenders of the peace in the galaxy—from mastery of the Force to the nuances of lightsaber combat. Passed down from Master to Padawan, the pages of this venerable text have been annotated by those who have held it, studied it, and lived its secrets. From Yoda and Luke Skywalker to Count Dooku and Darth Sidious, they have shaped the content of the book by leaving mementos tucked within the pages, tearing out pages, and adding their personal experiences as tangible reminders of the lessons they’ve learned. Through wars and rebellion, only a single copy of this manual has survived. It is now passed on to you."
While this may not be up your alley, it's totally up mine. I hope I'll be able to whip up the cash to pick up this pricey, yet fantastic looking book!!!
Title: Outcast Author: Aaron Allston Genre: Star Wars, Sci-fi Perfect for: fans of the old star wars books, before NJO
My expectations were low for 'Outcast', but I must say it wasn't as bad as expected. I loved the 'fun' nature of it, even if the stories were a bit hard to believe at first. I'd read this over LotF or NJO any day. Allston did good on this-- and made me laugh quite a bit when it came to characters quips! The character of Jaina was more readable than she's been in quite a while!
Characters were left out, including Tenal Ka, Zekk, and Lowbacca, but we did get to see Lando/family and ex-babysitter Winter.
Dare I say-- I might continue the series! Regardless of the hard to believe storylines and the post-Jacen world, Allston set up a fun read that felt similar to old school Star Wars EU titles.
We all have our favorite books, books we can't imagine not reading over and over again. Here's another one of my 'Forever Favorites’...
Title: Heirs of the Force Author(s): Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta Genre: YA, Star Wars, Sci-fi Perfect for: Star Wars fans young and old
Originally published in 1995, "Heirs of the Force" by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta is another of my 'forever favorites'. I'm a huge Star Wars fan and of all the expanded universe novels, the Young Jedi Knights series is my favorite. "Heirs of the Force" is the first in that series.
Fourteen-year-old twins Jaina and Jacen Solo are off to Luke Skywalkers Jedi Academy to be trained by Uncle Luke and other jedi masters in the ways of the Force. The twins are force sensitive in different ways-- Jaina with mechanics and Jacen with animals. The twins quickly make friends in Lowbacca, Chewie's nephew, and Tenal-Ka, a Hapen warrior. While practicing in the jungle, the four stumble upon an old Tie Fighter-- and its pilot who's been living in the woods since the crash! Will the Young Jedi Knights be able to convince the pilot that his ties to the Empire don't matter anymore after all those years of surviving the jungle waiting for his call home? Read "Heirs of the Force" and find out!
As mentioned above, I love the Young Jedi Knights series and this book is a great introduction to the characters and setting. You don't have to be a Star Wars wiz to understand the books. You don't even need to have watched the movies, though it would help! "Heirs of the Force" is aimed at 10 and up, though younger and older Star Wars fans should enjoy this book and the following eleven books in the Young Jedi Knights series.
All the books, including "Heirs of the Force", have a great mix of action, adventure, humor, and life lessons. The characters are interesting to read about and the plenty of characters from the movies pop in, as well. The best part of the Young Jedi Knights series is that they read like a popcorn flick-- nothing you have to think on too much. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy the adventures the Solo children and their friends find themselves in. Highly recommended!!!
Title: Star Wars Rebel Fore #1- Target Author: Alex Wheeler Format: Paperback Genre: Young Reader/Sci-Fi/Star Wars Perfect For: Star Wars fans of all ages After years of depressing EU novels, this is a refreshing breathe of fresh air. Rebel Force: Target by Alex Wheeler is a book I am so happy to have given a shot. This series takes place shortly after A New Hope and stars our heroes Han, Luke, and Leia, along with other favorites. The series is a glimpse of what happened to get the group to get them from A New Hope to The Empire Strikes Back.
In Target, Han, Leia, Luke, and the droids are sent to Muunilinst to gather secret funds that Alderaan housed there. With Alderaan destroyed, they need them and need them soon if they are to deal with the Empire, which is on there tail. But there is an unsuspecting traitor in our heroes mist who only wants to please the Empire.
Target has what you've come to expect from Star Wars EU with out the depressing story lines and character deaths. I suggest that if you are a fan of star wars, young and old, you pick this up. Perfect for the age group it was written for (8 to 12), but also perfect for those adult EU fans who don't want to continue past NJO or LotF and want to feel the sense of escapism they found originally in the SW universe.
