Are you a parent with children who love the galaxy far, far away? Parenting Padawans is an exclusive StarWars.com column that discusses the various questions and factors that come into play when introducing your younglings to Star Wars.
Star Wars fans of a certain age know exactly what these are. We had each of them on our bookshelves, we spent hours poring through them, and many of us still own them. It’s an incredible understatement to call the library of Star Wars books that have been published over the past 40 years vast. Of the hundreds of Star Wars books out there, dozens of them are just novelizations, abridgments, and retellings of the original trilogy. Yet none hold quite so special a place in our hearts than the oversized storybooks that were released along with each film. These books. They’re classics of the genre and a favorite of collectors. But they hold up surprisingly well, and I’d argue that they still deserve a place on your bookshelf -- especially if you have little ones at home. Here are five reasons why they're still most impressive.
1. They don’t pander.
In the storybooks, the narrative isn’t “dumbed down” or abridged beyond recognition. They’re relatively short and intended for kids, sure, but they don’t try to tell an entire film in a mere 10 pages. Clocking in at about 50 pages and 20,000 words each, the storybooks represent a breed of children’s books that are a rarity in today’s market. They treat kids like sophisticated readers, and the prose practically glistens with vivid descriptions, characterization, and fully realized settings. The books are lavishly adorned with dozens of photographs, but the text doesn’t pull any punches. They remain just as vibrant as ever, and I still think they’re an exciting read.
2. They’re well written.
Because the storybooks are so long (based on the word count, it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to call them novellas), they don’t awkwardly stumble from one plot development to the next or omit any of the flavor that makes Star Wars so special -- as many children’s books unfortunately do. Instead, we get to go deeper. The text moves beyond the basic story beats and main characters, and it has the freedom to focus on details and establish a sense of time and place. In short, the books immerse readers in the Star Wars universe in way that doesn’t feel like a stereotypical kids book.
“The Death Star commander, Moff Jerjerrod, was a tall, confident officer. But the sight of Darth Vader coming on board his battle station was enough to make even Jerjerrod turn pale and tremble. Vader was huge, and his face was hidden behind a mask. He was dressed all in black, and the sound of his harsh mechanical breathing echoed loudly in the silence of the hall.”
3. They can be enjoyed by readers of all ages.
These books are stuffed full of so many pictures that the only reason they’re called “storybooks” is because of the astronomical word count. Nevertheless, they absolutely make phenomenal picture books for little kids and beginning readers. In addition, the stories are told in a way that makes them thrilling to read aloud (I mean, come on, it’s Star Wars). They’re just enough of a challenge for young readers to tackle on their own. And they’re long enough that older kids won’t immediately discount them. Honestly, they’re perfect books for all ages!
