Every year, the publishers try to come out with fun books that the long-suffering relative of a Star Wars fan can grab as a nifty gift. Since the holiday shopping season starts earlier and earlier each year, it’s no surprise that you can start getting a few of them right now.
How to Speak Wookiee is a really cute board book with sound board. You get a Wookiee-shaped sound board with ten phrases that you can use to get on everyone’s nerves by playing them over and over. The illustrations by JAke are adorably cute with lots of funny details. And the write-ups by Wu Kee Smith made me laugh out loud. Knowing bookstores, they’re probably lurking in the childrens’ section, but it’s worth the hunt.
Darth Paper Strikes Back is the follow-up to the surprise hit The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. The adventures of our intrepid middle school students (from Ralph McQuarrie Middle School) continue with a case study of Dwight’s suspension from school, as told by various witnesses. Adults should not blow off this book because it’s set in middle school. It’s very cleverly written. Always funny. And it will have you hurtling back to your own middle school days in no time. (Okay. Maybe that’s not really selling this.)
The Jedi Path has been released in book form without the nifty bells and whistles of the “vault” presentation box and its various trinkets. But you really don’t need the extras. This book is really well done, with a nice combination of serious background information and hilarious written notes from its various owners over the years. If you missed the high-end one, don’t miss this one!
It’s just the beginning of the onslaught. And while you’re there, don’t forget your Star Wars calendars!
Don’t need the bells and whistles?
Sacrilege.
Sometimes I open the box and close it again just to listen to the swooshy noise.
That said: my inner teenage fanfic writer was very upset that Jedi Path wasn’t around when she was working on her Grand Epic, because it’s a goldmine of world details. So even without the swooshy box, the book is still pretty neat.
Hee. :)
I do rather enjoy showing off the vault. But not everyone could afford it, sadly. I’m glad they released the book, too.
Having read The Clever Case of Origami Yoda, I can ditto the clever writing and humor. Worth checking out.
Thanks for the Jedi Path coverage Paula!
Also thanks to Annalee — glad it was useful as a reference. And hey, if you like bells & whistles we’ve got Book of Sith cued up for January 2012…
Ooh, a Sith follow-up. Will it still have the same master-apprentice-hand-out thing going on?
I’d love to see the comments from Plagueis, Palpatine, Maul, Dooku and Vader.
Oooo! ::grabby fingers:: Want Sith vault!!
I also enjoy the Jedi Path box just for the noise. :) I’m excited for the Sith edition!
Origami Yoda is well written and cute, but a little too close to the middle school experience for me to really enjoy it.