Author: Preeti Chhibber
Illustrator: Mike Deas
Publisher: Disney Lucasfilm Press
Ages 4-8
It is rare that I actually pay money for a picturebook nowadays. At the Bookshelf, we receive hundreds of picturebooks a year that we carefully review and distill so that we can write these paragraphs for the interwebs (am I showing my age?), hoping that somebody out there in the darkness will benefit from them. But, when you have a six-year-old that is everything Star Wars, all the time, you make some exceptions. Some of those exceptions turn out better than others. So, it was with great trepidation, that I ordered this book, site unseen, and hoped against hope, that it would prove to be a hit. It did.
With whimsical and warm drawings that bring Dagobah to life (you know, where Yoda trained Luke) Deas provides a serene, inviting backdrop for an engaging story about becoming a Jedi. It is not, as one might first suspect, Luke’s story. But rather, Chhibber breaks the fourth wall and talks to the child directly, using Yoda, thereby guiding them on the path to Jedidom.
If you’re thinking, “this book is about swashbuckling and using the power of the force,” well no. It’s much more subtle and engaging. Although Chhibber does use some phraseology from the movies and books, she expands and engages in some zen-like teaching, all through the voice of Yoda.
Important strength is . . .
. . . but weakness too . . .
and failure.
Part of the journey they are.
Young Jedi will love the pictures and the fact that Yoda is addressing them directly. Older Jedi will more easily grasp the subtleties of the lessons being imparted. Parents will nod (hopefully) at the wisdom, and, perhaps, maybe perhaps, feel the force.
A Jedi You Will Be (Amazon)*
A Jedi You Will Be (Support an Independent Bookstore)*
More books for this Age Group can be found here.
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*When something is purchased using one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission. We do not accept any monies for any editorial reviews. Our opinions, to the chagrin of many, are our own.