As intended, a great way to prepare for Disney’s new Star Wars film.
Angleberger, of Origami Yoda fame, follows Alexandra Bracken (The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farmboy, 2015) and Adam Gidwitz (So You Want to Be a Jedi, 2015) to close out the trilogy of novels retelling the three original Star Wars films.
In the longest of this trilogy, Angleberger appears to relish packing in as many details as he possibly can. In fact, in places where the extra information he wants to insert doesn’t fit in the narration, he uses footnotes. The book opens with a classic “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” scroll-style introductory recap before launching readers into the complicated scheme to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt. Once all players are safe, they must deal with a bigger problem—the Empire is building “a new and improved” Death Star. If the Rebellion can’t stop Emperor Palpatine now, then future resistance may be impossible. Luke also grapples with the revelation that Darth Vader is his father, and he’s desperate to find goodness buried somewhere in the emperor’s right-hand man. The emperor, for his part, sees Luke’s potential and wants him as a Sith apprentice. The final showdown, both on the ship between Luke and Vader and between everyone else on Endor, is action-packed. Early in the book the footnotes sometimes come too frequently and with content that doesn’t add much, but as the book goes on the notes are better spaced and frequently hilarious. While the novel doesn’t add much to expand on the film, it is far better than the average movie novelization; Angleberger’s intrusive narrator adds pleasant texture to the story proper as well as footnotes.
As intended, a great way to prepare for Disney’s new Star Wars film. (Science fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 22, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4847-0913-9
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Disney Lucasfilm
Review Posted Online: Sept. 4, 2015
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
A pleasing premise for book lovers.
A fantasy-loving bookworm makes a wonderful, terrible bargain.
When sixth grader Poppy Woodlock’s historic preservationist parents move the family to the Oregon coast to work on the titular stately home, Poppy’s sure she’ll find magic. Indeed, the exiled water nymph in the manor’s ruined swimming pool grants a wish, but: “Magic isn’t free. It cosssts.” The price? Poppy’s favorite book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In return she receives Sampson, a winged lion cub who is everything Poppy could have hoped for. But she soon learns that the nymph didn’t take just her own physical book—she erased Narnia from Poppy’s world. And it’s just the first loss: Soon, Poppy’s grandmother’s journal’s gone, then The Odyssey, and more. The loss is heartbreaking, but Sampson’s a wonderful companion, particularly as Poppy’s finding middle school a tough adjustment. Hartman’s premise is beguiling—plenty of readers will identify with Poppy, both as a fellow bibliophile and as a kid struggling to adapt. Poppy’s repeatedly expressed faith that unveiling Sampson will bring some sort of vindication wears thin, but that does not detract from the central drama. It’s a pity that the named real-world books Poppy reads are notably lacking in diversity; a story about the power of literature so limited in imagination lets both itself and readers down. Main characters are cued White; there is racial diversity in the supporting cast. Chapters open with atmospheric spot art. (This review has been updated to reflect the final illustrations.)
A pleasing premise for book lovers. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9780316448222
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
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