Star Wars: Jedi Academy – book review

Roan lives on Tatooine. He likes drawing comics and is looking forward to going to Pilot School. But his hopes are dashed when he learns that his application to Pilot School has been rejected – what now?  Will he have to stay on Tatooine and be a farmer? He doesn’t exactly have a green thumb. Just as he’s about to despair, Roan receives a letter from Master Yoda at the Jedi Academy (located far, far away on Coruscant), informing him that “Strong in you, the force is, Jedi,” and inviting him to attend classes there. Roan accepts, despite reservations that Yoda is wrong – he knows next to nothing about the Force and has never seen any manifestations of its power in him.

Life at the Academy is busy and there are a lot of new people to meet and adjustments to make as Roan settles in. He takes classes, makes new friends, draws comics for the school newspaper, and tries to learn how to use the Force (with mixed results).  This funny graphic journal – similar to Wimpy Kid (combining comics and journaling) – will entertain Star Wars fans (and create new ones), and may also appeal to fans of the Origami Yoda books.

Reviewed by YA Librarian