So You Want to Be a Jedi?

Ryan - Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back by Adam Gidwitz My book is about a boy named Luke and his uncle Ben (Obi-Wan Kenobi) tells him that his father was killed by Darth Vader and Luke wants to kill Darth Vader so he goes to Dagobah and gets trained by yoda. Yoda teaches him to use lightsaber and use the force. When Yoda trained him to use the force he sensed that Leia and Han were in trouble so he got in his ship and flew to save them. When he got to them Han was frozen and Darth Vader wanted to freeze Luke. Luke didn’t know that Vader was his father until they fought and Vader told him. Luke didn’t believe him. Also Vader cut Luke's hand off and he had to get a mechanical hand. If I could rate this book I would rate it 5 stars.

Gidwitz turns to second-person narration in his retelling of The Empire Strikes Back. In an author's note, this reteller of fairy tales explains that a certain type of protagonist-Luke, for instance-has a fairly empty characterization, enabling readers to "inhabit" the hero. This sets up the novel's proper introduction, in which the narrator directly addresses readers who wish to become Jedis, explaining that simply telling Luke's story isn't enough and that they "need, for the duration of this story, to become Luke." Substituting "you" for Luke, Gidwitz proceeds with his story. After fleeing a discovered rebel base, Luke follows a vision of Obi-Wan Kenobi to the swamp planet Dagobah, where the Jedi Master Yoda lives. There, Gidwitz takes advantage of the novel's format to allow readers to share Luke's frustration with Yoda's emphasis on patience. Meanwhile, in conventionally narrated chapters, Leia, Han, and the gang engage in daring exploits to evade Darth Vader only to be betrayed by Han's old friend, Lando. Vader uses them to set a trap for Luke, who, still so early in his training, is not ready to face the full force of the dark side, resulting in a major blow to the heroes. In between chapters, the narrator instructs readers in various Jedi training meditation exercises; sometimes they detract from the story's rhythm, but generally they're decent fun. An enthusiastic, mostly successful experiment to make old new again. (Science fantasy. 8-12) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2015

Gr 5 Up-In this adventure, readers take on the persona of Luke Skywalker. Following the events of the 1980 film The Empire Strikes Back, readers fight in the Battle of Hoth, get frostbite, meet Yoda, battle against Darth Vader, and save Leia and Chewbacca. At the end of each chapter is a hands-on exercise for readers to try and harness the energy of the Force. Illustrations, both interspersed throughout the text and full-page spreads at the beginning of each part, are well done and reminiscent of the original characters and scenes. The plot is true to the original movie while offering a new and unique perspective. The narrative style, told throughout in the second person, may prove difficult for some but also serves to lighten the mood and draw in more reluctant readers. Lessons provided are fun and will appeal to anyone who has ever wanted to be a Jedi. VERDICT Hand this to "Star Wars" fans as well as lovers of space-based science fiction.-Kira Moody, Whitmore Public Library, Salt Lake City, UT

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2015
Grades 3-6 This franchise doesn't suffer from a soggy middle: this adaption of The Empire Strikes Back packs just as much of a punch as the original film. The conceit here is to create a Jedi-in-training manual by telling the story through Luke Skywalker's second-person narration. The rest of the crew is not forgotten: Han Solo is the same old stuck-up, scruffy nerf herder, and tough-as-nails Princess Leia matches him jab for jab. Gidwitz cheekilybut lovinglyre-creates what's considered by many to be the strongest of the films, down to exact dialogue (James Earl Jones practically narrates the Vader sections), though he does embellish in a few places, primarily where Yoda and Luke's training is concerned. Luke's story is emphasized, while Han and Leia's is slightly diminished (this is not a kissing book), and various asides address the reader with lessons on meditation and self-control. Though occasional line drawings depict stills from the film, this is less a direct translation and more of one author's enthusiastic conversation with a beloved story. Brace for a brand-new crop of Padawans.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)