C-3PO Does NOT Like Sand!

April 15, 2019
In a galaxy far, far away, three robots take a sandy trek. In the heat of desert planet Tatooine, persnickety C-3PO leads playful R2-D2 and BB-8 across the dunes on an important mission. Along their journey, the trio encounters familiar figures from the Star Wars franchise, including speedy podracers, hooded Jawas, and an enormous, shaggy bantha, and also name-drops other notables such as Gen. Leia and Rey. As in the films, R2 and BB-8 communicate only through beeps and boops; C-3PO carries most of the narrative with his endless fussing about keeping his cohorts on track with their mission and grumbling about the sand, which delights and preoccupies the smaller bots. When the threesome reports back to their ship for duty, uptight C-3PO takes a well-deserved bath while R2 and BB-8 provide gentle comic relief. This graphic offering features large, bright illustrations that stretch over its pages, employing a cheery, eye-catching blue-and-gold palette. Standing out prominently against the sky-blue backgrounds, the generously sized text bubbles are stark white, just perfect for emerging comics readers. The exact purpose of the mission is never explicitly stated, although its importance is often repeated--think Waiting for Godot through a Star Wars lens. Young readers should relate to the experience of receiving vague orders with simultaneous injunctions not to get dirty. Fun for droid devotees. (Graphic early reader. 5-9)

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