The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy

Bracken launches this retelling with the first of the original Star Wars trilogy. Aptly titled, this novelization focuses on Leia, Han, and Luke as the titular princess, scoundrel, and farmboy, organized into a section for each. In the first, Leia has perhaps bitten off more than she can chew in trying to prove herself to the Rebellion and distance herself from princess stereotypes. The novel follows spirited Leia from Darth Vader's attack on her ship, through the "Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi" holographic message, her capture, and her interrogation to the destruction of planet Alderaan, her home. From there, the third-person narration shifts to Han, who agrees to transport Luke and Obi Wan to pay his debt to the dangerous Jabba the Hutt. They run into trouble with Vader and take advantage of the chance to rescue Leia from her impending execution. Han's pulled between his pragmatic desire for money (and skepticism of the Jedi "religion") and the affection he feels, against his will, for Leia and Luke. The final section begins as Luke grieves Obi-Wan's death and struggles to find his place both as a half-trained Jedi and in the Rebellion. While occasionally the narration dips into saccharine sentimentality and often tells more than it shows, generally Bracken's love for the source material results in enhanced characterization. A competent novelization of a beloved story. (Science fantasy. 8-12) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2015

Gr 5 Up-Bracken channels the Force to deliver a solid retelling of the "Star Wars" story that started it all. The princess (Leia), the scoundrel (Han Solo), and the farm boy (Luke) each take turns as the center of attention as the story progresses almost identically to the original film, A New Hope. The trio, along with wise Master Kenobi, must evade Vader and the Empire's forces and bring back detailed plans of the enemy's super weapon if they are to have any chance in the war. The story line is well paced, and Bracken brings readers slightly deeper into the minds of the three heroes. The story is divided into three sections, one for each character; this narrative format is expertly done and not only feels novel but breathes new life into this retelling. VERDICT Avid fans of the franchise-as well as those new to the "Star Wars" universe wanting to delve into the history in anticipation of the new film-will enjoy this and likely pick up the two sequels, So You Want to Be a Jedi? by Adam Gidwitz and Beware the Power of the Dark Side! by Tom Angleberger (both Disney/Lucasfilm Pr., 2015).-Chad Lane, Tulip Grove Elementary School, MD

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2015
Grades 3-6 Perhaps of all the Star Wars movies, the first, originally released in 1977, is the most iconic. So Bracken had her work cut out for her in shaping the story into something fresh. But she fares rather well, segmenting the tale into introductions of the young characters and then fleshing them out a bit. Bracken begins with Princess Leia, a newly minted senator and, soon, prisoner of Darth Vader, with whom she witnesses her home planet being blown to smithereens by the Death Star. Readers then meet Han Solo in the infamous cantina, and Bracken cleverly inserts a scene cut from the original (but added to later versions), featuring Jabba the Hutt. Luke Skywalker turns up on Han's spaceship, so some of his early life is told as backstory. There's plenty of action, especially after the trio join forces, but those who have seen the movie will be visualizing that rather than the words on a page. The occasional line illustrations add a little. In her introduction, Bracken explains that her family were Star Wars fans extraordinaire, and you can feel the love she brings to this.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)