Return of the Padawan

June 1, 2014
The line between humor and heartbreak is very thin in this new Star Wars graphic novel.Readers who've seen a horror movie or two know that anyone who says, "I'll be right back!" is doomed. The second Jedi Academy book follows the same sort of logic. Roan is training to be a Jedi pilot, so the moment he says, ."..I'm going to beat all of their test scores by a whole bunch," readers will know that the starpilot simulator is about to start smoking and shooting off sparks. The whole book is a series of disasters, which is to say that it's a classic comedy. Before the end of the story, the class pet has disappeared, and Roan's friends have stopped talking to him. The more horrors he faces, the funnier the comedy gets. Brown's doodles of teachers are hilarious, too. Most of them are takeoffs on Star Wars characters, like off-brand versions of the originals; the instructors include librarian Lackbar and Kitmum the Wookiee gym teacher. If you haven't seen a Wookiee with a sweatband, you haven't lived. Roan is a very sympathetic main character, and readers will feel his pain and laugh at his misfortune in equal measure. Roan's hand-lettered journal entries alternate with short paneled sequences and "screenshots" of academy message boards and other ephemera.Future installments-and further disasters-will be most welcome. (Graphic fantasy. 8-12)

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June 1, 2014

Gr 4-6-Roan Novachez is back for a second year at Jedi Academy-a typical middle school with a Star Wars twist. Students communicate via messages posted to holobook and endure disgusting cafeteria food served by the new Gamorrean chef, Gammy. Roan spends his days training to be a Jedi while navigating problematic situations with friends, embarrassing moments, bullies, and the worries of report cards. Classes are taught by Librarian Lackbar, Master Yoda, and other characters from the films. Yoda is an exception, but other familiar characters have slightly different names, like T-P30 and RW-22. The full-color cover is a bit misleading, since all graphics inside are rendered in black-and-white; however, the content makes up for any disappointment. This series of diary-format graphic novels is sure to be popular with elementary and middle-grade readers. Recommended for all public and school libraries.-Gaye Hinchliff, King County Library System, WA

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2014
Grades 3-7 Roan Novachez has high hopes for his second year at Jedi Academy, since he finally gets to start his pilot training. Because his dad is a pilot, Roan feels confident that he'll be great, but when he finally gets to class, he realizes he has a lot to learn. He also has a lot to learn about being a good friend: a few misunderstandings with his closest buddies lead to a lot of hurt feelings, and Roan falls in with the mean-kid crowd for a while. The contrasts between Roan's journal entries and the panels depicting his days at school demonstrate Roan's still-burgeoning sense of emotional maturity and make the growth of his self-awareness and confidence that much more gratifying. Roan's comics for the school paper, as well as class schedules and cafeteria menus stuffed with Star Wars jokes, are delightful interludes. Best-selling Brown's naive, sketchy black-and-white illustrations are the perfect match for this journal-style comics hybrid, sure to appeal to fans of Jeff Kinney's Wimpy Kid series. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The runaway success of Brown's Star Warsthemed graphic novels will likely keep growing, thanks to a sizable first printing.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)