Published: August 25, 2020 (US); December 30, 2020 (UK)
Author: Little Golden Books
Artist: Alan Batson
Cover Artist: Caleb Meurer
Publisher: Golden Books
Formats: Hardback (24 pages)
Timeline: 35 ABY
The synopsis;
An exciting Little Golden Book based on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker!
Can Rey, Finn, General Leia, Poe Dameron, and the heroes of the brave Resistance save the galaxy from Kylo Ren and the evil First Order? The epic space saga, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, is retold in the iconic Little Golden Book format! Featuring stunning retro illustrations, this book is perfect for Star Wars–and Little Golden Book–fans of all ages!
The review;
Meurer’s cover art for this book is like a cute movie-poster for Episode IX, with the bold use of red and blue making it very eye-catching. However, let’s face it, The Rise of Skywalker is a pretty dark story. So, how do you turn it into a book for younger readers? Well, Little Golden Books have managed it, staying true to the original story but moderating some of the scarier scenes.
This telling of the story really focusses on Rey’s journey and her choices along the way. It’s a great choice as Rey then becomes a role-model that can inspire younger readers. From choosing to face her fears and not give in to hate, then Rey can teach young Padawans how it’s important to stand up to problems or tricky situations. It’s okay to feel afraid, but not to let that fear define you. It’s such a wonderful moral message that permeates the entire book.
For a children’s book, Rey is still presented as quite a complex character and her emotions are deftly dealt with. The writing clearly states what Rey is feeling, not shying away from saying that Rey is angry, or sad, or afraid. It’s nice to see these emotions clearly expressed in the writing, as it not only explains to young readers what Rey is feeling, but that it’s okay to sometimes feel that way.
Although the book mostly follows the plot of the film, some of the scenes that children might find upsetting have been taken out, including Chewbacca’s ‘death’ and all of Allegiant General Pryde’s creepiness. However, both Leia and Ben’s deaths are still included, so the book doesn’t hide from the mortality of the characters. The story still has a good narrative flow though, and only readers who have seen the film would know that anything has actually been removed.
Batson’s artwork also downplays some of the scarier scenes, especially his not-so-terrifying, needs-wrinkle-cream Emperor Palpatine rather than the Walking Dead version fans see in the film. His renditions of each character are amazing! Rey is beautifully drawn, particularly her expressive eyes, and even Kylo Ren is made to look cute. Meanwhile, his spreads depicting the action-sequences are thrilling just to look at and sure to engage young readers. With flowing lines everywhere and dynamic posing, they really capture a sense of movement. Two particular highlights though are the scenes where Rey heals Ben and when Rey ignites her yellow lightsaber – both are so full of emotion and the colour choices are extemely striking.
The Rise of Skywalker Little Golden Book is an exciting yet quick read that makes Episode IX more easily accessible for young Padawans. It’s also the last book in the Skywalker Saga Little Golden Book series, so it would make a perfect Christmas present or stocking filler for any young Star Wars fan.
Availability;
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was published August 25th, 2020 in the US and will be published December 30th, 2020 in the UK in hardback. It is available at all good book stores and through online retailers including Amazon US and you can preorder from Amazon UK.
