The Star Wars Book Expand Your Knowledge of a Galaxy Far, Far Away: An Initial Reaction

I received the notification that my Amazon package had arrived!  I ran to the front door and there it sat, a box about the size of a book.  I looked up and down the street as if I thought some little Jawa may come and snatch it right out of my hands.  I stepped inside and tore the box apart and inside was the hardback, blue-covered, DK published book with a black shadowy Death Star and in yellow letters across the front, The Star Wars Book!  This school librarian and Star Wars fan has been waiting months for this to arrive!  

My first question was, how do I read this?  Is it a cover to cover read?  Is it a look in the index and find the good stuff?  Is it a flip through the pages looking at the great art and photographs?  Hold that thought, but the first thing one must do is pop open that turntable, dust off the CD player or connect your Bluetooth speaker and fire up some John Williams Star Wars music.  My choice happens to be the Rise of Skywalker soundtrack, but choose what you want.  

First, I was surprised at the size of the book.  It is smaller than most Star Wars DK books, and I like it!  It fits on my bookshelf really well with all the other Star Wars books, and it is easy to carry around and hide under the table at Star Wars trivia nights.  Wait, what?  Seriously though.  It is a great size for small curious hands but made for big hands to read.  

The next thing I noticed was the unique organization of content.  The book is broken down into six chapters based on topics from the saga, and each topic is given an essay treatment.  The content is deep which is quite unique for a DK book.  Thumbing through the Table of Contents reveals some eye-catching chapter titles like "Science and Technology" and "Galactic Governments and the Dissidents." Most chapters begin with an introduction to the subject at hand, which is a nice touch.  These introductions are quite informative and interesting to read for new fans and experienced fans alike.  Then the chapters are broken down into smaller subject areas that, like the chapters, offer a unique look at the saga.  There are lots of smaller info boxes that break down information even deeper, as well as famous quotes from the saga, some really cool timelines, and of course the pictures and images.  

So how did I read this book?  I first flipped through the pages looking at the pictures.  What other way is there to start a book like this?  As I was flipping through, I made mental notes of pages of interest.  Then I went to the chapter on "Galactic Denizens" to learn more about the underbelly of the galaxy.  Why not, right?  There is a section on the Mandalorians and another on The Mandalorian, Din Djarin.  I am ready for season two of the Mandalorian now!  I went back to the Introduction of the book, and then browsed the Index.  Yes, I looked at the Index.  What else would one expect of a librarian?  

As a librarian who sees books circulate through many hands, the only thing I wish about this book has nothing to do with content. It is the one thing I wish about all DK books, and that is in the build of the book.  DK is famous for the colorful shiny pages and stunning design, which this book has.  As a librarian, I wish DK invested in a stronger binding to keep those beautiful pages in the book.  It is not the end of the world though, and it most definitely should not discourage anyone from purchasing the book and adding it to their Star Wars collection.

Overall, this is a classic, must-read with an updated, comprehensive, fresh look at the galaxy.  Pablo Hidalgo, Cole Horton, and Dan Zehr have put together a compelling read that we, as fans, will come back to time and time again.  This book will likely end many friendly disagreements over certain details of the saga, but at the same time, it may spark a few conversations as well.  As a librarian, any time we can find a resource that can be used to support an idea or give evidence to build a case, it is a solid resource.  This is a great book that you will come back to many times.  Always visit your local retailer to pick up a book like this, but if it does get delivered to your home, watch out for those little Jawas scavenging around.