How to Raise a Star Wars Nerd

I have to confess my nerdiness, although I’m not really sure that I have done a good job at hiding it. Not only am I a bookworm, I am a Star Wars aficionado. Some people say “Fan Boy,” but that makes me feel like a little kid. Having these two hobbies/interests/obsessions comes with its own struggles; of course one of them is fighting the ladies off with a stick. I love reading and I love Star Wars, but sometimes people do not have the same passion that I feel when these two topics arise. So you can imagine my fears when I found out that my wife was pregnant. What if he hates books? What if he doesn’t love Star Wars? And worst of all, what if he likes Jar-Jar?

I have a very young cousin (now in middle school) who loves books and reading. I buy her books whenever I can to encourage her love of reading. I made a deal with her a few years ago that any book that I gave her I would read too, and we could enjoy it together as part of our shared interest. Naturally, the first book I gave her was Star Wars themed. She loved it. Now I have my own son and I want him to be raised with the force as part of his life, but more importantly I want him to appreciate the written word. How could I ensure that I raise him to love reading?

I have found a solution to this problem that eases my concerns. Listed below are a few wonderful Star Wars themed books written for children; well, written for parents wanting to brainwash their children into loving the same franchise that they were raised on.

Darth Vader and Son by Jeffrey Brown

 

This was actually the first book we purchased for our son while my wife was pregnant. It is mostly a picture book with little dialogue and it is about the struggles that Darth Vader encounters as part of being a father. Some of these include Luke getting a boo-boo, Vader digging Luke out of the compactor, and even Vader/son naptime. Brown has also written Vader’s Little Princess which is about the Dark Lord’s little girl, Leia. This was the first book I read to my son, but mostly I just show him the pictures and say things like “look son, a lightsaber,” or “that’s Darth Vader.”

It was recently announced that there will be another installment entitled Goodnight Darth Vader. The first copies will be made available at Comic Con in San Diego. Lucky bastards.

Jedi Academy by Jeffrey Brown

Brown has also written a comic-like book about a middle school age boy named Roan. The narrative tells the story of a young boys dream of becoming a pilot and his adventures in Jedi Academy. The book captures the awkwardness of middle school in the Star Wars universe. Under the tutelage of Yoda, Roan learns the ways of the Force.

Click here for the trailer

How To Speak Wookie by Wu Kee Smith

Next time, let the Wookiee win, then challenge him to a rematch using his language. This book has great images and teaches you how to speak “Wookiee” by using the small soundboard on the side. It is great for kids because they push the buttons and hear the loveable Chewbacca and his unintelligible utterances. GGGGUUURRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHH with the best of them. By the way, did you see the authors name?

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger

This is the first book that I purchased for my bibliophile cousin. As promised, I read it first and was very impressed. It is obviously written for children (probably in the 8-12 age group), but it is pretty entertaining. Picture Wimpy Kid meets Star Wars. Origami Yoda tells the story of a group of sixth graders who are dumbfounded when Dwight, a strange young fellow, begins to speak to them using his origami Yoda. The paper Jedi master makes predictions and saves his friends from utter embarrassment. The story is told through a case file that tracks Origami Yoda’s strange, unexplainable actions.

This has become a very popular franchise unto itself, as Angleberger has gone on to expand the series by popular demand. Check out the site and peruse the set. These include great titles like Darth Paper Strikes Back, The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee, The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppet, and a few more. I ended up buying my little cousin the first three of the set.