From the Publisher
Jeffrey Brown won an Eisner Award for Darth Vader and Son in 2013.
Also, the 1st Jedi Academy is a NY Times Bestseller.
Reviews for: STAR WARS JEDI ACADEMY #1
“Even the most critical Star Wars fans will give Lucasfilm points for licensing this subversive graphic novel.” -Kirkus Reviews
"Brown doesn't just regurgitate Star Wars details – he gives a sense of what the universe would be like for a kid. This fresh perspective results in humor that often hits its mark. With humor and subtle heart, Jedi Academy is destined to fly off shelves everywhere. Be sure to pick up multiples.” -100ScopeNotes.com (SLJ Blog)
“Everyone reading this who reads with young children has just found their next purchase.” -BleedingCool.com
“So much fun! As a casual enthusiast of Star Wars, I was fully engaged by this story of Roan, a young boy from Tatooine (sound familiar?)” - Teen Librarian Toolbox (blog)
“Brown has taken his skill for making the day-to-day of a science fiction universe entertaining, and has expanded it on a wider scale. Old and new fans of George Lucas' creation will find something fun in Star Wars: Jedi Academy.” -The-Trades.com
School Library Journal
06/01/2014
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
Kirkus Reviews
2014-04-16
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)
