Star Wars Beyond the Films‘ Nathan P. Butler is now posting short, non-spoiler reviews for many new releases. Spoiler-filled discussion will often follow in the weeks or months thereafter on the podcast.
ABC-3PO by Calliope Glass and Catilin Kennedy (hardcover, 2016)
With all of the small brushfires out in fandom these days, it is easy to sometimes forget that Star Wars is a saga for all ages, including children still so young that they are only now learning their alphabet and/or to read. Every so often, a creative children’s book comes along to smack us across the back of the head and remind us of this fact. Such it is with the charming ABC-3PO by Calliope Glass and Caitlin Kennedy.
Billed as the “Galactic Basic Edition” (since, y’know, it is meant to teach our alphabet, not Aurebesh), ABC-3PO is a return to the format of older Star Wars children’s books like Buena Vista’s Adventures in ABC (1984). Each page, as epxected, presents a letter of the alphabet and a Star Wars character or concept to match, but whereas a Star Wars ABC books could get away with just a short description of the character or concept, ABC-3PO, like Adventures in ABC before it, brings a lyrical, poetic feel to its musings with rhyming, somewhat tongue-in-cheek descriptions. (Boba Fett’s page, for instance, ends with “He never, ever fails . . . unless there’s a sarlacc. Oh, shoot.”)
The book’s art by Katie Cook is her usual, solid work, with a cuteness that will appeal to kids and a stylized feel that will also bring a smile to the face of lighthearted adults.
The Verdict
ABC-3PO is essentially a “what you see is what you get” proposition. It is a Star Wars alphabet book. In that, though, it succeeds quite strongly with quirky rhymes and adorable art. Most collectors and story purists will skip this one, but those looking for a nice children’s book will find this a nice addition to their own collections.
Recommended for: Those looking for a strong Star Wars ABC book.
Not recommended for: Those looking for stories or who already know their ABCs.
A review copy was received from Disney Lucasfilm Press.
