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Our Top Picks For Star Wars Reads Day

Star Wars Reads Day is an international event celebrating two of my absolute favorite things: reading and Star Wars!

In 2013, there were more than 2,000 events at bookstores and libraries around the world. This year, major publishers like Abrams, Chronicle, DK Publishing, Scholastic, Workman and Disney Book Group will participate.

Some of the newest Star Wars themed titles to hit bookstores this year include:

Star Wars Jedi Academy

Roan’s one dream is to leave home and attend Pilot Academy like his older brother, father, and grandfather. But just as Roan is mysteriously denied entrance to Pilot School, he is invited to attend Jedi Academy–a school that he didn’t apply to and only recruits children when they are just a few years old. That is, until now…

This inventive novel follows Roan’s first year at Jedi Academy where, under the tutelage of Master Yoda, he learns that he possesses more strength and potential than he could have ever dreamed. Oh, and he learns other important things too–like how to make a baking soda volcano, fence with a lightsaber, slow dance with a girl, and lift boulders with the Force.

Star Wars: A New Dawn

For a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights brought peace and order to the Galactic Republic, aided by their connection to the mystical energy field known as the Force. But they were betrayed—and the entire galaxy has paid the price. It is the Age of the Empire.

Now Emperor Palpatine, once Chancellor of the Republic and secretly a Sith follower of the dark side of the Force, has brought his own peace and order to the galaxy. Peace through brutal repression, and order through increasing control of his subjects’ lives. But even as the Emperor tightens his iron grip, others have begun to question his means and motives. And still others, whose lives were destroyed by Palpatine’s machinations, lay scattered about the galaxy like unexploded bombs, waiting to go off. . . .

Star Wars: A New Dawn is set during the legendary “Dark Times” between Episodes III and IV and tells the story of how two of the lead characters from the animated TV series Star Wars Rebels.

Star Wars Workbooks

Featuring favorite characters like Luke Skywalker, Queen Amidala, Yoda, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and other creatures, monsters, Jedi, and Sith, the workbooks are filled with thousands of original illustrations drawing from all six Star Wars movies and the expanded Star Wars universe. Learn well, you will.

Star Wars Origami Yoda

In this funny, uncannily wise portrait of the dynamics of a sixth-grade class and of the greatness that sometimes comes in unlikely packages, Dwight, a loser, talks to his classmates via an origami finger puppet of Yoda. If that weren’t strange enough, the puppet is uncannily wise and prescient. Origami Yoda predicts the date of a pop quiz, guesses who stole the classroom Shakespeare bust, and saves a classmate from popularity-crushing embarrassment with some well-timed advice. Dwight’s classmate Tommy wonders how Yoda can be so smart when Dwight himself is so clueless. With contributions from his puzzled classmates, he assembles the case file that forms this novel.

Star Wars: The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight

The classic tale of good versus evil set in a galaxy far, far away, quickly became a cultural phenomenon during its time, inspiring a generation of story lovers and storytellers. Now, the original trilogy of Star Wars shines anew with the vibrant concept art of Ralph McQuarrie, the legendary conceptual designer behind the original trilogy. Collected in a picture book for the first time, McQuarrie’s art is paired with captivating text by New York Times bestselling author Tony DiTerlizzi-a winning combination that will delight Star Wars fans old and new and delight generations of readers to come.

Also, an official Star Wars event kit (free of charge), including reproducible activity sheets and trivia, is available here as a printable PDF in color and black and white.

And learn more about Star Wars Reads Day here.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Is Back In ‘The Long Haul’!

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The Wimpy Kid is back in The Long Haul by Jeff Kinney. Releasing in November, The Long Haul is about a family road trip gone wrong.

A family road trip is supposed to be a lot of fun . . . unless, of course, you’re the Heffleys. The journey starts off full of promise, then quickly takes several wrong turns. Gas station bathrooms, crazed seagulls, a fender bender, and a runaway pig—not exactly Greg’s idea of a good time. But even the worst road trip can turn into an adventure—and this is one the Heffleys won’t soon forget.

For more on the new book, check out these videos from Wimpy Kid author Jeff Kinney.

Author Jasper Fforde Talks ‘The Eye of Zoltar’

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Meet author Jasper Fforde (no — that’s not a typo!). If you like magic, hilarity and crazy action, you might want to give The Eye of Zoltar a look. It’s the third installment in Fforde’s Chronicles of Kazam series. We asked him to tell us about the book — and a whole lot more.

What advice would you give to aspiring young authors?
Write, and write NOW. Think long term. Writing is a skill to be learned, not a gift that will ooze out effortlessly. It may take 10 years to get published, and that 10 years needs to start as soon as possible. The one piece of advice I would have given the younger Jasper would have been to start writing earlier. I began when I was 27, and was published at 39, seven novels later. Listen to your aged relatives. Listen to other people’s aged relatives. Ask questions. Find out about stuff — any stuff. World affairs, history. BE KNOWLEDGEABLE. Know the difference (and want to know the difference) between “dog’s” and “dogs” and “there” and “their” and “lesser” and “fewer.” If you’re old enough, get a part-time job somewhere that has a lot of people of very different backgrounds — a fast food joint is a good start, or Saturday mornings in a shoe shop or hardware store — and just listen to people’s lives. Take notes about stuff, keep a diary, try to figure out why people do the strange stuff they do. Read, watch TV, go to the theatre, see movies. Converse. Do stuff. But most of all, write.

What can you tell us about your latest book, The Eye of Zoltar?
The Eye of Zoltar is the third in the Chronicles of Kazam series and is set in the Ununited Kingdoms, a modern-day world that mixes cars, TVs, magic, despotic kings and dragons. Jennifer Strange works for Kazam, a company that rents out wizards to do mundane jobs like loft conversions and unblocking drains. In an earlier book she defeated a powerful wizard named Shandar who was attempting to rid the world of Dragons, and now he’s back to try again. To stop him, they need a Magical Jewel named “The Eye of Zoltar” which is apparently hidden in the land next door — the Cambrian Empire, a lawless, dangerous place where tourists flock to engage in something called “Jeopardy Tourism.” With a princess disguised as a handmaiden, a wizard who can only do magic by depleting his own life force and a rubber dragon named Colin, Jennifer Strange must go in search of a Sky Pirate, the legendary graveyard of the winged serpents known as Leviathans, and battle Railway Companies, flesh-eating slugs and unstoppable Hollow Men. It’s a lot of fun.

Most of the books you’ve written have been for an adult audience. What sort of experience has it been for you to write for a youth audience?
Children can and do understand very complex ideas: Betrayal, loss, happiness, camaraderie, jeopardy, danger, unfairness. Normal school life, in fact. I tend to write the same but make the protagonists younger and cut down on the number of subplots and allusion, which is something only really gained by age. A story for children needs to crack along at a fair pace, too — no weighty exposition. They get bored far more easily — and will have no qualms in telling you so.

Your books are filled with absurdist humor. From where do you draw your inspiration?
Everywhere. To take an example from The Eye of Zoltar, I was tracing Jennifer’s journey on a map in present day Wales, and it takes them past a little town named Llangurig. I did a quick Google search to see if there was anything remarkable I could use, and there was — the railway to Llangurig only ever had one train before the line was pulled up; something to do with a contractual obligation. The entire “Battling Railway Companies” chapter and subplot grew out of this one fact. I take a small nugget of information, then simply exaggerate, and add human greed and contrariness. Usually works!

Besides your own books, what are the top five books that you would recommend to young readers?

The Little Prince by Antoine de St-Exupéry. A warm, lyrical tale about a prince who lives on his own planet, and about his journey to earth to try and find answers about life. Also warns about the danger of Baobab trees, and how to draw pictures of snakes eating elephants.
Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl. Or anything else by him, really. Always engaging, and always a bit subversive. Great fun.
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. Rollicking tale of pirates, evildoing, treasure and life at sea. Unputdownable from almost the very first word. “Long John” Silver remains the best villain in children’s fiction, hands down.
Holes by Louis Sachar. Delightfully surreal stuff from beginning to end.
Stig of the Dump by Clive King. Barney discovers that living in the chalk pit at the bottom of the garden is Stig, a caveman. Despite not having a common language, a strong friendship develops.

Random Question: We understand you’re into aviation. What can you tell us about your interest in it?
My dad was a pilot during World War II, and although he never flew after 1945, I was always fascinated by it. I’ve had a pilot’s license since 1985, and own and fly a vintage aircraft built in Kansas in 1940. I’ve even visited the site of the old factory (now a GM truck engine factory) and will happily talk about airplanes for hours — but I don’t, because it’s hideously boring if you’re not interested. Flying. It’s the reason birds sing.

Enter BL’s 2019 “Say Yes to Reading!” Contest!

• Read the winning book reports from 2017

Write a one-page report titled “The Best Book I Read This Year” and enter it in the Boys’ Life 2019 “Say Yes to Reading!” contest.

The book can be fiction or nonfiction. But the report has to be in your own words — 500 words tops. Enter in one of these three age categories:

8 years old and younger
9 and 10 years old
11 years old and older

First-place winners in each age category will receive a $100 gift card from Amazon.com. Second-place winners will receive a $75 gift card; third-place winners, a $50 gift card.

Everyone who enters will get a free patch like the one on this page. The patch is a temporary insignia, so it can be worn on the right pocket of the Scout uniform shirt. Proudly display it there or on another item such as a vest, plaque or trophy! In coming years, you’ll have the opportunity to earn other patches.

The contest is open to all Boys’ Life readers. Be sure to include your name, address, age and grade in school on the entry.

Send your report, along with a business-size, self-addressed, stamped envelope, to:

Boys’ Life Reading Contest
S306
P.O. Box 152079
Irving, TX 75015-2079

Entries must be postmarked by Dec. 31, 2019 and must include entry information and a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

A Sneak Peek at ‘Fantasy League’ by Mike Lupica

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If you’re a fan of football, or fantasy football, Fantasy League by Mike Lupica is the perfect book for you. It’s a fun, funny and educational look at fantasy sports from the perspective of a 12-year-old named Charlie Gaines. Charlie, like lots of middle-schoolers, is obsessed with sports.

Especially football. Charlie’s favorite hobby is playing fantasy football. He’s got too many leagues to count, and spends most of his time studying players, teams and stats. One day, his exceptional talent gets noticed by the owner of the L.A. Bulldogs. What happens next sets Charlie off on a one-of-a-kind, dream-come-true adventure.

Earlier this week, author Mike Lupica sent two exclusive videos to Boys’ Life, giving us the scoop on his new book. Take a look:

More about Fantasy League from author Mike Lupica

Learn a few expert fantasy football tips

Here’s the official synopsis:

Twelve-year-old Charlie is a fantasy football guru. He may be just a bench warmer for his school’s football team, but when it comes to knowing and loving the game, he’s first-string. He even becomes a celebrity when his podcast gets noticed by a sports radio host, who plays Charlie’s fantasy picks for all of Los Angeles to hear. Soon Charlie befriends the elderly owner of the L.A. Bulldogs — a fictional NFL team — and convinces him to take a chance on an aging quarterback. After that, watch out . . . it’s press conferences and national fame as Charlie becomes a media curiosity and source of conflict for the Bulldogs general manager, whose job Charlie seems to have taken. It’s all a bit much for a kid just trying to stay on top of his grades and maintain his friendship with his verbal sparring partner, Anna.

Read an Excerpt From The Rule of Thoughts

Calling All Maze Runner Fans!

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Are you a Maze Runner fanatic? You’re in luck. The movie based on the bestselling novel of the same name hits theaters Sept. 19.

We’ve got a look at the The Maze Runner trailer, too.

In case you missed out on the book, here’s the gist of the story:

When Thomas wakes up trapped in a massive maze with a group of other boys, he has no memory of the outside world other than strange dreams about a mysterious organization known as W.C.K.D. Only by piecing together fragments of his past with clues he discovers in the maze can Thomas hope to uncover his true purpose and a way to escape.

It’s a scary, adventurous, thrilling, mysterious, edge-of-your-seat thriller that will not disappoint. That said, the movie — and the book — are for older audiences. I recommend the book only for kids 12 and older. If you’re wondering whether you’re ready to tackle the book, visit Common Sense Media first to learn more about the book. Or feel free to ask me any questions in the comments section.

And the movie will likely be rated PG-13 for violence, and some mild language. Even so, aside from some scary moments, the trailer is approved for all audiences.

Want more news about the Maze Runner? Check out our interview with author James Dashner.

BL: What draws you to writing for a younger audience?

J.D.: There was just something magical about reading when I was a youth, and writing for them is the only true way I can return to that magic.

BL: When you were younger, which authors were your favorite?

J.D.: I loved Judy Blume, Madeleine L’Engle, and the Hardy Boys books.

BL: Aside from your own, do you have a favorite young adult book or series? New or old?

J.D.: My favorite of all time is the Ender series by Orson Scott Card. (For those interested: Ender’s Game the movie will be released in Nov. 2013. Watch for a Boys’ Life story on the movie-making process.)

BL: You’re also involved with Infinity Ring, an epic, sprawling time-travel tale, comes out. This seems to have a lot of moving parts, with a multi-platform experience for readers. What is the series all about?

J.D.: Infinity Ring is a story about an alternate reality of our world where “Great Breaks” in time have caused the modern day world to be in really bad shape, plagued by things such as rampant natural disasters and a ruthless government. The main characters find themselves involved with an ancient society that sends them back in time to correct those Breaks in history.

BL: After the final book in the Infinity Ring series, what’s next for you? Or have you even gotten that far into planning?

J.D.: There will be a new young adult series with Random House, as well as other stories I have up my sleeve. Many fun things to come!

Go Exploring With Animal Expert Jeff Corwin

Get To Know ‘The Quantum League’ Author, Matthew J. Kirby

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Matthew J. Kirby is the bestselling author of adventure books like The Clockwork Three, Icefall and The Infinity Ring: Cave of Wonders. His newest book, The Quantum League, is a fast-paced, magical mystery that offers thrills, chills and shocking twists. He took a moment away from his busy writing schedule to talk to BL about books, Batman and Boy Scouts.

BL: What can you tell us about The Quantum League?

M.J.K.: Spell Robbers is the first book in The Quantum League trilogy. It’s the story of Ben and his best friend, Peter. Together, they’re drafted into the Quantum League, a secret police force of magicians called Actuators in the book. During their training to become agents of this organization, Ben and Peter learn there’s a whole underworld of criminal wizards out there, and it’s up to the Quantum League to stop them.

BL: Where did the idea come from?

M.J.K.: The Quantum League series emerged out of a couple of ideas. The first is that I wanted to try my hand at writing something fast-paced, with twists and turns, double-crosses, lots of action — a page-turner. The second was a love for heist stories and crime sagas. But I wanted to take that kind of story in a new direction, so I turned to fantasy for some inspiration and came up with a system of magic rooted in science. So that brought me to The Quantum League, a magical crime saga.

BL: How is this story different from your other books?

M.J.K.: The biggest difference is the fact that it’s a series. I’ve written my other books as stand-alone stories, but with The Quantum League, I had more time and space to follow these characters and their adventures from book to book. I had the opportunity to plan out this large, sweeping story. I think the other difference is just the pacing and the type of action-oriented story it is.

BL: What’s up next for you? Book 2, or something else first?

M.J.K.: I just wrapped up writing Book 2, which takes Ben, Peter and Sasha to a slightly darker, more dangerous place. I don’t want to spoil it, but I’m happy with how it turned out.

BL: What are some of your favorite books for kids?

M.J.K.: As a kid, I loved the fantasy of Ursula K. Le Guin, Lloyd Alexander, Susan Cooper, the historical fiction of Elizabeth George Speare, and Natalie Babbitt’s stories, too. More recent favorite authors include Philip Pullman, Neil Gaiman, M.T. Anderson and so many others. It’s impossible to narrow it down any more than that.

BL: Do you have a favorite superhero?

M.J.K.: Batman. Totally Batman. I read Batman comics when I was a kid, and I’ve always loved the fact that he’s just a normal guy who worked HARD to become the superhero he is. He didn’t have any powers handed to him. He created his own abilities, through his determination. That always inspired me.

BL: You were a Boy Scout, right? Any cool Scouting memories?

M.J.K.: I was a Boy Scout, although I have to admit I didn’t earn my Eagle. But I have great memories from Scout camps and other merit badge activities. This one time, we met an archaeologist on the beach, and he showed us how to look through the sand for things. I found an ancient shark tooth that I still have in a box somewhere.

BL: Finally, what advice can you give to young readers who may be interested in a career in writing?

M.J.K.: The best advice I can give is two-fold, and I’m sure your readers have heard it before. The first is to read, read, read. Read everything you can get your hands on, and try not to limit yourself to one kind of genre or book. Read widely. The other part is to write every day. It doesn’t have to be much, but just write something. Get in that daily habit now.

— Clay Swartz

The Quantum League is out now. You can get it HERE.