Read On, Young Padawan: Superb Star Wars Books for Kids of All Ages
by Tom Burns
A while back, I spent a few brief days being known to the world as the “Princess Leia Dad.” My 7-year-old daughter and I dressed up as Han Solo and Princess Leia for Halloween — at her request, she was Han and I was Leia — and little did I know that the pictures of our costumes would go minor-league viral, placing me on national TV squeezed into a makeshift Carrie Fisher dress.
What did I learn from that experience? 1). People love seeing pudgy dads in dresses, and 2). People LOVE “Star Wars.” Which you already know. As an ever-growing franchise, it’s impossible to deny how excited fans are about George Lucas’s most famous creation.
And, even if you’re not a SW fan, it’s hard to argue with the impact “Star Wars” has had on our cultural mythology. For better or worse, “Star Wars” has become one of those foundational stories, the kind that gets passed down from generation to generation. (It even has its own holiday — May 4th has become the official “Star Wars Day,” thanks to the better-than-average pun “May the 4th Be With You.”)
If you want to help your kids awaken the Force, or just introduce them to the literary side of “Star Wars,” here are some fantastic books that should delight padawans of all ages.
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Pre-K (Ages 3 – 5):
“Star Wars” has become so ubiquitous that it often gets on a kid’s radar LONG before they’re ready to actually see the movies. So, what’s a parent to do when their 3-year-old wants to know everything there is to know about Lando Calrissian? Turn to DK’s long-line of age-appropriate “Star Wars” early readers. Or try the Star Wars Little Golden Book Library, a fantastic six-book retelling of the entire movie series — told in the classic Little Golden Book format — that acts as an ideal introduction to the SW universe for even the littlest Jedis.
Fans of the Young Jedi Adventures series on Disney+ will love following youngling Kai, Lys, and Nubs as they learn the way of the Force in Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures: Jedi Training while emerging readers will enjoy Level 1 readers, The Young Jedi and Yoda’s Mission.
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DK Readers L0: Star Wars: Blast Off!
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Growing Reader (Ages 6 – 8):
For grade school kids, there are several great “Star Wars” options. DK publishes a huge catalog of “nonfiction” titles in their “Star Wars” series — books that catalog the minutiae of George Lucas’s universe, like Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary, What is a Wookie?, and What is a Droid? — for young readers to flip through.
In terms of sheer visual scope, it’s hard to do better than Star Wars: Galactic Storybook, a beautiful book featuring simple retellings of the movies. Or learn how to use the Force with Star Wars: A Jedi You Will Be, a hilarious and adorable picture book narrated by everybody’s favorite Jedi Master, Yoda!
If your kid loves graphic novels, there’s Screen Comix I Am Your Mother/Aau’s Song, which features retellings of episodes from the animated series Star Wars: Visions on Disney+. Follow along as Ahsoka Tano and the Mandalorian Bo-Katan Kryze team up against Darth Maul in The Clone Wars: Ahsoka vs. Maul. Or let kids be there hero of their own adventure with LEGO Star Wars: Choose Your Path.
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Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary
Also available from: What Is a Wookie?
Also available from: What Is a Droid?
Also available from: LEGO Star Wars: Choose Your Path
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Star Wars: Galaxy Storybook
Also available from: Star Wars: A Jedi You Will Be
Also available from: The Clone Wars: Ahsoka vs. Maul
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Tween/Teen (Ages 9+):
Middle grade readers should find a lot to enjoy about Star Wars: The High Republic, a series set during the golden age of the galaxy. The first in the series, A Test of Courage, is a New York Times bestseller and follows 16-year-old Jedi prodigy Venestra Rwoh on her first assignment to supervise a mischievous 12-year-old inventor on a luxury star cruiser. Venestra is powerful, but not without teenage insecurities, making her a relatable character for tweens and teens.
Another awesome way to engage your young Star Wars fan is by reintroducing them to the original trilogy via some great authors and stories. Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel by New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis, takes place directly after the events of “Return of the Jedi” and following legacy characters Leia and Han on their honeymoon turned diplomatic mission. Shadow of the Sith follows Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian on an adventure that takes place between “Return of the Jedi” and “The Force Awakens” while Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker forge a new bond as Jedi Knights in Brotherhood.
There are hundreds of novels in the “Star Wars” “Expanded Universe,” but, for older kids, few are as beloved as A.C. Crispin’s Han Solo Trilogy — starting with The Paradise Snare — which follows the young scoundrel from his days as a 19-year-old pirate’s apprentice to his first meeting with Obi-Wan Kenobi at the Mos Eisley cantina. And, if your teen can’t wait for Episode VII later this year, they might enjoy Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn Trilogy — beginning with Heir to the Empire — which, until the announcement of the new “Star Wars” movies, was long regarded as the definitive “What happened after ‘Return of the Jedi’” story.
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Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel
Also available from: Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith
Also available from: Star Wars: Brotherhood
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Heir to the Empire: Star Wars Legends
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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2024.