May 4th has come to be known as May The Fourth, as in "May the Force be with you," one of the most popular pop culture well wishes of the past few generations. The Science Fantasy saga Star Wars has influenced pop culture in innumerable ways, through novel-tie ins, television series, its iconic score, and the major motion picture series.
If you've never given Star Wars a chance, the library is a great place to start. If you've only seen the (culture-changing) films and series, the library is a great place to explore further. It's a vast universe and one that rewards finding (and revisiting) its greatest moments and obscurest bits of knowledge.
- Children
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Star Wars Creatures Big and Small by Calliope Glass. A rhyming assembly of information about the animals in the Star Wars universe, organized from smallest to largest.
I Wish I Had a Wookiee by Ian Doescher. In the tradition of Shel Silverstein s Where the Sidewalk Ends, an illustrated, whimsical, kid-friendly anthology of approximately seventy-five Star Wars-themed poems.
Jedi Academy by Jeffrey Brown. 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...
Allies & Enemies by Brooke Vitale. The Mandalorian and the child meet both friends and enemies on their journey.
Are You Scared, Darth Vader by Adam Rex. Although he professes to fear nothing, it turns out that the most-feared villain in the Star Wars universe may not be so fearless after all.
Star Wars Rebels. Rise of the Rebels by Michael Kogge. "Your favorite Star wars rebels heroes are ready to fight the evil Empire!
For more great Star Wars content for kids, click on the collection below to see what's available in our catalog.
- Teen
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The Rebel Files, Collected Intelligence of the Alliance by Daniel Wallace. Discovered in the ruins of an old rebel base, these files weave together classified documents, intercepted transmissions, and gathered communications to trace the formation of the Rebel Alliance-- and unlock its secrets.
Poe Dameron: Black Squadron by Charles Soule. Handpicked by General Leia Organa, Poe Dameron leads an elite squadron on a top secret mission to investigate sites of historical importance to the force.
Ahsoka by Andrew K. Johnston. Ahsoka Tano, former Padawan to Anakin Skywalker, is no more. Now she's only Ashla, an itinerant tinker living on the farming moon Raada. But when Imperial Forces arrive on Raada, Ashla must make a choice: continue to run or return to her roots and fight for the people she has begun to consider friends.
Lost Stars by Claudia Gray. Two childhood friends--Ciena Ree and Thane Kyrell--have grown up to become an Imperial officer and a Rebel pilot. Now on opposite sides of the war, will these two star-crossed lovers reunite, or will duty tear them--and the galaxy--apart?
Lando: Double or Nothing by Rodney Barnes. Before his days in the Rebellion, before he ran Cloud City, even before he lost the Millennium Falcon, comes this tale of Lando's adventures and misadventures in search of love and money.
Padawan by Kiersten White. Obi-Wan yearns to prove himself on a mission, but when he and Qui-Gon are finally set to leave on an assignment, Qui-Gon is nowhere to be found. Angered by his master's abandonment, Obi-Wan sets out on the mission alone, determined to prove himself. On a mysterious planet he encounters a pack of feral, Force-wielding teens who seem to be the planet's only inhabitants. As he experiences wild freedom with them and wonders if this isn't the life he was meant for, Obi-Wan can't escape the nagging sense that something is wrong with the Force there.
For more great Star Wars content for teens, click on the collection below to see what's available in our catalog.
- Adult
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Black Spire by Delilah S. Dawson. After devastating losses at the hands of the First Order, General Leia Organa has dispatched her agents across the galaxy in search of allies, sanctuary, and firepower and her top spy, Vi Moradi, may have just found all three, on a secluded world at the galaxy's edge.
Inferno Squad by Christie Golden. In retaliation for the destruction of the Death Star battle station, the elite Imperial soldiers of Inferno Squad have been called in for the crucial mission of infiltrating and eliminating the partisans--the rebel faction once led by notorious Republic freedom fighter Saw Gerrera. Following the death of their leader, the partisans have carried on his extremist legacy, determined to thwart the Empire--no matter the cost.
Alphabet Squadron by Alexander Freed. The first novel in a new trilogy starring veteran New Republic pilots! On the verge of victory in a brutal war, five New Republic pilots transform from hunted to hunters in this epic Star Wars adventure. Set after Return of the Jedi, Alphabet Squadron follows a unique team, each flying a different class of starfighter as they struggle to end their war once and for all.
Dark Disciple by Christie Golden. The Jedi Council pairs brash Jedi Knight Quinlan Vos with infamous one-time Sith acolyte Asajj Ventress to target and kill the man responsible for so many war atrocities, Count Dooku himself.
From a Certain Point of View by multiple authors. This book brings together more than 40 authors for 40 stories. Each will be told from the perspective of background characters of A New Hope from X-wing pilots who helped Luke destroy the Death Star, to the stormtroopers who never quite could find the droids they were looking for.
Thrawn by Timothy Zahn. Traces the origins of Thrawn, one of the most ruthless warriors in the Galactic Empire, and the events behind his rise in the Imperial ranks.
Red Harvest by Joe Schrieber. Hestizo Trace possesses one Force talent: a gift with plants. Suddenly her quiet existence among greenhouse and garden specimens is violently destroyed by the arrival of an emissary from Darth Scabrous who seeks the final ingredient in an ancient Sith formula that promises to grant Darth Scabrous his greatest desire: immortality. But at the heart of the formula is a never-before-seen virus that's worse than fatal--it doesn't just kill, it transforms.
For more great Star Wars content for adults, click on the collection below to see what's available in our catalog.
On top of exploring all of Star Wars literary tie-ins, there are other ways to celebrate this great franchise.
- Watch Star Wars movies and series, both classic and new.
The library has Episodes I through IX, Rogue One, Solo, as well as The Clone Wars and Rebels, all available for free with your library card. You can check out up to twelve DVDs at a time.
- Cook up some themed goodies with Star Wars cookbooks.
Constable's Caps and Yobshrimp Noodle Salad are just a few of the recipes from Disney's Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge that you can make at home. Why not try some BB-8 Energy Balls or a Maz Kanata Frittata for breakfast?
StarWars.com also offers recipes for Ewok Sushi, Princess Leia Apple Snacks, and Blue Milk Mando Macarons.
- Learn to draw Star Wars characters.
The books How to Draw Star Wars and Learn to Draw Star Wars will have you mastering R2D2's look in no time! You can also try your hand at Knitting the Galaxy, which offers fun Star Wars patterns. And for those who just want to build, try your hand at recreating the universe with Legos with our instructive books on this topic.
May the Force be with you this May the fourth! Let us know how you are celebrating Star Wars Day 2023 by tagging the library on social media @alachualibrary.