Early Review: Knitting the Galaxy

Normally we stick to reviewing children’s or younger reader books here, occasionally dabbling in “all ages” titles and even “Young Adult”.  Then from Insight Editions (publisher of last years’ very cool The Secrets of the Jedi) comes Star Wars: Knitting the Galaxy by Tanis Gray!

Knitting the Galaxy is none of the above. It’s not specifically for kids, but kids could sure benefit from someone in the family making these items! It would be fun for kids to look through and make requests, but even the beginner patterns look somewhat challenging.

Admittedly I don’t even know how to review this book. I know nothing about knitting. I honestly couldn’t say if it’s easy-to-follow or even helpful for knitters. Having said that, there’s plenty to appreciate for non-knitters here in this 208 page hardcover.

The “28 official patterns” for knitting projects are divided into the categories of Toys, Costume Replicas, Inspired Apparel and Home Decor. There is also a Glossary and “Yarn Resource Guide”. Each project is ranked one to three lightsabers, depending on skill level. Looking through it there do seem to be very few “Beginner” projects.

In Toys, knitters can make Pocket Yodas, Porgs and more. In Home Decor there’s blankets, pillows and other ideas. The Costume Replicas are cozy warm renditions of character items like Rey’s Vest and Padme’s battle wrap. The Inspired Apparel section is the biggest with plenty of mittens, socks, pullovers, scarves and more, all of which would be pretty amazing hand-made gifts for Star Wars fans young and old.

What must be said about this book is that it's absolutely gorgeous! The photography of the finished projects is terrific and very Star Wars-y. Peppered throughout the book are iconic Star Wars images of the characters and moments that inspired each project.

There’s also behind-the-scenes trivia and more to keep non-knitters entertained. One special treat is on page 176, the clearest, coolest picture of Darth Maul (as he appears in Solo: A Star Wars Story) you’re likely to find anywhere. 

This book will make Star Wars fans want to learn how to knit, or want to find a family member or friend who does!

Read, You Must: Star Wars Galactic Storybook

Brand new from Disney/Lucasfilm Press comes Star Wars Galactic Storybook, a complete retelling of the events of the cinematic Skywalker Saga! 

From Episode I: The Phantom Menace to Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, the major events of the lives of Anakin Skywalker, Leia, Luke and Rey are all captured here in an age-appropriate, adorably illustrated way.

Author Calliope Glass and illustrator Katie Cook have previously collaborated on several fun Star Wars books for kids including ABC-3PO, Search Your Feelings and Creatures Big and Small. While those books all use rhyming poetry, Galactic Storybook tells the story in a more straightforward, narrative way.

As usual Katie Cook’s illustrations are light-hearted and incredibly cute. Even Jabba the Hutt is cute here!

This 72 page squishy hardcover book would be great for short bedtime reading and would certainly appeal to readers who enjoyed 5-Minute Stories and 5-Minute Stories Strike Back.

Galactic Storybook is divided into six chapters or stories:

1. A Jedi Tale (Episodes I - III)

2. A New Adventure  (Episode IV)

3. The Battle Continues (Episode V)

4. Against All Odds (Episode VI)

5. New Heroes for the Galaxy (Episodes VII - VII)

6. The Final Fight (Episode IX)

Also available!

Combining The Force Awakens with The Last Jedi makes sense as those movies flow right into each other, whereas combining the entire prequel trilogy into one story may be a little confusing to some young fans, depending on how familiar they already are with the movies.

If you want a good recap of the entire Skywalker saga, or a cuddly way to present the stories to a youngling, Galactic Storybook is a great addition to your library!