Studio Fun International, previously known as Reader’s Digest Children’s Publishing, is releasing two more Star Wars Rebels books to join Star Wars Rebels: Rebel Journal by Ezra Bridger. The 31-year old publishing company creates fun and educational books for children between the ages of 2 and 12. Known as the experts in the “book plus” business (books created with toys or unique elements that enhance the reading experience), the majority of the material Studio Fun produces is done in partnership with major international brands, such as Disney, Nickelodeon, and Marvel Entertainment. As a result, these new Star Wars Rebels books will allow children (and adults) to have an interactive and hands-on book experience.
Star Wars Rebels: Sabine My Rebel Sketchbook, 96 pages
Amazon, Edelweiss
She’s funny, creative and impulsive; an artist with spray paint and advanced weapons. She’s also a 16-year-old girl who happens to be flying around the universe, wreaking havoc on the Imperial army. Now you can read the private diary of Sabine Wren, the awesome new heroine of the Star Wars Rebels television series!
Wren is one of the most compelling and interesting female characters in Star Wars since Princess Leia! She’s an explosives expert supreme, and a master of advanced weapons. She’s also a crazy artist, gifted at graffiti and sketching. She’s strong, bold, confident, cool – and only 16! Get to know Sabine through her own words and artistic expression in this replica journal filled with sketches, photos of her best work, stories, doodles and her observations of her fellow rebels. In Sabine’s own writing, relive events that occur during the first 10 episodes of Star Wars Rebels, plus discover details about Sabine’s life and the rebel team.
As pointed out by Tricia Barr of FANgirl Blog, it’s refreshing to see positive adjectives used for Sabine’s character, since she was previously described as spunky and feisty with a bit of an attitude. Bold, confident, and cool come across as more empowering terms for a young woman of 16 years old. As for the content of the book, the reader will be reliving events from “the first 10 episodes” of the series. The total number of episodes in the first season remains unknown. Executive Simon Kinberg was quoted saying 16 episodes, while the senior marketing manager for The Walt Disney World Mexico stated 23 episodes. Having flipped through the display copy of Ezra’s Rebel Journal at the NYC Book Con, I believe this book is also going to be a great item for girls and boys of all ages.
Star Wars Rebels: The Secret Jedi: The Adventures of Kanan Jarrus: Rebel Leader, 32 pages
Amazon, Edelweiss
This breakthrough new book is filled with amazing insights and high-action adventures of the Jedi knight Kanan Jarrus. Plus the foldable holocron provides a gateway to carefully-guarded exclusive digital content.
The holocron is a teaching device of the Jedi with access to guarded secrets! Discover the history and secrets of Kanan Jarrus, the newest Jedi to emerge in the Star Wars universe! Who was his master? How strong is the Force within him? What are his fighting skills and what type of light-saber does he wield? This exciting storybook with exclusive links to rare online content, will reveal intriguing answers to many of these questions. Based on action and events from the first 10 episodes of Star Wars Rebels, this book features seven tales from the perspective of Kanan Jarrus, the secret Jedi. Packed with action, adventure, great reading, humor, and bold visuals, The Secret Jedi provides a wonderful glimpse into the new world of Star Wars Rebels, and the Jedi leading the rebel team. But what makes this a truly unique package is … the holocron! Packaged with each book will be a “holocron” toy that when arranged properly, reveals a secret code to a gated website that includes a wide range of bonus content linked to the book and the broader Jedi world.
As mentioned previously, Studio Fun specializes in creating unique toys and other interactive elements that enhance the reading process, a practice the publishing company will utilize in Kanan Jarrus’ book as demonstrated by the foldable holocron. Unlike Ezra and Hera’s books, this item in particular incorporates digital content for a widening experience. The description of the book also sheds light on questions that I didn’t think to ask before. For example, who was Kanan’s master? Did he witness his master’s death? I’m so curious to find out these details in the series and rediscover them in the book and its related online content.
Both books will be released on February 3, 2015.
(via Jedi-Bibliothek)