Star Wars: Jedi Academy

Jedi Academy #1

by Jeffrey Brown

My whole life I planned on going to pilot school like the rest of my friends--then I got rejected! Along came a little green guy named Yoda who invited me to Jedi Academy. Now I'm at school with aliens, robots, and lightsaber-wielding bullies who can lift things with their minds! How am I supposed to compete with that? As if starting middle school wasn't hard enough...

Genres: Star Wars, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Middle Grade, Humor, Comics, Childrens

160 pages, Hardcover

First published August 27, 2013

About the author

Jeffrey Brown was born in 1975 in Grand Rapids, Michigan and grew up reading comic books with dreams of someday drawing them, only to abandon them and focus on becoming a 'fine artist.' While earning his MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Brown abandoned painting and began drawing comics with his first autobiographical book 'Clumsy' in 2001. Since then he's drawn a dozen books for publishers including TopShelf, Fantagraphics, Drawn & Quarterly, McSweeney's and Chronicle Books. Simon & Schuster published his latest graphic memoir 'Funny Misshapen Body.' In addition to directing an animated video for the band Death Cab For Cutie, Brown has had his work featured on NPR's 'This American Life' His art has been shown at galleries in New York, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles and Paris. Jeffrey's work has also appeared in the Best American Comics series and received the Ignatz Award in 2003 for 'Outstanding Minicomic.'
He currently lives in Chicago with his wife Jennifer and their son Oscar.

Reviews

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute little adventure.

EDIT: This was better than I remembered...so, I raised the rating to four stars.

[Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute book. Roan wants to go to Pilot Academy, like his father before him...he doesn't get in, and thinks he will get stuck on Tatooine with the plant academy...but he ends up with an invitation to Jedi School on Corcorant!

Hi jinx ensue, but the Force is strong with this one and we learn lessons about sometimes needing things we didn't want and learning to adapt.

Good for kids, especially young Star Wars fans.

[Himanshu Karmacharya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Star Wars: Jedi Academy follows Roan, a pilot aspirant, who gets rejected from pilot school, but is instead selected for the Jedi Academy. It is a cute and funny little book. The jokes and references are on point. I liked how Roan's adventures and misadventures are told through comic strips, journals and letters which, when combined, provide a greater immersion to the story.

[Lego Robot Ninja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mum: So tell me about it.

LRN: This was a very fun book. It was also funny in a middle grade humor sort of way. You know: farts, stuff. One of my favorite parts was when he was dancing with a girl at a dance at the Jedi Academy and his mouth turns into a squiggly line. How can I say this? And then he thinks, "I hope she can't tell how sweaty I am."

Mum: So tell me about the plot?

LRN: So there's this kid called Roan who is going to middle school, and he wants to be a pilot, kind of like Luke Skywalker. He gets rejected from Pilot Academy, and then he's supposed to go to Tatooine Plant School, and he's like, "This sucks!" Master Yoda hears about him, sends him to Jedi Academy and then there are all these crazy shenanigans. He's talking to Master Yoda at the beginning of the thing, and Master Yoda is like, "Roan, you must be." And then Roan's like, "What?"



Then he has to deal with a lightsaber-wielding bully who looks kind of like - no, exactly like - Darth Maul.



Mum: Jesus.

LRN: I know, right?

Mum: How is this different from the other Jeffrey Brown Star Wars books, because it looks a little different to me?

LRN: That's Jeffrey Brown right there. In Vader's Little Princess and Darth Vader and Son, it was kind of like funny, one panel comics without a narrative, and this is more of a story with funny asides.

[CS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bullet Review:

I enjoyed both Darth Vader and Son and Vader's Little Princess, so I figured I'd try this out. But it didn't take many pages (maybe 20 - 25) to realize this book seriously wasn't for me.

The Star Wars nerd of me has no clue how this fits into continuity - wasn't Anakin reamed for being "too old"?! Then how did this punk get into the Jedi Academy with nary a complaint?! Yet ANOTHER kid from Tatooine?! Jeez, what is that desert planet, the birthing capital of the galaxy! I swear, every Star Wars novel has at least ONE character from the planet - and it's not even Luke Skywalker!! How weird is that?? Oh wow, Yoda and a Darth Maul creature are here? How convenient is that - both easily recognized and popular characters!

Honestly, this is best enjoyed by the younger set, who will read without all these thoughts and just slip into the character. (Well, the boys will - convenient how a BOY gets to join the Jedi Academy. Where is the book about a GIRL joining the Jedi Academy? And can that book PLEASE not focus on things about her clothes???) Which is why, without even bothering to finish this, I gave it away to a 7-year-old who will most definitely like this more than I did.

[Raoufa Ibrahim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who needs pilot school? I'm going to be a Jedi
This book turned out better than I expected! it's talks abot Roan who lives in Tatooine

he wanted to be a pilot just like his father and brother, but pilot school will not accept him,


luckily the Jedi academy will send him an acceptance letter based on Yoda's recommendation


The book is about his first year in the Jedi Academy.
-------
I want to see if he'll become a Jedi Knight
Strong in you, the Force is- Jedi,you may be. Much potential, you have. Good to teach you, it will be!
-Master Yoda!

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the same vein as Diary of a Wimpy Kid, written and illustrated by the guy who brought us Vader's Little Princess, Jedi Academy follows a Tatooine farmboy named Roan, who totally doesn't remind me of anybody I know, entering Jedi Academy late. In middle school, which is practically ancient by padawan standards. As far as illustrated journal middle grade books go, this one is pretty decent. Roan's voice is consistent, and he's far less irritating and self absorbed than Greg Heffley can be. I imagine the target audience (Star Wars fans ages 9-12) will absolutely love this book.

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

My nine year old loves this series. I have only read this one but I enjoyed it. It really is “Diary of a Wimpy Jedi”

A lot of fandoms ruin things, and Star Wars, though I love it, is not an exception

So, don’t take it seriously.

If you are worried about it being canon, just grab a Timothy Zahn book and re-read it

But this is light and funny. I mean it is absolutely “Diary of A Wimpy Kid” with lightsabers. I’m not the target audience for this. You are not the target audience for this. Your mileage will vary on how much the idea of “Diary” meets Star Wars appeals to you.

[Rachel's Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect book to read right now ;)

Adorable! Definitely humorous, and relevant.

review soon.

[Jeraviz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sí, ¿qué pasa? Tengo 28 años y me lo he pasado en bomba leyendo este libro para niños de 5 años. Y ahora estoy buscando la continuación para saber qué demonios le pasa a Roan en el segundo curso de la Academia Jedi. ¿Algún problema?

[Isaiah Ramos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is AWESOME!!!!I am 13 and anyone of all ages can read this. This book is a little like Star Wars but for copyright reasons they mix up or change letters in the name. The first time you read this you will want to read all the books. This is a book I would definitely recommend for reading for any occasion. I have not read other books by this author but, I will be looking forward to reading one! All of the Jedi Academy(except for three)are really good books. I hope you try to read these books because this series is one of the best books I read in a while.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Several weeks ago I noted that my son was reading this book. He had checked it out from the public library. I could tell he enjoyed it. An idea hatched. His birthday was last week. I purchased him the entire series via Scholastic for his birthday. He loved it!

The other day we went to the market. The whole time he read book #2. I have a dozen photographs of him doing so. One he even sat down on the floor to continue reading.

Well, he finished the series and kept telling me I had to read the books. He brought them to me yesterday. I was busy with other things and put them off. Today, Fritz brought me book #1 again. I picked it up and read it.

I totally understand why he likes this. This is Fritz to a T. Roan lives on Tatooine. He wants to go to pilot school like his father and older brother. Virtually everyone is selected to go. As expected, Roan is denied entry and fears he will go to farmer school. Just then Yoda writes to him and offers him a spot at the Jedi Academy, which is odd since students there usually attend as toddlers.

Roan doesn't feel as though he fits in and has some students who pick on him. Roan is infatuated with Gaiana. Roan struggles with The Force 101. He earned a D+ the first semester.

As the year goes on, things begin to improve for Roan. He shows proficiency with the lightsaber. And in The Force 101, he finally masters lifting things. :) Roan likes things so much he decided to return for year two.

Fun stuff and that my son recommended it me: priceless!

[Ruel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful children's book about the wonderful (and not-so-wonderful) world of middle school, set in the Star Wars universe. I've never read the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, but this is supposed to be similar, with its journal-style entries and excellent illustrations (kudos again to Jeffrey Brown, who did the delightful Vader and Son and Vader's Little Princess books). Jedi Academy has the familiar themes of middle-school awkwardness, peer pressure, and bullying, and they're all addressed accordingly, while the kids in the story deal with The Force, Wookie gym teachers, and Yoda's wise words.

I had a blast reading this and wondered whether I would've enjoyed it as much when I was the age of the intended audience. I'm sure I would have, but no matter: I'm looking forward to continuing the adventures of this young Jedi-to-be.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute but forgettable, containing the expected fish out of water tropes of a student in a new school, trimmed with the trappings of star wars.

**Addendum**
Accidentally reread, and the above review holds. So forgettable I never suspected I'd already read it.

[Titanic Lego Boy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the whole series 👍

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a delightful, fun, cute and entertaining journal-type book!

Roan, our protagonist, is denied entry into Pilot Academy (The school to which both his father and older brother were admitted to, and the one he desperately wants to get into himself). But, when the prospect of Plant School is Roan only option, he is relieved (if somewhat confused) about his admittance into Jedi Academy.

This tale doesn't exactly create an entirely new world or educational structure that would be fitting to a Jedi world, so much as it's like "an American school with a Jedi twist". There are homeroom reports, P.E. classes, school papers and dances. But the classes are about "using the Force" "lightsaber building" and the like. But, it was still fun and amusing and I really enjoyed Roan's character. And Yoda was a treat!

There really isn't a plot, except to find out if Roan will make it through his first year at the Jedi Academy, and if he'll want to stay if he does. Which , I was surprised there wasn't "more at stake" but in a way it was refreshing that Roan was dealing with things most non-Jedi (non Star Wars) kids deal with (classes, teachers, bullies, strained friendships, etc).

Recommended for fans of Star Wars. And definitely recommended for young readers who would love to imagine their school life with an exciting twist. Or for those who might be a bit daunted by the prospect of novels -- this book is a very quick read, and since some pages are "journal entries" and some are sketches or comic entries, there's a great since of accomplishment at being able to "read through" multiple pages in a short amount of time, which could spur wary readers to keep turning to the next page.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! Let me preface by saying I haven't read Brown's Vader books, and that's ok because this book is not part of that series. I also am not a big Star Wars fan. I love the original three movies but have no time for the others; in fact I don't think I've ever even read a Star Wars "tie-in" book before. I was quite surprised that I enjoyed this book so much and I think it is due to the originality, which is hard to do with something as familiar as Star Wars. The book is populated with entirely original characters, yes some are of familiar species ie Wookie, relatives of Hut, early R2, 3PO models, etc, but the only Star Wars character brought into play here is Yoda, who is portrayed very well and not over used. The book reminds me immensely of "Wimpy Kid" but with more. The book is written in a series of journal entries, graphic novel sections, letters, comic strips, school pages, posters, etc. It is a visual feast and written in an easy-to-read handwritten print font. Other than being Star Wars themed, set during main character Roan Novachez's first year at Jedi Academy, the plot and events are those faced by any average middle-schooler. A delightful little read that has me wanting to follow Roan into his second year at the Academy!

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a really good book.

[Julie (Let's Read Good Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

So glad I checked this out of the library. Roan wants one thing - to be pilot. Too bad his dreams are crushed when his application to the Pilot Academy is rejected. Resigned to attending plant school, Roan thinks his life is over before he even enters middle school. Then a surprise invitation to attend Jedi Academy arrives, and since he's so desperate to get off of Tatooine, he accepts.

Told through comics, journal entries, and letters home, Star Wars: Jedi Academy follows Roan during his first year of middle school. Finding new friends isn't always easy, using the Force is incredibly difficult, and being so far away from home is harder than he expected. This humorous look at tackling typical challenges when you're away from home for the first time, as well as being expected to be able to lift a pile of books using only the power of your mind is a delight for adult fans of the movies. I'm sure kids will get a kick out of it, too!

[Belf · Rating 5 out of 5]

An informative guide to boarding school.

[Farah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm with you, Roan. Who wants to be a pilot when you can be a Jedi..

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute for the intended age group ( several decades younger than me!)

[Gözde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bu seriyi ne kadar uzun zamandır takip ettiğimi anlatamam. Deli gibi okumak istiyordum ama elime geçmedi bir türlü. Bende sabırla bekledim. Dün D&R'de en sevdiğim ikinci kısım olan çocuk bölümünde karşıma çıkınca dayanamadım. Hemen to-read listemin başına koydum. Ama akıl edemediğim şey manga okuduktan sonra graphic novel okuyamıyor oluşumdu. Her şeyi sağdan okurken birden soldan okumaya başlamak çok zorladı beni. Kitabı çok sevdim. Roan'ın tarım akademisi vs. uçuş okulu listesi çok tatlıydı. Sayfa tasarımları ise muhteşemdi. Gerçekten çok ilgi çekiciydiler. Gözlerim kamaştı. Renkli olsa daha bile hoşuma gidebilirdi. Yoda'nın Roan'la ilgilenmesi başta hayretler içinde bıraktı beni.

"Yatkındın Güç'e madem, olabilirsin bir Jedi. Sende potansiyel çok. Güzel olacak seni eğitmek."

Yoda'yı özlediğimi kabul etmeliyim. Okurken sesini canlandırdım hep kafamda. Yedi Akademisi S.S.S. kısmına çok güldüm. Cidden çok güzel yazmış Jeffrey Brown, kesinlikle her şeyi düşünmüş. Umarım Doğan Egmont serinin devamlarını da çıkartır yarım bırakmaz. Ve Roan'ın Yoda'yı hayal edişi vs. gerçek Yoda cidden çok güldüm o kısma. Roan'a kötü davranan gerizekalılar hep olacaktır zaten o kısma hiç girmiyorum. Roan'ın zeki olduğunu görebiliyorum ama kendini sırf yanlış şeyler yapıyormuş gibi hissediyor diye arkadaşlarından soyutlamamalı. Hayır demeyi de öğrenmeli kızımız. Afiş hazırlayayım derken mahvoldu.

"Deneme Roan! Yap. Veya yapma!"

Pasha ve Gaiana'ya da bayıldım. Işın Kılıcı Turnuvası'nda yanlışlıkla ışın kılıcını kapasa da yanlışlıkla yaptı. Herkes bunu bildiğinden saklanmasına falanda gerek yoktu. Ama bunlar hep ders. Zamanla Roan ona kötü davrananlara bile nasıl cevap vereceğini öğrendi. Pilot Akademisi'nden vazgeçti ve Jedi Akademisi'ni evi gibi görmeye başladı. Daha ne olsun! Mona Jedi ve Düşünen Jedi eserlerine bayıldım. Abisinden ve babasından gelen mektuplarda çok güzeldi. Abisinden gelenler komikti. Yoda'ya zaten ayrı bayılıyorum. Sadece keşke daha fazla Güç çalışmalarını görseydik, Roan daha güçlü olsaydı. O kısım çok az gösterildi. O yüzden final sınavında o kayaları kaldırdığına çok şaşırdım. Hatta bir ara Yoda mı yaptı acaba bile dedim. O yüzden puanım 4.

[Matti Karjalainen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeffrey Brownin "Star Wars: Jedi Academy" (Scholastic, 2013) -kirjassa ei sodita tähdissä, vaan seurataan Roan Novachez -nimisen pojan ensimmäistä kouluvuotta Coruscantilla sijaitsevassa jediakatemiassa. Oikeastaan Roan olisi halunnut seurata isänsä ja veljensä jalanjälkiä ja mennä pilottikouluun, mutta kaipa jediakatemia sentään Tatooinen maatalousoppilaitoksen voittaa...

Sankariltamme ei vaan Voiman käyttö tahdo oikein luonnistua ja luokalle mahtuu pari kiusaajatyyppiä, mutta onneksi koulukaverit auttavat ja taitaapa ilmassa olla myös pientä ihastuksenpoikasta. Mukana menossa on myös mestari Yoda!

Sarjakuvan ja helppolukuisen lastenromaanin yhdistelmä osoittautui varsin hauskaksi ja sympaattiseksi galaktiseksi koululaisromaaniksi. Tarinaan on ripoteltu myös pieniä vitsejä ja silmäniskuja Star Wars -faneille.

En yhtään ihmetele, että sarja on hurjan suosittu englanninkielisessä maailmassa. Olisipa hauska nähdä sitä myös suomeksi! Voin taata, että menestys olisi taattu alakoululaisten keskuudessa.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I own this book.

This non-canon graphic novel follows Roan, a young boy from Tattooine with dreams to become the best starfighter pilot in the galaxy after he gets declined from pilot school but accepted into the Jedi Academy years later than he was supposed to be. Handpicked by Master Yoda himself, Roan goes to Corusant where he meets friends, bullys, gets up to hijinks and adventures in his new setting and comes to learnt the ways of the force. This book is cute, easy to read, it is laid out in the format of journal entries, newspaper articles, comic strips and letters to Roan from his family. Really enjoyable and easy especially if you're burned out in all the sadness that comes with the Star Wars universe sometimes.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really cute. I don’t normally read middle school books, but I thoroughly enjoyed this. It’s not babyish, and contains enough Star Wars to keep fans interested. I needed something fun and fluffy, and this was perfect. I’m going to read the rest in the series. I definitely see my nephews loving this when they are older!

[Luca Padilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it

[Brittanie Turner]

This was so cute!

[Pablo González · Rating 4 out of 5]

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely no notes. genuinely a must read