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Star Wars: Hiding from the Dark
Venture beyond the dark side in this chilling horror-themed middle grade novel based on the Star Wars galaxy.
Haunted by an evil presence, a young girl tries to solve a nightmarish mystery. Is her bogeyman a Sith…or something darker? Horror readers and Star Wars fans of all ages will thrill to this fright-filled middle grade novel.
Haunted by an evil presence, a young girl tries to solve a nightmarish mystery. Is her bogeyman a Sith…or something darker? Horror readers and Star Wars fans of all ages will thrill to this fright-filled middle grade novel.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published September 1, 2026
About the author
Kiersten White
66 books14.1k followersKiersten White is the #1 New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning, and critically acclaimed author of many books for readers of all ages, including the And I Darken trilogy, the Sinister Summer series, the Camelot Rising trilogy, Star Wars: Padawan, Hide, Mister Magic, and Lucy Undying. She also has a very large tortoise named Kimberly, which isn't relevant, but she wanted you to know.
Visit her online at kierstenwhite.com.
Visit her online at kierstenwhite.com.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 4, 2026
Hiding from the Dark is the first Middle-Grade book from Random House Childrens Publishing Division, taking over for the Disney Lucasfilm Press. However, you probably wouldn't know it due to the seamless transition present. Not only are the book's cover design and proportions very similar to the way the Disney-Lucasfilm Press used to make Middle-Grade books, but the font is the same as well.
And now to the story...
This book is branded as a horror novel, and it definitely is accurate marketing. The crux of the book is that Bia, a girl whose mother has gone missing, is already scared. That fear is compounded when myserious men show up looking for her mother, and a terrible monster, who is clearly Darth Vader, shows up and causes chaos (he's on the cover, so it's not a surprise). Bia races to the planet Worim (which is scary enough in it's own right) to find her mother and her friend Nerik, but it seems that monsters keep following Bia wherever she goes.
For what it's worth, this is a book that is one part charming and one part scary for kids. The reveals in the book felt very telegraphed to me, and the mystery seemed fairly obvious. However, I think this will generally work for kids, for whom the mystery might not be so obvious and the fear factor is enough to work, but not old enough to keep them from reading.
One of the things I liked about the book was it's use of themes! Bia's encounter with Vader can not only resonate for children who've experienced scary things, but also can work for adults who appreciate themes about PTSD and loneliness. This theme seemed juvinille at the beginning of the book, but seemed almost masterful by the end.
The first couple of chapters didn't particularly enthrall me. However, once Vader showed up and the audience could feel Bia's palpable fear, the story really worked.
Worim, the planet that Bia travels to, is so fascinating. It's a very tropey YA/Middle-Grade worldbuilding, but it very much works here.
Nerik, who is only really in the second half of the book, is surprisingly complex. Every time I thought I had his character figured out Kiersten White had a little bit of complexity around the next chapter.
This book didn't resonate with me near as hard as "Eyes Like Stars" (Random Houses' debut YA Star Wars novel), but I'm pleased to report that this book works very well, especially for tackling a horror book for children, which is already a tightrope in and of itself.
The best comps I can give for this book are Delilah S Dawson's Middle Grade Horror novels and Katherine Arden's Middle-Grade horror novels. If your child can handle those books, they can definitely handle this one.
Overall, this is a well done middle-grade outing from Random House and Kiersten White. 8 out of 10.
And now to the story...
This book is branded as a horror novel, and it definitely is accurate marketing. The crux of the book is that Bia, a girl whose mother has gone missing, is already scared. That fear is compounded when myserious men show up looking for her mother, and a terrible monster, who is clearly Darth Vader, shows up and causes chaos (he's on the cover, so it's not a surprise). Bia races to the planet Worim (which is scary enough in it's own right) to find her mother and her friend Nerik, but it seems that monsters keep following Bia wherever she goes.
For what it's worth, this is a book that is one part charming and one part scary for kids. The reveals in the book felt very telegraphed to me, and the mystery seemed fairly obvious. However, I think this will generally work for kids, for whom the mystery might not be so obvious and the fear factor is enough to work, but not old enough to keep them from reading.
One of the things I liked about the book was it's use of themes! Bia's encounter with Vader can not only resonate for children who've experienced scary things, but also can work for adults who appreciate themes about PTSD and loneliness. This theme seemed juvinille at the beginning of the book, but seemed almost masterful by the end.
The first couple of chapters didn't particularly enthrall me. However, once Vader showed up and the audience could feel Bia's palpable fear, the story really worked.
Worim, the planet that Bia travels to, is so fascinating. It's a very tropey YA/Middle-Grade worldbuilding, but it very much works here.
Nerik, who is only really in the second half of the book, is surprisingly complex. Every time I thought I had his character figured out Kiersten White had a little bit of complexity around the next chapter.
This book didn't resonate with me near as hard as "Eyes Like Stars" (Random Houses' debut YA Star Wars novel), but I'm pleased to report that this book works very well, especially for tackling a horror book for children, which is already a tightrope in and of itself.
The best comps I can give for this book are Delilah S Dawson's Middle Grade Horror novels and Katherine Arden's Middle-Grade horror novels. If your child can handle those books, they can definitely handle this one.
Overall, this is a well done middle-grade outing from Random House and Kiersten White. 8 out of 10.
September 12, 2026
I didn't know anything about this story when I saw it on Audible. Glad I bought it without doing any research. It was released on the 1st of September 2026 and features Bia, who is being chased by a tall Black being (droid? humanoid? man?) who has heavy breathing and a mother who works for the Empire and doesn't come home at one point. After running low on food and worrying more and more, the 12 year old Bia goes on an adventure of a lifetime, being chased by Stormtroopers, ISB? and a horryfying black being.
"Explore the darkest corners of the Star Wars galaxy in this chilling horror-themed middle grade novel by New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White.
Pursued by Imperial forces, a young girl named Bia must flee her home planet of Coruscant and find her mother. All the time, she is hunted by a figure in black, a presence more horrifying than she has ever encountered before. Can Bia escape—and what does she have that the Empire wants so badly? Horror readers and Star Wars fans of all ages will thrill to this fright-filled middle grade novel."
"Explore the darkest corners of the Star Wars galaxy in this chilling horror-themed middle grade novel by New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White.
Pursued by Imperial forces, a young girl named Bia must flee her home planet of Coruscant and find her mother. All the time, she is hunted by a figure in black, a presence more horrifying than she has ever encountered before. Can Bia escape—and what does she have that the Empire wants so badly? Horror readers and Star Wars fans of all ages will thrill to this fright-filled middle grade novel."
September 14, 2026
Exploding stars! An escape hatch! Lightning strikes! And a living nightmare!
Hiding From the Dark is a wonderfully crafted story full of terror, tension, and determination. Kiersten White crafts a haunting tale of a young child searching for family, no matter what fears she must face. And in a galaxy full of shadows, there is plenty to be scared of. Bia is a wonderfully brave character, much like Omega from The Bad Batch. Young, brave, and resourceful. The tension in this book is palpable throughout, and the fears Bia faces would even scare a grown-up! While the book is made for middle-grade readers, Star Wars has a way of making stories that reach across all ages and demographics.
This is a must-read for young readers looking for scares in the shadows!
Hiding From the Dark is a wonderfully crafted story full of terror, tension, and determination. Kiersten White crafts a haunting tale of a young child searching for family, no matter what fears she must face. And in a galaxy full of shadows, there is plenty to be scared of. Bia is a wonderfully brave character, much like Omega from The Bad Batch. Young, brave, and resourceful. The tension in this book is palpable throughout, and the fears Bia faces would even scare a grown-up! While the book is made for middle-grade readers, Star Wars has a way of making stories that reach across all ages and demographics.
This is a must-read for young readers looking for scares in the shadows!
September 3, 2026
Pretty simple and quick YA Star Wars horror story. I feel like Vader has become a bit of a horror character with this one and Darth Maul: Shadow Lord. He doesn't have to say anything, just the heavy breathing and vibes haha
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews