Good for children who want to learn all about the different Star Wars spaceships, podracers, walkers, and speeders as well as adults who want to know what their kids are talking about, DK’s latest LEGO Star Wars Awesome Vehicles is packed full of fun facts, jovial jokes, imaginative illustrations, and gripping graphics.
Cover to cover, the book invokes a playful vibe and adult fans need to be aware that this book is meant for their muuuch younger self, so don’t expect the depth of detail that DK’s visual dictionary and encyclopedia series contain.
What it is is a pictorial walk-through of the most awesome vehicles in the Star Wars galaxy, as imagined by LEGO (who have obviously made all of the sets pictured in the book) and author Hugo Green and the team at DK. Don’t expect this to be a subtle marketing ploy to entice kids to harass parents for more LEGO Star Wars sets because most of the included content is retired and no longer available at retail.
Just as long as you don’t tell them about Bricklink or eBay, you’re in the clear!
As well as the necessary Wikipedical facts and figures that accompany each of the selected vehicles, readers should look out for the gag graphics, in-universe customer reviews, and dad jokes that are liberally sprinkled throughout. Honestly, the only thing that DK forgot to include is a metallic pea-green Razor Crest Family Gunship reference.
All of this should sound familiar because DK has been making this format for years without much revision. However, there has been one change that needs to be highlighted – the transparent plastic clamshell that has housed the bonus minifigure since the very first LEGO Star Wars Visual Dictionary published in 2009 is gone.
Instead, there is a small Advent calendar-like door on the inside cover. While this hides the minifigure from curious eyes and dishonest hands, it also cloaks a missing minifigure. It’s going to be a while before second-hand copies of this book will be sold, but it’s worth mentioning.
Collectors interested in the included minifigure will be equally relieved to find out (aside from having a different blaster) it’s not exclusive and pleased that this minifigure, which was last included in 75149 Resistance X-Wing Fighter, is now a bit more common and after-market prices will drop slightly.
It’s been more than a minute since DK brought out any new LEGO Star Wars books; in fact, it’s been more than a whole year since Yoda’s Galaxy Atlas was published. This is particularly notable given that they are the publishing house that practically invented the LEGO Star Wars book and had a track record of bringing out a handful of LEGO Star Wars books every year.
The current slowdown that Penguin Random House – and the rest of the children’s publishing industry is facing – is feeling is something that can be reversed by encouraging children to read more.
This new book might not be more than a shelf filler for the average LEGO Star Wars collector, but those who have young children won’t go wrong by letting them open up the covers and get stuck into some truly enjoyable reading.
If that’s not enough, it’s going to make an excellent companion book to LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga video game.
LEGO Star Wars: Awesome Vehicles is available from March 29th in Australia and New Zealand, April 7th in the United Kingdom, and May 24th for those in the United States.
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