Horn Book Review
Krosoczka takes over from Jeffrey Brown, introducing a new protagonist in this fourth series entry. Victor Starspeeder transfers to Jedi Academy but struggles to use the Force productively (especially in drama club), make friends, and pass his classes. Krosoczka attempts to sustain continuity with previous volumes, albeit using his own looser art style and different fonts, but the plot and conflicts feel recycled. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
The symbolic lightsaber is passed to Lunch Lady's Krosoczka for this new installment of the Wimpy Kid-inspired series that looks at middle school, Jedi-style. Krosoczka's classical cartooning, all soft edges and exaggerated expressions, helps strike an excellent balance between genuine emotion and Star Wars excitement, as young Victor Starspeeder transfers to Jedi Academy and immediately finds himself over his head. Not only has he inadvertently fallen in with the wrong friends, but he can't seem to find the discipline necessary to succeed and honor the memory of his Jedi father. Through comics, journal entries, and mock newspapers and news feeds, Krosoczka conveys with poignant sensitivity Victor's journey to find supportive friends, embrace his snarky but wise older sister, and learn to focus through negative emotions; all this and there's still room for a bang-up lightsaber fight, too. Hardcore Star Wars fans may needle the book good-naturedly for its departures from the canon, but its sensitivity to real social and emotional issues and its sense of fun will make it an enjoyable choice for a cross-sectional readership.--Karp, Jesse Copyright 2016 Booklist
