This week sees another release from DK Canada’s Star Wars library, focusing on those wonderful, amazing and Extraordinary Droids. This entry in the DK Books Star Wars series is definitely aimed at the younger readers, filled with big full page pictures of droids, and a descriptive paragraph for characters both familiar and new.

The book runs the gamut of the entire Star Was universe, not just the Skywalker Saga, but Rebels and Resistance as well. Whether important or simply background a large percentage of droids get a mention, everyone from R2-D2 to a Gonk droid gets a mention.

That I find particularly enjoyable. The Gonk droid was just a background droid in A New Hope, but he developed a bit of popularity over the decades, and now fans delight when they see him, or variations on protocol droids. And especially R2 units.

Each colour photo is accompanied by a smaller diagram imparting some piece of trivia for the reader and the main body of text is filled with information which in turn should fine young imaginations as they play with their Star Wars toys.

This is a book that, if I had received it as a child, would have had pride of place amongst my Star Wars storybooks from Scholastic, and would have seen my losing countless hours as I thumbed through the pages and imagined having a droid friend like BB-8 or R2.

This hardcover book is bright, friendly and colourful, and with its orange and white colouring intentionally calls to mind BB-8 (who is also prominently featured on the cover). It’s a joyous guide to the droids that fill the Star Wars universe and is a wonderful primer for young readers who want to share and show their love of their favourite robots.

Growing up, mine was always R2-D2. BB-8 has worked his way into my affections, but Artoo will always be my favourite. Perhaps because he reminds me of when I first saw Star Wars. I love that little droid.

And that’s kind of the point of the book, mayhaps your favourite droid isn’t Artoo or Beebee, but chances are they are in the pages of this book.

So if you and your loved ones are in quarantine, and you’ve got a young one who loves Star Wars and robots, this may be the one for them. Don’t go out to get it, put your interwebs to good use and order to have one delivered to your door. Stay home, enjoy this and other great Star Wars entries from DK Books, and may the Force be with you.

Always.