I see the vast array of Star Wars books aimed at the preschool market as evidence that Star Wars is more than just a franchise, but a lifestyle brand. They tend to drop close to the launch of other products, such as Chewie and the Porgs coming hot on the heels of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. But Star Wars: Are You Scared, Darth Vader? is released not to cross-promote a new film or series, but instead to help young kids through the scary Halloween season. Do your kids get scared, parents?
Opening the pages of this hardcover picture book reveal that it’s midnight under a full moon (“That’s no moon”) and Darth Vader is alone in the dark. The reader keeps asking him if he’s scared as he is confronted by spooky things like a wolfman, vampire, ghost (not a force ghost), and a witch. None of this scares him and he keeps insisting that he doesn’t get scared.
However, the narrator soon finds something that does have the power to scare Lord Vader. It’s not the Emperor, but the kids hiding under the costumes. They begin to go wild, grabbing Vader’s light saber, pushing his buttons (literally), and of course, the one who is reading this book (or having it read to them). His biggest fear is that you’re going to close the book, trapping him inside!
Author and Illustrator Adam Rex has a lot of fun with the concept of Darth Vader on Halloween. Most of the pages are black and white with yellow text for the narrator and white text for Lord Vader. There is minor use of color on the kids and their costumes, which make those pages come alive. His humor is delightful and kids and parents alike will giggle at this fun story. I’m familiar with his work from another Disney Hyperion release, How This Book Was Made.
This Halloween, you can teach your kids that there’s nothing to be afraid of if they’re brave like Darth Vader in Star Wars: Are You Scared, Darth Vader? After discovering that they are the one thing the most powerful Sith Lord in the galaxy is afraid of, there’s nothing they can’t overcome. And maybe, this book will inspire them to go trick-or-treating as Darth Vader himself.