Horn Book Review
[cf2]Cross-Sections[cf1] offers highly detailed cutaway illustrations (a magnifying glass and tenacity may be needed) of over a dozen futuristic vehicles, along with text describing the conveyances. [cf2]Dictionary[cf1] examines the characters, technology, and vehicles featured in the films as if they were real; a succinct text identifies components of the photos in an overly busy design. From HORN BOOK Spring 1999, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Library Journal Review
Who would have imagined, 21 years after the initial release of Star Wars, that the Force would still be with us? And box office receipts in the hundreds of millions of dollars generated by the 1997 rerelease of the SW trilogy prove that interest in the series hasn't waned. This trio tell you everything you always wanted to know about Star Wars but were afraid to ask (or didn't know you should). Sansweet's Encyclopedia is an incredibly detailed A-Z listing of characters, creatures, gadgets, and gizmos gleaned from the films as well as the numerous novels and comic books they've spawned. It also offers a time line for the entire SW story and an introduction by best-selling novelist Timothy Zahn. The beautifully illustrated DK duo cover characters, costumes, and weaponry in Visual Dictionary, while Cross Sections dissects vehicles and spacecraft. Want to know how a light saber really works or what the interior of an Imperial Stormtrooper's helmet looks like? It's allhere. The most remarkable thing about the books is the amount of thought that's been expended on the workings of things that don't exist. Though the Encyclopedia is remarkably comprehensive, it will unfortunately become outdated upon the release of the first of the SW prequel films, The Phantom Menace, next May, making it a marginal purchase, especially at $50. The DK books are seriously cool and exceedingly browsable, making them solid items for libraries. Though they are aimed at kids, don't be surprised to see plenty of adults flipping through them as well.Michael Rogers, "Library Journal" (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
