I'm guessing I'm not the only one who needs a light, fun distraction these days. I've been a big Star Wars fan since I first saw the original trilogy and The Phantom Menace on borrowed VHS tapes back in 2000. Back then, my knowledge of the "Expanded Universe" (Star Wars lore beyond the movies) came from fanfiction.net rather than from the books and comics that were churned out to cash in on the cultural craze. I was five or six years too old to be the intended audience for the Jedi Apprentice series, but now that the world is on fire around our ears, who couldn't use a little Jedi zen? Since my public library has reopened, I'm able to get my hands on these out-of-print gems.
At the beginning of the series, Obi-Wan Kenobi is about to turn 13. Since no one has chosen him to be their apprentice, he'll be kicked out of the Jedi Order and sent to work in the Agricultural Corps instead of fulfilling his dream of becoming a Jedi Knight. His last hopes are pinned on impressing Qui-Gon Jinn... who unfortunately had a very bad experience with his last apprentice and has sworn he's not going to take on another one. Spoiler alert: he eventually does, but it takes a lot of convincing. This series follows the adventures of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan as master and apprentice.
These are middle-grade readers, and I was a little hesitant because I am not a big fan of YA, but I am finding that it's the content matter in YA that I don't enjoy rather than the reading level or the age of the protagonist. The Hidden Past is the third book in the series (there are 20 total). All but the first book are written by Jude Watson. They're fast, fun reads with plenty of adventure and the assurance that the good guys will always win, but they also go deeper into themes of courage, compassion, perseverance, loyalty, patience, sacrifice, and hope. There are also Yoda wisdom-nuggets sprinkled liberally throughout. I consider easy-to-digest wisdom a big plus in 2020.
Do note that this series is no longer "canon" and is instead considered part of the "Legends" universe.
