Editor’s Note: The following is something a little different from our usual book reviews… because it’s written by someone from the intended audience for Star Wars: a kid! Olivia W. is nine years old, a member of the Galactic Academy, and one of the biggest Star Wars fans I know. I thought it only fitting to ask her to review the book for us. Enjoy! 

Alien Archive – A Guide to the Species of the Galaxy, illustrated by Tim McDonah is an in-universe reference book for explorers, travelers, animal lovers, and those looking to learn more about the galaxy around them. This book includes over two hundred alien species from all times of galactic history and locations. It includes some that are well known to all fans, and others that are only seen briefly in a classic battle scene or mentioned once in a book. Information is laid out in the form of a journal written by some unknown traveler. In addition to facts and details about aliens, their homeworlds, and their characteristics, there are amazing drawings of all of them.

Species are categorized by their habitat, so if you are looking up a specific species you will need to know something about them to get started. Or, this is a book that you can pick up and open to literally any page to learn something about any creature big and small, well known or not. Alternately, there is a good index in the back of all the species by name and by some of the locations where they are found. Some species include notes about famous figures in the history of their kind. Some references have handwritten notes with the observations from the traveler.

Strangely, this book includes no direct references to humans, maybe the author thought that humans weren’t worth talking about in a book of interesting species. On the other hand, if you are desperate to hear about tales of the humans there are many familiar figures and heroes included in the articles about species like the Rodians, or the Lanai. Also, there are multiple entries for “species: unknown; homeworld: unknown”. This book even includes information about aliens when we don’t know what species they are classified to be, like Yoda and Maz.

This book includes characters and species from the movies, books, tv shows (even Resistance!), comic books and more. It will be best appreciated by a true fan that may have wondered just what a Momong looks like, or where a Frigosian is from. This is a colorful and informative addition to the bookshelf of any true Star Wars fan.

Thank you to Disney Lucasfilm Press for providing a copy of the book for review purposes.