Star Wars: The Secrets of the Wookiees
Journey to the forests of Kashyyyk and learn the lore of the galaxy’s most storied species in Star Wars: The Secrets of the Wookiees. Young fans will uncover fascinating stories about famous Wookiees across galactic history, all accompanied by incredible artwork and interactive features, including pop-ups, booklets, and lift-the-flap inserts.
LEARN THE LORE: In this in-universe book, young fans will discover the unique culture of the Wookiee planet Kashyyyk, and be introduced to fascinating tales about the galaxy’s most famed Wookiees. You’ll delve into Chewbacca’s journeys with Han Solo and Rey, Wookiee history and technology, and more.
FAVORITE CHARACTERS: Spanning films, television shows, books, comics, and video games, Star Wars: The Secrets of the Wookiees highlights the galaxy’s greatest Wookiees—including Chewbacca, Tarfful, Krrsantan, Burryaga, Gungi, and more.
INTERACTIVE FEATURES: Pop-ups, booklets, and lift-the-flap inserts will thrill young fans, making for an engaging experience while transporting readers into stories about the galaxy’s Wookiee heroes and villains.
ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATIONS: Star Wars: The Secrets of the Wookiees contains beautiful illustrations that will enthrall both child and adult readers alike. Complete with a frameable 11 x 17 poster of the cover art, this book is the ideal gift for any Star Wars fan.
COMPLETE YOUR STAR WARS COLLECTION: Thrilling and comprehensive, Star Wars: The Secrets of the Wookiees is a must-have addition to Insight Editions’ line of Star Wars titles, including: Star Wars: The Secrets of the Jedi, Star Wars: The Secrets of the Sith, and Star Wars: The Secrets of the Bounty Hunters.
Author: Marc Sumerak
Artist: Alberto Buscicchio
Publication Date: 28th November 2023
Page Count: 32
ISBN: 9798886630558
Ever since the 1977 original, the wookiee species have been a point of fascination for fans around the world, and while the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special shed extra light on their society and the following films – especially 2005’s Revenge of the Sith – gave us a closer look at their homeworld of Kashyyyk, we’ve been waiting for a book like Secrets of the Wookiees to come along for a long, long time. Thankfully, author Marc Sumerak and artist Alberto Buscicchio fully understand the assignment, bringing us a book that not only explores a unique society that is equal parts tech savvy and mystical, peaceful and warrior-like but also takes us on a tour of Star Wars history through the eyes of our guides C-3PO and Chewbacca.
First off, as were Secrets of the Jedi and Secrets of the Sith, this book is gorgeous, packed with pull-outs, fold-outs, pop-ups and more that give added depth to the information within. We learn more about the many predators of Kashyyyk, the fauna and flora of this lush planet as well as their technology which is unique to their world, taking them through the skies and across the waters of the planet. For a species that is constantly challenged by neighbours and would-be conquerors, weaponry is a vital asset and the wookiees have plenty to use, from the classic bowcaster to the lethal Ryyk Kerarthorr, a scythe-like curved blade with a handgrip.
We look at the world of Kashyyyk itself, its climate (pleasant for the most part), points of interest (who wouldn’t want to visit the Black Forest?) and the impressive habitats of the wroshyr tree. There are wookiees of legend known throughout the galaxy, like the one-armed Greybok, the freedom fighter Tarfful or the Pyke slave Sagwa, and when you get to the wookiee Jedi you’ll want to ignite Gungi’s lightsaber as much as I did.
There are more wookiee artifacts than you might realise, things seen in films and shows like the wookiee clarion that calls them to war in Episode 3, or the Rrwii beads many wear in their fur, and of course how could this tome not feature Life Day, the celebration of love and unity first seen in the Holiday Special that reaches far beyond Kashyyyk itself. After constant strife and attack, the ethos of Life Day holds even more weight, the thought that no matter where they are or what they’re doing, Chewbacca and countless other wookiees always try their best to be home for this most special of days.
Quite apart from the insight and beautiful artwork is the thought that this book is told to us by C-3PO, who ends the book concluding that his first impressions of Chewbacca sold him and his people short (so to speak), and that he is far from ‘only a wookiee‘ but part of a species that is worthy of appreciation and respect. The Secrets series from Insight Editions has been a success so far, and with a galaxy as huge as this there are plenty more opportunities to delve into factions and forces from across the stars, and with the festive season here this would be a winning addition to any present pile.