Darth Vader and Son by Jeffrey Brown
One of the funniest books I have seen
It was an impulse buy. I went into the local independent children's bookstore last fall to get a birthday present. We have a delightful little shop in our downtown shopping area called A Very Little Bookstore. As I was searching the stacks for something appropriate for a 5 year old girl, I spotted this one, Darth Vader and Son, by Jeffrey Brown. I knew I had to get it for a Christmas present, but my only question was whether it should go to my husband or my five year old son. I gave it to both of them. It does turn out to be a little more appropriate for a grown-up. On many pages, the humor is a little more sophisticated than is appropriate for a five year old. But there is certainly much of it that my young son still enjoys. The cover gives away the fact that it is a humorous departure from the actual Star Wars saga. Keep reading to find out more about this hilarious book!
(Photo from Amazon - scroll down to see the book offered.)
Get Your Copy
This makes a great Father's Day gift, particularly for the father of a small boy.
Why it's brilliant
This book dares to imagine: What would it have been like had Luke and Leia grown up with their father? Daily life, typical dad experiences, and things dads say to children all sound hilarious when coming from Darth Vader.
Most brilliant of all, though, are the places where the author has used phrases from the Star Wars movies that you will recognize, and has woven them into a familiar parenting scenario. "I find your lack of patience disturbing." And of COURSE - "Luke, I am your father." There are many more, but I won't spoil it. The Star Wars enthusiast will recognize many of them. The duo is also spotted in the Mos Eisley Cantina having a soda, out trick-or-treating, and patching up a boo-boo. Darth Vader is still Darth Vader, but in a kinder, gentler, Dad-ish way.
Who would like this book?
Almost anyone.
You don't have to be a dad to appreciate this book. As a mother, I think I laughed harder at this book in the bookstore (making a fool of myself in the process) than my husband did when he unwrapped it. But even one who is not a parent will see familiar situations. While a dad of a son around the age of four or five will relate to some of the experiences (like having your son drive you crazy while you try to fix something, or asking him if he has to go to the bathroom when he's doing "the dance"), anyone can appreciate the humor in the concept of Darth Vader as a real dad. We know he's evil and heartless, but given a chance to be a dad, wouldn't he have been proud of young Skywalker, bought him an ice cream cone, and gone to the trouble of getting him a birthday present? Yeah, probably not! That's what makes this book funny.
This would make a great gift for Father's Day, Christmas, birthday, or any other occasion. I would have been happy to receive it myself!
