Mysteries of the Jedi, written by Elizabeth Dowsett and Shari Last. DK Publishing, Tourmaline. 2011. $13.99 ages 6 and up

"Podracing on Tatooine is so dangerous that even the best racers are lucky to survive. It's too fast for humans, but Anakin Skywalker is no ordinary human - he has Jedi reflexes. His ability with the Force means he can navigate every swerve and tight corner of the Boonta Eve Classic Podrace, all at super-high speeds. No only does he survive, he wins!"

I thought I knew a lot about Star Wars. That changed completely when I pored over this image-filled, fact-filled book about the Jedi. We watched the first (well, last) three Star War movies when our kids were young and fell in love with the characters, the drama, the humor...heck, we even bought them in VHS format and they cost about $100 each. Bret loved everything about that first movie and we went on to watch all three over and over again. We bought the character figurines, the X and Y wing fighters, the Death Star, the Ewok Village and they made for hours of fun and delight day after day.

Now, I must admit that I didn't watch the prequels as the kids were gone and I had little interest if not sharing with them. So, to learn so much about the backstory in this well-designed and informative book has been most enlightening. I continue to love and honor Obi-Wan:

"Obi-Wan is fiercely loyal to the Jedi Order, democracy and justice. Even when held prisoner by Count Dooku, he refuses to join him. Nothing would make Obi-Wan turn his back on what he believes in."

and Yoda:

"Yoda is Grand Master of the Jedi Council. He shoulders the great responsibility of leading the Jedi Order. Famous for his unmatched wisdom, Yoda has a strong connection with the Force and often turns to it for answers."

Now, I will have to learn much more about the others.

Interested readers will find much here to guide them in the ways of the Jedi, as well as sections on building a lightsaber, tools of the trade, Jedi comrades, and choosing from the two sides of the Force. It's quite an amazing lesson in all things Jedi. All members of the Jedi High Council are described, with later council members added as well. Small black circles include bits of Jedi wisdom and are placed randomly throughout the text, as are Jedi Stats which describe characters according to their species, home, rank, combat style and trademark. The Sith remain as frightening as ever they were onscreen and I would avoid them at all costs!

Additional to the jam-packed text are the glossary which is useful and easy to read because of its design, which is alphabetical. The index leads readers straight back to what might be most intriguing at any time.

This was a bit of a time travel for me, but also an invitation to see what I have missed in the last (well, first) three movies.