What would it be like to be Anakin Skywalker? Any kid who doesn't wonder that after seeing Episode I, The Phantom Menace should be checked to see if he's a droid. What was it like to be a slave in Mos Espa? Was it scary to talk to the Jedi Council? And--maybe most important--is podracing really as hard as it looks? This fun, first-person journal lets kids see the action of Phantom Menace through the eyes of their favorite 9-year-old Jedi-to-be. In 14 entries featuring stills from the movie, Anakin tells his story in his own words, from his first encounter with Gui-Jon, Jar Jar, and Padmé to the roller coaster podrace to the wild final ride high above Naboo. Young Skywalker gets an assist from YA author Todd Strasser of Camp Run-A-Muck and Help! I'm Trapped fame. (Ages 9 to 12) --Paul Hughes