StarWars.com has posted the second video in a new series that introduces us to the the characters of The High Republic through a series of short animations. The second character to be featured is Jedi Master Avar Kriss who features in Charles Soule's Light of the Jedi novel:

“Avar is the brightest, most noble example of Jedi-hood. She always tries to see the good in people and situations, and never puts herself first. She is invigorated about life on the frontier and the challenges it brings, and is an inspiration for those who work with her. She is compassionate, not dogmatic, and always ready to sacrifice herself over others. Avar Kriss is the best of the best.” - Star Wars Databank

Watch the video here.

This story occurs approximately 3 years after Episode IV: A New Hope:
• Hired by Domina Tagge, Aphra sets her sights on a mysterious piece of tech that could shift the balance of the galactic civil war.
• Her hunt takes her to Corellia... and to Sana Starros’ doorstep!
• But Aphra’s not the only one on Corellia with an eye on the tech...!

StarWars.com has posted the first video in a new series that introduces us to the the characters of The High Republic through a series of short animations. The first character to be featured is Jedi  Knight Vernestra Rwoh who features in Justina Ireland's A Test of Courage book:

“Vernestra’s 16, so she's probably on the older end for middle-grade — most of middle grade characters tend to be between like 12, 13, 14. But Vernestra has a challenge, in that she is a full Jedi. She’s very young: most 16-year-olds in the Jedi Order are padawans still. She took her testing early, so she’s a bit of a prodigy. She doesn’t know anybody else who is as young as she is so she kind of sticks out, and that gives her her own set of of sort of challenges to deal with. So how is she a Jedi Knight in this order that is being led by amazing Jedi?” - Justina Ireland

Watch the video here.

StarWars.com has posted an exclusive excerpt from Claudia Gray's upcoming The High Republic YA novel Into the Dark:

"Jedi Orla Jareni, Cohmac Vitus, Reath Silas, and Dez Rydan are about to start a new mission. First, however, they must rendezvous with the ship and its crew that will provide transport — and they’re not at all what our heroes expect..."

Read the full excerpt here.

StarWars.com Charles Soule's debut Star Wars novel, and the first The High Republic novel, Light of the Jedi, has entered both the New York Times Best Sellers and Publishers Weekly Bestsellers list at #1 (Hardcover Fiction); while on USA Today Best-Selling Books it entered at #2.

Justina Ireland's middle-grade book, A Test of Courage, has entered the New York Times Best Sellers at #2 (Children's Middle-Grade Hardcover); #8 on Publishers Weekly (Children's Frontlist Fiction); and #82 on USA Today.

Cavan Scott's 8x8 children's storybook, The Great Jedi Rescue, reached #20 on Publishers Weekly (Children's Frontlist Fiction).

This story occurs approximately 3 years after Episode IV: A New Hope:
• In his search for vengeance in the depths of Mustafar, Vader has seized the mysterious key to the Eemperor's greatest secret.
• But the key itself needs a key — which only the deadly assassin Ochi of Bestoon seems to have. Vader and Ochi are in for the fight of their lives with the fate of the Emperor in the balance — but how much of this is all Palpatine's plan?

This story occurs approximately 200 years before Episode I: The Phantom Menace:
The Jedi are at their height, protecting the galaxy as Republic pioneers push out into new territories. As the Frontier prepares for the dedication of majestic Starlight Beacon, Padawan Keeve Trennis faces the ultimate choice — will she complete her Jedi Trials or rescue the innocent from disaster?

This story occurs approximately 3 years after Episode IV: A New Hope:
• The Rebels attempt to create a new communications code that the Empire will never be able to crack, in hopes that they might be able to safely reunite their scattered fleet and rejoin the fight.
• However, the code has a cost, one that Lando Calrissian is not willing to pay!

This story occurs approximately 200 years before Episode I: The Phantom Menace:
It is a golden age. Intrepid hyperspace scouts expand the reach of the Repubic to the farthest stars, worlds flourish under the benevolent leadership of the Senate, and peace reigns, enforced by the wisdom and strength of the renowned order of Force users known as the Jedi. With the Jedi at the height of their power, the free citizens of the galaxy are confident in their ability to weather any storm But even the brightest light can cast a shadow, and some storms defy any preparation.
When a shocking catastrophe in hyperspace tears a ship to pieces, the flurry of shrapnel emerging from the disaster threatens an entire system. No sooner does the call for help go out than the Jedi race to the scene...more

This story occurs approximately 200 years before Episode I: The Phantom Menace:
Vernestra Rwoh is a new Jedi Knight at age sixteen, but her first real assignment feels an awful lot like babysitting. She's been charged with supervising twelve-year old aspiring inventor Avon Starros on a cruiser headed to the dedication of a wondrous new space station called Starlight Beacon.
But soon into their journey, bombs go off aboard the cruiser. While the adult Jedi try to save the ship, Vernestra, Avon, Avon's droid J-6, a Jedi Padawan, and an ambassador's son make it to an escape shuttle, but communications are out and supplies are low. They decide to land on a nearby moon, which offers shelter but not much more. And unbeknownst to them, danger lurks in the forest...more

This story occurs approximately 200 years before Episode I: The Phantom Menace:
Meet the noble and wise Jedi of the High Republic!
When a disaster strikes in hyperspace, putting the people of Hetzal Prime in grave danger, only the Jedi of the High Republic can save the day!

This story occurs approximately 5 years after Episode IV: A New Hope:
After the fall of the Empire but before the emergence of the First Order, a lone bounty hunter known as The Mandalorian travels the outer reaches of the galaxy. When his newest bounty hunting target turns out to be a small Child, the Mandalorian decides the Child must be protected at all costs.

Relive all the excitement of the first season of the smash-hit streaming series in this action-packed junior novelization.

An insider’s guide to little-known facts from all nine films of the Skywalker Saga.

Star Wars: Fascinating Facts is a compendium of hundreds of little-known facts about all nine episodes in the Skywalker Saga—from behind-the-scenes on-set tidbits to stories about how the tale of Star Wars was created. Profiles of important characters and early drafts of scripts show what might have been, details of how famous scenes were filmed, and other firsthand accounts from cast and crew members.

StarWars.com has posted an article "Inside The High Republic: Meet the Makers: Claudia Gray on Into the Dark" where they interview the author of this upcoming YA novel:

What can you talk about regarding how the book has evolved since the announcement?
"It’s not like there was an idea of the book before there was the collaboration or before there was the universe. It grew very organically out of that, like what are the different stories we need to tell in this universe? With this being a new cast of characters, and all the different starter books, we get to introduce our own people, their own situations, but it’s all part of this one big puzzle. And so I got to have a little side quest; I think the young adult novel could kind of count as that. It’s separate from a lot of the things that are going on, but there are also some setups for a lot of things that you’re going to see later. Is that vague enough?"

Read the full article here.