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I’ll admit straight off that I’m a Minecraft dabbler, but after selling dozens of Scholastic’s Minecraft handbooks to eager kids at the bookstore I work for, I knew I wanted to check out the newly released Blockopedia, the ULTIMATE guide to Minecraft.
The book itself is a beautiful aesthetic object, sure to be treasured equally by adult gamers who craft intricate structures within the game and kids who just want to run around and dig stuff up. I will say that its unusual shape will probably lend itself better to display on a bookshelf rather than frequent readings with child-sized hands – but I don’t think that’s going to stop them!
To help me out with this review, I thought I should get some help from the biggest Minecraft fan I know – my younger sister. I knew she would be excited, but even I wasn’t prepared for her to sit down and read the entire thing cover to cover the moment I gave it to her:
She was completely engrossed, and watching her read it was a thrill in and of itself. She did all the things you hope a child will do as they read – laugh, engage, discuss, enjoy. After she was done, I had her answer a few questions about what she thought of the book:
What do you like best about this book?
I liked to learn about some new crafting recipes.
Is it useful for playing Minecraft?
It is useful for all types of Minecraft.
Is there anything you don’t like about it?
If you play Minecraft there should not be anything you don’t like about it!
Anything else you want to say?
This book is GREAT for beginning Minecrafters!
And there you have it, from the mouths of babes!
Overall, I’d expect that Blockopedia isn’t going to give too many tips to pro-gamers. If you’ve already built a replica of Hogwarts in the game, you’re not likely to learn anything new here. But for younger players, or those just starting out, Blockopedia is an excellent resource, and players old and new will enjoy the book’s eye-catching design.
