I took a family vacation in April which is why we didn’t publish any new content on the website this month. That’s not to say that I haven’t been busy — I printed an updated draft of my LEGO Parts Guide book and used quiet hours in the evenings to make edits to the part names, write one of the chapters of the book, and reflect on ways to make the guide even better.

Improving the book with a few tiny beverages at Zion National Park.

One of the main takeaways soon after returning from the trip was that each chapter needs to begin with a clear narrative that ties all of the parts in that category together. I also realized that fewer top-level categories is easier for people to learn and remember. As such, I am considering combining two of the smaller chapters in the book: Articulation and Clip.

Putting Clips and Hinges (Articulation) in the same category feels intuitive.

I think this change makes sense since Clips and Click-Hinges can be used nearly interchangeably and allow you to position parts at an angle. Besides, that’s how my son’s collection is sorted and he never thought twice about putting them into the same bin after I made this label for him years ago.

I have shared even more details about my progress with patrons, so please consider showing your support if you are able. (Supporters at Patron tier or higher will have their name shown in the acknowledgements section of the first edition of the book.)

May 2025 releases for AFOLs

We will need to wait until June for most of the summer sets, but Star Wars fans will find plenty of exciting sets this May. (May the Fourth be with you!)

• #40765 Kamino Training Facility
  This year, we get a gift-with-purchase playset that will appeal to big Star Wars fans featuring three clones in training.
  190 pieces, 3 figures, ages 10+, Free with $160 Star Wars purchase, available now at LEGO.com
• #75409 Jango Fett’s Firespray-Class Starship
  Ten years ago, a similarly-sized ship featuring Boba Fett was released as part of the UCS series. This version is 100$ more expensive, but includes about 1000 more parts. 2970 pieces, 2 minifigures, ages 18+, $300, available now at LEGO.com
• #75416 Chopper (C1-10P) Astromech Droid
  The expressive likeness of my favorite unhinged droid is here in a nice looking new set. 1039 pieces, ages 10+, $100, available now at LEGO.com

#75409 Jango Fett’s Firespray-Class Starship will appeal to many Star Wars fans.

• #75407 Brick-Built Star Wars Logo
  While a straightforward build, I’m sure a lot of LEGO fans will decorate their collection with this nicely sculped logo.
  700 pieces, ages 18+, $60, available now at LEGO.com
• #10347 Petite Sunny Bouquet
  While it isn’t my favorite addition to the Botanicals series, this is an inexpensive set that you might enjoy.
  373 pieces, ages 9+, $30, available now at LEGO.com.
• #71049 F1 Collectible Race Cars
  These tiny cars feature some interesting new parts like the front fender and frame, plus printed tiles and wheels.
  29 pieces, ages 6+, $5, available now at LEGO.com.

There are also two sets coming out on May 15. #31216 Keith Haring – Dancing Figures is both an expressive model which captures his artwork well, and a good value at $120 for 1773 pieces. While it’s not as good of a value, #72037 Mario Kart: Mario & Standard Kart looks great and may help Nintedo fans wait for the upcoming Switch 2 release.

You can explore all of the new releases by visiting the lego.com store. (Making a purchase using our referral link helps support this website.)

Best articles from around the web

Learn more about the LEGO hobby with a freshselection of great articles from around the web every month…

• The Mystery of LEGO Minitalia: Italy’s Forgotten LEGO Brick
  I learned about Minitalia a few years ago, and purchased a single Minitalia brick while in Billund last year. This article by Mirko Crucchiola gave me a lot more information about this interesting side-quest in The LEGO Group’s history.
  —BrickNerd
• Interview: LEGO 10353 Williams Racing FW14B with designer Gus McLaren
  This interview with LEGO Masters winner turned LEGO Designer Gus McLaren shows how a talented builder can go straight from designing brick-built animals to intricately detailed vehicles. I’m always impressed by these kinds of small details.
  —New Elementary
• LEGO techniques with reflected wedges: Escaping the grid
  In this month’s nerdiest article, Arno Knobbe shows a wealth of techniques for creating complex angles in your LEGO models.
  —New Elementary

Arno Knobbe explores techniques for complex angles (Photo: New Elementary.)

• LEGO NPU: Wheels & Tires Edition
  In this article, Will Hafner offers a short summary different types of Tires produced in the past, followed by a gallery of MOCs that use tires in unexpected ways. (I especially enjoy the models which use inside-out tires to create organic shapes.)
  —BrickNerd
• Influencers and Authenticity: The Impact of LEGO as a Lifestyle
  This thoughtful article by Henry Licklider explores the challenges that the shift to influencer marketing creates for creators in maintaining authenticity in their content. As a creator myself, I have taken great lengths to establish clear standards when reviewing products, but I can see how much harder this would be for shortform content like TikTok.
  —BrickNerd
• Review & Designer Q&A: Vincent van Gogh – Sunflowers
  This interview with Stijn Oom shines a light on the creative process in re-creating a famous painting using LEGO bricks.
  —Rebrickable

“Van Gogh said he painted the Sunflowers with ‘three shades of yellow and nothing else’. … My goal as a designer changed from making an exact color match, to finding a color harmony that mimics the original painting.”

Stijn Oom

• Gotcha! April Fools and the LEGO Fan Community
  It is fun to see the creative content that LEGO fans produce to celebrate April Fools Day. What do you think — should minifigures have hair in the future?
  —BrickNerd
• Divergent Ideas: How LEGO Themes Evolve
  While the article only touches on a few examples, I appreciated how Bailey Fullarton highlighted how LEGO Art has evolved out of the Dots product line, and how LEGO Architecture grew from the work of an enthusiastic member of the fan community.
  —BrickNerd
• 12 Tips to Improve Your LEGO Stop-Motion Animation
  This article offers practical tips by Josh Whitehouse for creating great stop-motion videos, although some of the tips such as composition and lighting apply equally well to still photography.
  —BrickNerd