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Origami Yoda #4
The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett
Origami Yoda has used his Jedi-wise advice to help the kids at McQuarrie Middle School conquer all sorts of enemies, from dull school dances to embarrassing water stains. But this semester, Dwight, Tommy, Sara, and the gang must face their deadliest enemy yet: the FunTime Education System. Meant to raise standardized test scores, the mind-numbing videos of Professor FunTime and his singing calculator are driving everybody crazy! And worse yet, to make time for FunTime, all electives--drama, art, band--have been canceled!
Naturally, the kids turn to Origami Yoda for help, but her tells them that this enemy is far too strong for him to fight alone. If they want to get their favorite classes back, they must form a Rebel Alliance. Soon dozens of kids, each with his or her own origami puppet, join the Alliance. But will the Force be with them--or will they be defeated by the FunTime menace?
Naturally, the kids turn to Origami Yoda for help, but her tells them that this enemy is far too strong for him to fight alone. If they want to get their favorite classes back, they must form a Rebel Alliance. Soon dozens of kids, each with his or her own origami puppet, join the Alliance. But will the Force be with them--or will they be defeated by the FunTime menace?
214 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
About the author
Tom Angleberger
86 books795 followersTom Angleberger artist-turned-writer. He is a columnist for the Roanoke Times in Roanoke, Virginia, and began work on his first book while in middle school. Tom is married to author-illustrator Cece Bell. He lives in Christianburg, Virginia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 462 reviews
October 2, 2026
"We found out that there are going to be a lot of weird changes at school. Judging by how excited Principal Rabbski was about them, they could not possibly be good."
McQuarrie Middle School students all hailed the return of Dwight and his Origami Yoda - but their excitement was short-lived. Turns out that the school didn't pass the minimum state standards and as a result is implementing a new educational program.
"Get Ready for a Fun Time with FunTime!!!!"
FunTime is a series of educational videos that are mind-numbingly boring and waaaay too simple for the kids. And what's worse is that all of the extracurriculars and fun classes have been canceled - no sports, choir, art, plays, NOTHING!
Well...there's only one thing to do. Start a rebel alliance.
I really...truly...didn't see myself on book 4 of an origami-themed Star Wars book series and yet...I'm locked in.
I love the quirky format for telling the story - the various "case files" written by the students and the way their individual origami puppets "help" the movement.
Also, I was surprised by how much character development is happening over this series - I'm really growing to love all these kids and as they're growing up and learning how to navigate the world, I'm cheering for them.
The plot was a huge success for me - after all, who doesn't love a good rebellion against the teachers? But I also like how it was done for the "right" reasons - yes the collective student body's test scores are low BUT the solution isn't to take away any and all fun classes and substitute for premade videos.
All in all, I'm totally ready for book 5 - Princess Labelmaker!
March 27, 2017
When Tom Angleberger gets it right, he really gets it right. After The Strange Case of Origami Yoda was touted as a dark-horse contender for the 2011 Newbery awards, I read it and was impressed. The humor, setting, characters, story, and emotion were pitch-perfect, culminating in one special night at the school dance for these sixth-graders, some of whom were beginning to like each other as more than friends. It's a richly rewarding middle-grade novel, worthy of Newbery recognition had the committee decided to go that direction. I wasn't quite as high on Darth Paper Strikes Back or The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee, though both were nice stories. I'd pretty much given up on getting anything better than a nice story for the remainder of the series, and then...
...then came The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett.
Suddenly it was The Strange Case of Origami Yoda all over again, a gripping, emotionally evocative story that had my heart pounding at certain moments, incensed by Principal Rabbski's dismissive treatment of the rebellion orchestrated by Dwight (er, sorry, I mean Captain Dwight). There are tense exchanges during those meetings in the principal's office as Captain Dwight and his independent-minded friends rally against draconian measures that penalize their seventh-grade class for academic shortfalls they had nothing to do with. Real issues of educational tyranny are raised, adults wielding unchecked authority to micromanage the lives of kids, who aren't allowed to object because they're kids. The balance of power is so skewed that kids can't get a fair hearing even when they're a hundred percent right. They're expected to happily go along with whatever system the adults in charge decide on, no matter how cockamamie, but Captain Dwight and company have reached the limit of their tolerance. One way or another, they're going to turn things around.
Captain Dwight's exile to another school for the fall semester is over, and his friends at McQuarrie Middle School are glad he's back. Getting along without the preternaturally wise advice of Captain Dwight's Origami Yoda finger puppet has been hard, but the paper Jedi master is once again ready to dole out solutions for their problems. A big issue is affecting every kid at McQuarrie this spring, one that even Origami Yoda will find difficult to fix. Because last year's seventh- and eighth-graders failed the standardized state academic tests, the FunTime learning system has been adopted, a bizarre audiovisual curriculum obviously designed for kids a lot younger than middle school. Tommy, Kellen, Sara, Harvey, and the rest can't stand FunTime's lame songs and lamer animation sequences, but having to sit through a whole class period of it every day isn't the worst part. No, that would be the cancelation of all elective classes—music, art, drama, etc.—and extracurricular programs—including sports and clubs—if and until the school tests up to state standards a few months from now. The seventh-graders are being punished not for subpar work of their own (they met the test standards last year as sixth-graders), but for lackluster performances by the kids in the grades ahead of them. No art or electives means a semester with nothing to lighten their long, boring days of study, and will set some of them back when it comes to building portfolios for high school and beyond. But the school's mind is made up, and Principal Rabbski enforces the decision with no tolerance for dissent. What can be done about it?
The time has come, the Dwight (oops, I mean Captain Dwight) says, to talk of many things. Chief among those things is Origami Yoda's proposed rebellion against the FunTime Menace (Now that is classic). If enough students purposely score zero on their standardized tests, the school won't get the desired results from their spartan system of all work and no play. Threatening to sabotage the test will take grit, but Rabbski has to back down if the rebels present a united front. Right? Well...not so right. Rabbski's no amateur, and she easily quashes Captain Dwight's insurrection. Right? Well...don't count out Origami Yoda. Rabbski can administer harsh consequences for students who fail the exams, but what if they don't fail? What if instead they intentionally barely pass, still lowering the school's average? Rabbski can't hold them back from graduating if they pass the test, but the administration would have a lot to answer for if their students failed to meet minimum academic requirements for a second straight year. The hard part is convincing enough students to attempt the ploy, about sixty each from sixth, seventh, and eighth grade.
A showdown is brewing between the austere adults and kids who want a little fun mixed in with their hours of daily schoolwork. Captain Dwight (via Origami Yoda) assigns each of his friends a Star Wars character to make a finger puppet of and behave like during the rebellion. Each Star Wars hero contributes its own indispensable quality for the group and the kid who represents the character. Just as Captain Dwight is inexplicably more insightful when he's speaking as Origami Yoda, the other kids feel wiser as their counterparts from a galaxy far, far away. Much they have to learn about running an efficient insurgency, such as being disciplined with their demands so the principal will take them seriously, but also not quailing when Rabbski unleashes her terrible wrath. These are only kids, who don't believe they should be treated unfairly just because grownups have the authority to do whatever they want. Captain Dwight and company aren't geniuses; they're authentic seventh-graders prone to wilting under the heat an authority figure like Rabbski can put on them, and their chances aren't great as they try to convince the principal of her wrongheaded approach to tween education. A minor victory in this war is a miracle indeed, but who's really directing the offensive when Rabbski's impenetrable resolve begins to weaken? Do the McQuarrie kids have help from an agent of change beyond the Force?
It's impossible to convey in this review the electricity of those powwows in Rabbski's office after Captain Dwight and the gang reveal their plan for defying the FunTime Menace. Rabbski is a shrewd operator who's outraged at the attempt to undermine her authority, and she's prepared to strike back with the full potency of the empire against kids who won't comply with orders. FunTime didn't originate with Rabbski, but like many grownups, she thinks of kids as nothing but students, not people who need free time, recreation, and variety in their daily routine if they're to be happy. Kids have lives outside and apart from academia, and that should be respected. Captain Dwight's freedom fighters are convinced of this and ready to confront authority to guard the sanctity of their elective education and after-school activities, heated as the situation may get. You'll find yourself gritting your teeth and holding the book in a white-knuckle grip as Origami Yoda and his rebels attempt to articulate calm, intelligent arguments to Rabbski, who's thin on patience before the kids say a word to her. The emotionally charged atmosphere permeates the story's second half, setting up a reward which feels that much more exhilarating when something unexpectedly changes. Can a few dozen middle-schoolers fed up listening to a singing calculator every day alter the course of their own education? It would take some major intervention by the Force, but the McQuarrie kids are counting on it if learning is ever again to be something they look forward to in the waning days of their childhood.
Tom Angleberger is a pro at getting readers to feel deeply when he puts his mind to it, and this book is the equal of The Strange Case of Origami Yoda in that respect. The only difference is the type of feelings engendered by the two stories. Kids who feel perpetually downtrodden by adults who think they know best will find a clan of kindred spirits in these pages, and anyone frustrated by institutional lack of understanding vis-à-vis balanced education in schools will also feel they've been given a voice. If education doesn't impart a love of learning then it's useless, just time lost earning a degree to get a job so you can wile away the rest of your life working for money that can't translate into happiness. It's the joy of discovery and togetherness that makes life enjoyable, not accumulation of monetary wealth. Captain Dwight and his friends' intuitive comprehension of that is why it's easy to take their side and cheer them on in this book. I think I'll give The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett the full three stars, and I recommend it for anyone who loves The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. I can hardly wait to see what happens next.
...then came The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett.
Suddenly it was The Strange Case of Origami Yoda all over again, a gripping, emotionally evocative story that had my heart pounding at certain moments, incensed by Principal Rabbski's dismissive treatment of the rebellion orchestrated by Dwight (er, sorry, I mean Captain Dwight). There are tense exchanges during those meetings in the principal's office as Captain Dwight and his independent-minded friends rally against draconian measures that penalize their seventh-grade class for academic shortfalls they had nothing to do with. Real issues of educational tyranny are raised, adults wielding unchecked authority to micromanage the lives of kids, who aren't allowed to object because they're kids. The balance of power is so skewed that kids can't get a fair hearing even when they're a hundred percent right. They're expected to happily go along with whatever system the adults in charge decide on, no matter how cockamamie, but Captain Dwight and company have reached the limit of their tolerance. One way or another, they're going to turn things around.
Captain Dwight's exile to another school for the fall semester is over, and his friends at McQuarrie Middle School are glad he's back. Getting along without the preternaturally wise advice of Captain Dwight's Origami Yoda finger puppet has been hard, but the paper Jedi master is once again ready to dole out solutions for their problems. A big issue is affecting every kid at McQuarrie this spring, one that even Origami Yoda will find difficult to fix. Because last year's seventh- and eighth-graders failed the standardized state academic tests, the FunTime learning system has been adopted, a bizarre audiovisual curriculum obviously designed for kids a lot younger than middle school. Tommy, Kellen, Sara, Harvey, and the rest can't stand FunTime's lame songs and lamer animation sequences, but having to sit through a whole class period of it every day isn't the worst part. No, that would be the cancelation of all elective classes—music, art, drama, etc.—and extracurricular programs—including sports and clubs—if and until the school tests up to state standards a few months from now. The seventh-graders are being punished not for subpar work of their own (they met the test standards last year as sixth-graders), but for lackluster performances by the kids in the grades ahead of them. No art or electives means a semester with nothing to lighten their long, boring days of study, and will set some of them back when it comes to building portfolios for high school and beyond. But the school's mind is made up, and Principal Rabbski enforces the decision with no tolerance for dissent. What can be done about it?
The time has come, the Dwight (oops, I mean Captain Dwight) says, to talk of many things. Chief among those things is Origami Yoda's proposed rebellion against the FunTime Menace (Now that is classic). If enough students purposely score zero on their standardized tests, the school won't get the desired results from their spartan system of all work and no play. Threatening to sabotage the test will take grit, but Rabbski has to back down if the rebels present a united front. Right? Well...not so right. Rabbski's no amateur, and she easily quashes Captain Dwight's insurrection. Right? Well...don't count out Origami Yoda. Rabbski can administer harsh consequences for students who fail the exams, but what if they don't fail? What if instead they intentionally barely pass, still lowering the school's average? Rabbski can't hold them back from graduating if they pass the test, but the administration would have a lot to answer for if their students failed to meet minimum academic requirements for a second straight year. The hard part is convincing enough students to attempt the ploy, about sixty each from sixth, seventh, and eighth grade.
A showdown is brewing between the austere adults and kids who want a little fun mixed in with their hours of daily schoolwork. Captain Dwight (via Origami Yoda) assigns each of his friends a Star Wars character to make a finger puppet of and behave like during the rebellion. Each Star Wars hero contributes its own indispensable quality for the group and the kid who represents the character. Just as Captain Dwight is inexplicably more insightful when he's speaking as Origami Yoda, the other kids feel wiser as their counterparts from a galaxy far, far away. Much they have to learn about running an efficient insurgency, such as being disciplined with their demands so the principal will take them seriously, but also not quailing when Rabbski unleashes her terrible wrath. These are only kids, who don't believe they should be treated unfairly just because grownups have the authority to do whatever they want. Captain Dwight and company aren't geniuses; they're authentic seventh-graders prone to wilting under the heat an authority figure like Rabbski can put on them, and their chances aren't great as they try to convince the principal of her wrongheaded approach to tween education. A minor victory in this war is a miracle indeed, but who's really directing the offensive when Rabbski's impenetrable resolve begins to weaken? Do the McQuarrie kids have help from an agent of change beyond the Force?
It's impossible to convey in this review the electricity of those powwows in Rabbski's office after Captain Dwight and the gang reveal their plan for defying the FunTime Menace. Rabbski is a shrewd operator who's outraged at the attempt to undermine her authority, and she's prepared to strike back with the full potency of the empire against kids who won't comply with orders. FunTime didn't originate with Rabbski, but like many grownups, she thinks of kids as nothing but students, not people who need free time, recreation, and variety in their daily routine if they're to be happy. Kids have lives outside and apart from academia, and that should be respected. Captain Dwight's freedom fighters are convinced of this and ready to confront authority to guard the sanctity of their elective education and after-school activities, heated as the situation may get. You'll find yourself gritting your teeth and holding the book in a white-knuckle grip as Origami Yoda and his rebels attempt to articulate calm, intelligent arguments to Rabbski, who's thin on patience before the kids say a word to her. The emotionally charged atmosphere permeates the story's second half, setting up a reward which feels that much more exhilarating when something unexpectedly changes. Can a few dozen middle-schoolers fed up listening to a singing calculator every day alter the course of their own education? It would take some major intervention by the Force, but the McQuarrie kids are counting on it if learning is ever again to be something they look forward to in the waning days of their childhood.
Tom Angleberger is a pro at getting readers to feel deeply when he puts his mind to it, and this book is the equal of The Strange Case of Origami Yoda in that respect. The only difference is the type of feelings engendered by the two stories. Kids who feel perpetually downtrodden by adults who think they know best will find a clan of kindred spirits in these pages, and anyone frustrated by institutional lack of understanding vis-à-vis balanced education in schools will also feel they've been given a voice. If education doesn't impart a love of learning then it's useless, just time lost earning a degree to get a job so you can wile away the rest of your life working for money that can't translate into happiness. It's the joy of discovery and togetherness that makes life enjoyable, not accumulation of monetary wealth. Captain Dwight and his friends' intuitive comprehension of that is why it's easy to take their side and cheer them on in this book. I think I'll give The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett the full three stars, and I recommend it for anyone who loves The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. I can hardly wait to see what happens next.
October 8, 2019
This was a step up for this series. A more convoluted plot; an ending that makes you want to read the next one as soon as possible; and, best of all, less bashing of the Christian faith.
August 19, 2013
I love this series. The first book I found very touching and funny/sweet. So much fun, in fact, that I couldn't wait to share it with my son, who was 9 at the time.
And since our first exposure to Dwight and the gang, we've eagerly awaited each book, reading them together and separately; but always discussing the jokes and talking about the dilemmas.
The SURPRISE ATTACK OF JABBA THE PUPPETT, however, is the first book that has left me pondering what score to give. It's not that there aren't absolutely brilliant moments with good observations, and many chuckle-out-loud moments; those are still present. But the the warmth and wonder of the first books just isn't the same. It's as if the characters are too often there to deliver clever lines, and not there to be themselves.
And worse, I thought the story dragged a bit and was too long. Especially toooooooooooo long when you consider that it's only Part I.
I hope Part II can save the rift I feel growing between me and the paper origami crew.
**3.5 STARS** Better than most books.
And since our first exposure to Dwight and the gang, we've eagerly awaited each book, reading them together and separately; but always discussing the jokes and talking about the dilemmas.
The SURPRISE ATTACK OF JABBA THE PUPPETT, however, is the first book that has left me pondering what score to give. It's not that there aren't absolutely brilliant moments with good observations, and many chuckle-out-loud moments; those are still present. But the the warmth and wonder of the first books just isn't the same. It's as if the characters are too often there to deliver clever lines, and not there to be themselves.
And worse, I thought the story dragged a bit and was too long. Especially toooooooooooo long when you consider that it's only Part I.
I hope Part II can save the rift I feel growing between me and the paper origami crew.
**3.5 STARS** Better than most books.
March 29, 2019
Definitely the best book in the origami Yoda series so far. This one was so much fun to listen too. Dwight is back in school with the others and a rebellion is in the works! 4 stars!
June 6, 2016
According to Tom Angleberger’s website, before becoming a successful author and illustrator, he was a journalist and a biology research assistant. Nowhere in his bio does it say that he was a teacher. This I do not believe: There is no way that Angleberger would be able to so accurately portray the horrors of high-stakes testing had he never been in the academic trenches, watching insightful lesson plans, electives, and, yes, critical thinking get steamrollered by the latest drill-and-kill scheme being sold by billion-dollar testing corporations and their snake-oil salesmen and bought by short-sighted and clueless administrators and school boards.
Dwight Tharp, back at McQuarrie Middle School from Tibbet Academy, and his good friend Tommy Lomax play Origami Yoda and Obi Wan Kenobi to lead what they’re calling the Origami Rebel Alliance. Principal Rabbski has dropped drama, art, chorus, music, and some sports to make room for Fun Time™ — a stultifying video program to drill the seventh-graders in math, complete with a rapping Professor Fun Time and a cartoon dancing, rapping calculator sure to appall and bore middle-schoolers in equal measure. Fun Time™ (dubbed the Fun Time™ Menace by Origami Yoda) provides an excellent satire on Study Island, Edgenuity and host of similar highly expensive and mind-numbing programs to drill students in the vain hopes of boosting test scores on high-stakes tests. Excruciating programs like this are commonplace across the nation, even though such test results don’t predict how good a school is, much less how well a student will do in college. (High school grades are a much better predictor of college success and graduation than scores on the SAT or ACT, much less high-stakes state tests.)
Can Dwight and his scrappy group of friends take on the Fun Time™ Menace andEmperor Palpatine Principal Rabbski? Read and find out!
Lastly, once again, I was lucky enough to follow the Origami Rebellion Alliance on audiobook, with the same wonderful cast of narrators as the three previous novels.
Dwight Tharp, back at McQuarrie Middle School from Tibbet Academy, and his good friend Tommy Lomax play Origami Yoda and Obi Wan Kenobi to lead what they’re calling the Origami Rebel Alliance. Principal Rabbski has dropped drama, art, chorus, music, and some sports to make room for Fun Time™ — a stultifying video program to drill the seventh-graders in math, complete with a rapping Professor Fun Time and a cartoon dancing, rapping calculator sure to appall and bore middle-schoolers in equal measure. Fun Time™ (dubbed the Fun Time™ Menace by Origami Yoda) provides an excellent satire on Study Island, Edgenuity and host of similar highly expensive and mind-numbing programs to drill students in the vain hopes of boosting test scores on high-stakes tests. Excruciating programs like this are commonplace across the nation, even though such test results don’t predict how good a school is, much less how well a student will do in college. (High school grades are a much better predictor of college success and graduation than scores on the SAT or ACT, much less high-stakes state tests.)
Can Dwight and his scrappy group of friends take on the Fun Time™ Menace and
Lastly, once again, I was lucky enough to follow the Origami Rebellion Alliance on audiobook, with the same wonderful cast of narrators as the three previous novels.
August 6, 2013
It's great, just as fun as the previous books...but there's no ending. It stops and says "to be continued." Lame, particularly considering the cost of hardback books these days. Check this one out of the library.
Read
September 22, 2025what a silly book (i hate gizmo with a burning passion)
September 5, 2017
This book was kind of different from the other books because Jabba the puppet was introduced at the very end, but in the other books the origami was introduced a little after the beginning. Mr. Howell is the one who made Jabba the puppet and he actually likes Star Wars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ms. Rabbski also knows and likes Star Wars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In this book Tommy, Dwight and everyone formed an "origami" alliance. They made this group to stop this thing called "Funtime". Funtime got rid of like, all the fun stuff at McQuarrie middle school. Plus everyone has to watch the same dumb video like a billion times. So the book ended just when everything just got BAD.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2017
I Liked This Book Because It Had More Interesting Themes Than The Other Origami Yoda Books. I Enjoyed How The Middle School's Learning Program Called Funtime Was Evil To The Students. I Enjoyed This Book! Would Recommend For Middle School Students And Sci Fi Fans.
Good Book.
Good Book.
December 4, 2023
The origami rebel alliance rises today. The reason for this is because of the fun time menace. Professor Funtime and his literal singing calculator Gizmo are sickening the entire School. Read to find out if they can get rid of the fun time menace.
August 30, 2024
p.61 "Interesting that Fun Time and Fun Night both have the word 'fun' in them but they aren't fun. I wonder if the word 'fun' is ever used for things that are actually fun."
p.139 "School is whatever the adults say it is."
p.139 "School is whatever the adults say it is."
September 21, 2025
good series filler
June 16, 2025
Goat Howell
April 14, 2021
Jack read this book on his Kindle, but it’s connected to my account so Voila! it’s on my Goodreads. 😅 He must have really enjoyed it to rate it five stars - he’s quite enchanted with this whole series.
April 1, 2025
I am so enjoying this series. On the one hand, it was fun to come back to familiar characters. On the other, the continuing story is new and clever. Love that Mrs. Calhoun, the librarian, is the "cool" adult (duh!). The illustrations, which are mostly scribbles in the margin are adorable and complement the text.
On to Number Five in the series.
On to Number Five in the series.
January 6, 2017
This book is about a group of kids in middle school who are big fans of Star Wars. They face a problem at there school though. There evil principal, Ms.Rabbiski, started a new program for the students called FunTime.EDU. The problem is, is that it consists of two horrible singing actors. All the two actors do is sing about how to do 4+4 and other easy math problems that the group of kids already know. There leader, Dwight A.K.A Captain Dwight, made an origami Yoda to star a Rebellion, giving each kid an origami Star Wars finger puppet and advice on how to destroy FunTime.EDU. The big question is, is if origami Yoda is really using the force? I would recommend this book to anybody with a Star Wars addiction. It's a fun adventurous book for people who like Star Wars and origami.
August 20, 2023
Are the teachers in on this? Take down Fun Time!
Angleberger had to be a teacher before writing this series- his depictions of kids and teachers interacting at school are spot on!
Angleberger had to be a teacher before writing this series- his depictions of kids and teachers interacting at school are spot on!
October 24, 2013
I'm the mother of two boys: 10 and 9 years old. One is an avid reader and one isn't, but I read as part of their bedtime ritual and search far and wide to find books all of us will enjoy.
Enter Tom Angleberger's Origami Yoda series. The man is a genius: middle grade kids, a mystery, Star Wars, and origami? There's something in there for everyone. Oh, and they're hysterical.
In book four of the Origami Yoda series, THE SURPRISE ATTACK OF JABBA THE PUPPET, Tommy, Mike, Dwight and the gang are back, and this time even Harvey is on their side: they are in open rebellion against Principal Rabbski's new FunTime™ learning program designed to boost the school's test scores. With electives cancelled in favor of dumbed-down videos, the kids think the only thing FunTime boosts is their boredom. They seek out Origami Yoda's insight to solve the problem. His answer? This is more than even Origami Yoda can handle and announces that the only way to get school back to normal is if everyone pitches in.
Principal Rabbski is as cunning as Boba Fett, sly as Han Solo, and ruthless as Darth Vader, and is determined to make the kids of McQuarrie Middle School behave...or else. Origami Yoda has been right before, but will he be right about takes-no-prisoners Principal Rabbski?
Since it's book four we've spent the last three books getting to know Tommy, Mike, Dwight and the others pretty well. Angleberger does a good job differentiating them, and they feel like real kids dealing with real-life problems in creative ways. My boys' particular favorite is the eccentric Dwight, who at first seems to be the mastermind behind all the chaos, but the rational serenity of his finger puppet Yoda makes you wonder...
In previous books the mystery surrounded the validity of Origami Yoda's powers of prognostication. But since that's been firmly established, now the kids have an even bigger problem to solve, and simply being kids limits them, their schooling being decided by adults. I wonder a little about Angleberer's topic (government mandated testing and the resultant curriculum), and being a parent myself of middle school kids understand the frustration of the kids and how teachers' hands are tied. He skirts sounding agenda-driven just barely by the way he uses FunTime and the over-the-top way the kids react to its obviously ridiculous design. But I love the way the kids work together in a way to solve their problems and how using the origami puppets make the kids think in new ways.
The actual design of the book is great, with each chapter a different viewpoint--this really helps us get to know the kids and the way they think. The doodles in the margins are hilarious (my boys love pointing them out), and Tommy and Harvey's comments at the end of each chapter help with continuity. And you can't help but appreciate Harvey's snark. The best thing, though? The instructions for origami Star Wars puppets at the end of each book. Currently I have an army of origami Ewoks all over my house.
The only bad thing is that this book is to be continued! The previous books were self-contained stories so I was a little disappointed to get to the end only to have to wait for the next installment and I hope the solution. For now I will have to be satisfied with Jabba's surprise attack at the end. Yes, I squealed.
Enter Tom Angleberger's Origami Yoda series. The man is a genius: middle grade kids, a mystery, Star Wars, and origami? There's something in there for everyone. Oh, and they're hysterical.
In book four of the Origami Yoda series, THE SURPRISE ATTACK OF JABBA THE PUPPET, Tommy, Mike, Dwight and the gang are back, and this time even Harvey is on their side: they are in open rebellion against Principal Rabbski's new FunTime™ learning program designed to boost the school's test scores. With electives cancelled in favor of dumbed-down videos, the kids think the only thing FunTime boosts is their boredom. They seek out Origami Yoda's insight to solve the problem. His answer? This is more than even Origami Yoda can handle and announces that the only way to get school back to normal is if everyone pitches in.
Principal Rabbski is as cunning as Boba Fett, sly as Han Solo, and ruthless as Darth Vader, and is determined to make the kids of McQuarrie Middle School behave...or else. Origami Yoda has been right before, but will he be right about takes-no-prisoners Principal Rabbski?
Since it's book four we've spent the last three books getting to know Tommy, Mike, Dwight and the others pretty well. Angleberger does a good job differentiating them, and they feel like real kids dealing with real-life problems in creative ways. My boys' particular favorite is the eccentric Dwight, who at first seems to be the mastermind behind all the chaos, but the rational serenity of his finger puppet Yoda makes you wonder...
In previous books the mystery surrounded the validity of Origami Yoda's powers of prognostication. But since that's been firmly established, now the kids have an even bigger problem to solve, and simply being kids limits them, their schooling being decided by adults. I wonder a little about Angleberer's topic (government mandated testing and the resultant curriculum), and being a parent myself of middle school kids understand the frustration of the kids and how teachers' hands are tied. He skirts sounding agenda-driven just barely by the way he uses FunTime and the over-the-top way the kids react to its obviously ridiculous design. But I love the way the kids work together in a way to solve their problems and how using the origami puppets make the kids think in new ways.
The actual design of the book is great, with each chapter a different viewpoint--this really helps us get to know the kids and the way they think. The doodles in the margins are hilarious (my boys love pointing them out), and Tommy and Harvey's comments at the end of each chapter help with continuity. And you can't help but appreciate Harvey's snark. The best thing, though? The instructions for origami Star Wars puppets at the end of each book. Currently I have an army of origami Ewoks all over my house.
The only bad thing is that this book is to be continued! The previous books were self-contained stories so I was a little disappointed to get to the end only to have to wait for the next installment and I hope the solution. For now I will have to be satisfied with Jabba's surprise attack at the end. Yes, I squealed.
October 19, 2015
In book #4, the students at McQuarrie are leading an Origami Rebel Alliance against the FunTime Menace, a supplemental educational program that's replaced their extra-curricular classes in order to boost the school's failing standardized test scores. By the end the students realize their Principal isn't the true enemy as she's just following what the school board says...who's following the state government...who's following the federal government. Which leads to the next book in the series. I'm interested to see where Angleberger takes this next.
While I love this premise, I thought it suffered a bit from a sort of middle-book slump. The rest of the books have made sense as individual installments even as they led into the next. But this plot felt a little less polished, as if books number 4 and 5 should actually just be combined. Really it didn't bother me that much and I don't think kids will care either, hence the four star rating. It's still hilarious and the plots keep getting more and more relevant. There wasn't as much character development in this one, but I have a feeling there will be more in book 5. Just one more reason it feels like these two could be combined somehow. Oh well, I'm still loving this series.
I especially love the little insights we get into Dwight's mind, showing us just how savvy and observant he really is. Like this exchange between Cassie and Captain Sherlock Dwight, when he says:
Look in front of you, over my shoulder. Observe. What do you see?
**If you're wondering whether kids need to have a preexisting love of Star Wars in order to enjoy these books, don't worry. They'll find more humor in them if they like the movies, but if they only know about them from pop culture references they'll still be able to enjoy it..
***There's also a little Easter egg in this book for those who've read Angleberger's Fake Mustache
**For basic reading comprehension questions for this book, check out my Teachers Pay Teachers store.**
While I love this premise, I thought it suffered a bit from a sort of middle-book slump. The rest of the books have made sense as individual installments even as they led into the next. But this plot felt a little less polished, as if books number 4 and 5 should actually just be combined. Really it didn't bother me that much and I don't think kids will care either, hence the four star rating. It's still hilarious and the plots keep getting more and more relevant. There wasn't as much character development in this one, but I have a feeling there will be more in book 5. Just one more reason it feels like these two could be combined somehow. Oh well, I'm still loving this series.
I especially love the little insights we get into Dwight's mind, showing us just how savvy and observant he really is. Like this exchange between Cassie and Captain Sherlock Dwight, when he says:
Look in front of you, over my shoulder. Observe. What do you see?
**If you're wondering whether kids need to have a preexisting love of Star Wars in order to enjoy these books, don't worry. They'll find more humor in them if they like the movies, but if they only know about them from pop culture references they'll still be able to enjoy it..
***There's also a little Easter egg in this book for those who've read Angleberger's Fake Mustache
**For basic reading comprehension questions for this book, check out my Teachers Pay Teachers store.**
June 20, 2025
I love this series. Each book is unique and fun in its own way. I loved the rebel alliance in this one. There was so much unity with all the kids from different friend groups! And they all had their own origami Star Wars character. I loved how the origami characters helped kids be braver with social situations. The force continues to remind me of the Holy Ghost. It’s a great Christian analogy. This series just makes my nerdy Star Wars heart happy. Nerds are cool!!!
SPOILERS and book notes:
Dwight is back! He is going to unite everyone to attack and destroy Ms Rabbski’s “Funtime”. Aka Emperor Palpatine. At “fundamentals” class Kellen said “Thank Jar Jar, it’s almost over” than a cartoon of jar jar says: “meesa hates it toosa!” Origami Yoda is going to fix it though! “Dwight has a bunch of different Yoda voices
None of them sound that much like Yoda, but you can often tell what sort of mood Origami Yoda is in. There's sort of the screechy normal voice, a dreamy future-telling voice, and then there's the scary, time-to-get-out-the-lightsaber voice. That's the one Origami Yoda was using now.
Sara, Rhondella, and Amy came and sat at their end of the table. Origami Yoda told
them to wait, too. Then Mike, Lance, and Quavondo came. And finally, Harvey. Kellen and Tommy too! And Cassie. Everyone needs to unite to defeat the emperor! “"Now see you the perils of the FunTime
Menace?"
"Yes," said Harvey. "It's like being in the Sarlacc pit and being slowly digested for a thousand years."
"Gross," said Rhondella.
"But accurate," said Sara.” It is time for a rebellion now! “"Because. . . the time has come to use what you have learned. Fold more origami you must. Join with Captain Dwight you must."
"Captain Dwight?" brayed Harvey.
"Yes! Join him you must. Only together can you withstand this enemy. An origami alliance you need."
"Geez... are you talking about an origami club or something?" said Rhondella. "I pass."
"No! More than a club you need. More is required of you than that. It is time for faithfulness... solidarity... courage
.. all the qualities of a Jedi." Lance is making C-3PO and Amy is making R2 so they get to hang out together a lot! They are the cutest couple! Mike is making Mace Windu bc he protects the Holocron which Mike is in charge of. Kellen is Luke Skywalker in their origami club. Sara keeps her Chewie and Han Solo and Rhondella is Ahsoka aka anakin’s padawan. Harvey is his darth vader that folds back to be anakin skywalker. Tommy is Obi wan Kenobi. The fearless leader. Murkeybis padme “heard about the rebellion. IM IN! Got Dwight to help me make Queen Origamidala also known as Pad-mé (like pad of paper)” Rhondella left though!!! And didn’t come back!! They need fifteen people from each grade to join the rebellion and commit to get zeros on their tests. I love Murky and his made up words! “see the people at our school only have two words to describe things: awesome and sucks. well they use sucks about a thousand times a day for every little thing that isnt completely perfect so then when they find something that is much much much worse the best they can do is "really sucks"
TM
no
WORSE THAN
"sucks!"
not good enough
or actually not BAD enough!
Heres what I got:
Chugbutt, tanning salon, mothra-meat, rhinestone gravy, corpuscle, pikpokology, slypate thursday, brickbat, non-shinky, un-phred, foot, smorefoot
one word I came up with was infomercial and then i realized thats pretty much what funtime is like just without the 1-800 number.” He ends up picking “nostrul” you can add extra s’ as needed. Now the emporer says if they fail the test they repeat the grade! At the Jedi council meeting at the stage at fun night (throw back to book one) Attendance: Mike, Tommy, Kellen, Sara, Amy, Remi (sixth-grader), Murky (sixth-grader), Lance, Quavondo, Harvey, Dwight, James Suervo (eighth-grader). Remi is the character Mara Jade. She is who Luke Skywalker marries in the comics. And Kellen is Luke haha. James draws on his hand and becomes Lando or “hando” Calrissian. Quando is Kit Fisto. Tater tot and all his JV dudes are recruited if they include sports on the list of demands. They are clone troopers. Remi had a problem with three sixth grade girls that would only walk down the hallway with link arms three across. So Dwight told her to build a Ewok army (make a bunch of Ewok origami and recruit people to take down this AT AT of girls. And they do!!! Also this was soooooo adorable with Lance and Amy. Lance said he hated this song kiss kiss that the PE teacher plays and Amy says she kind of likes it and then Lance jokingly says that they can’t be friends any more. Any ways they are bickering like C-3PO and R2 when origami today says this: “'Learn to like that song Lance, too, will."
"What? No way!"
"Yes... the future I see ... Lance, Amy driving in
minivan... in the back kids are sitting ..."
"WHAT???"
"Kiss This Kiss!' on radio comes ... Lance turns up volume... they laugh, sing along... roll eyes their kids do…puts hand on lance's shoulder, Amy does
"Enough!!!" shouts Harvey. "Stop before I puke!"
Then there was general commotion and discussion about whether Origami Yoda could really see the future that clearly, whether there would still be minivans and radios in the future, etc....
Then Amy whispered in my ear: "That sounds pretty
good to me."
When I got home I downloaded "Kiss This Kiss!'" and
started memorizing the words.”
Cassie is Sy Snootless the singer from Jabba’s palace. Bc she wants to bring back the play Olivia twist. Sherlock Dwight came up with an idea to practice before school and then perform during lunchtime!! Leaving Tippid Dwight started a rebellion there with Caroline where the kids stick google eyes on everything lol. Jen joined! Bc of cheerleading and the yearbook. Kellen caught Rohndella kissing a tall 8th grader named John. And it hurt him. But Harvey didn’t make fun of him bc he had something bad happen to him similar!! Who could Harvey like??? Jen is a leader in the rebel alliance now and she is Ventress. And Harvey is impressed… Harvey totally likes her is my guess! I love what mace windu is doing for Mike about his bawling and freak outs! “Well, not this time. Not with Mace Windu here to help!
See, when something happens, like Rabbski yelling at us, and I want to start yelling back .. . Mace Windu always stops me.
He's like: Play it cool, dude. Just Play. It
Cool.
And I'm like: But I AM right this time! I NEED
to say this.
And he's like: No, you don't. But you DO need to do your job. Listen instead of talk. Think instead of bawl. Make the Holocron. And be cool
.. just BE cool.
And as you know, Mace Windu is the coolest guy in the galaxy. And some of his coolness has been rubbing off on me.
Instead of a freak-out ,, , I just keep it
cool.” KEEP COOL AND CARRY A PURPLE LIGHTSABER. Mr Howell their least favorite teacher made a jabba the hut origami and helped sabotage the fun time too. He isn’t joking the rebels but they do have a common enemy…. Plot twist!!
SPOILERS and book notes:
Dwight is back! He is going to unite everyone to attack and destroy Ms Rabbski’s “Funtime”. Aka Emperor Palpatine. At “fundamentals” class Kellen said “Thank Jar Jar, it’s almost over” than a cartoon of jar jar says: “meesa hates it toosa!” Origami Yoda is going to fix it though! “Dwight has a bunch of different Yoda voices
None of them sound that much like Yoda, but you can often tell what sort of mood Origami Yoda is in. There's sort of the screechy normal voice, a dreamy future-telling voice, and then there's the scary, time-to-get-out-the-lightsaber voice. That's the one Origami Yoda was using now.
Sara, Rhondella, and Amy came and sat at their end of the table. Origami Yoda told
them to wait, too. Then Mike, Lance, and Quavondo came. And finally, Harvey. Kellen and Tommy too! And Cassie. Everyone needs to unite to defeat the emperor! “"Now see you the perils of the FunTime
Menace?"
"Yes," said Harvey. "It's like being in the Sarlacc pit and being slowly digested for a thousand years."
"Gross," said Rhondella.
"But accurate," said Sara.” It is time for a rebellion now! “"Because. . . the time has come to use what you have learned. Fold more origami you must. Join with Captain Dwight you must."
"Captain Dwight?" brayed Harvey.
"Yes! Join him you must. Only together can you withstand this enemy. An origami alliance you need."
"Geez... are you talking about an origami club or something?" said Rhondella. "I pass."
"No! More than a club you need. More is required of you than that. It is time for faithfulness... solidarity... courage
.. all the qualities of a Jedi." Lance is making C-3PO and Amy is making R2 so they get to hang out together a lot! They are the cutest couple! Mike is making Mace Windu bc he protects the Holocron which Mike is in charge of. Kellen is Luke Skywalker in their origami club. Sara keeps her Chewie and Han Solo and Rhondella is Ahsoka aka anakin’s padawan. Harvey is his darth vader that folds back to be anakin skywalker. Tommy is Obi wan Kenobi. The fearless leader. Murkeybis padme “heard about the rebellion. IM IN! Got Dwight to help me make Queen Origamidala also known as Pad-mé (like pad of paper)” Rhondella left though!!! And didn’t come back!! They need fifteen people from each grade to join the rebellion and commit to get zeros on their tests. I love Murky and his made up words! “see the people at our school only have two words to describe things: awesome and sucks. well they use sucks about a thousand times a day for every little thing that isnt completely perfect so then when they find something that is much much much worse the best they can do is "really sucks"
TM
no
WORSE THAN
"sucks!"
not good enough
or actually not BAD enough!
Heres what I got:
Chugbutt, tanning salon, mothra-meat, rhinestone gravy, corpuscle, pikpokology, slypate thursday, brickbat, non-shinky, un-phred, foot, smorefoot
one word I came up with was infomercial and then i realized thats pretty much what funtime is like just without the 1-800 number.” He ends up picking “nostrul” you can add extra s’ as needed. Now the emporer says if they fail the test they repeat the grade! At the Jedi council meeting at the stage at fun night (throw back to book one) Attendance: Mike, Tommy, Kellen, Sara, Amy, Remi (sixth-grader), Murky (sixth-grader), Lance, Quavondo, Harvey, Dwight, James Suervo (eighth-grader). Remi is the character Mara Jade. She is who Luke Skywalker marries in the comics. And Kellen is Luke haha. James draws on his hand and becomes Lando or “hando” Calrissian. Quando is Kit Fisto. Tater tot and all his JV dudes are recruited if they include sports on the list of demands. They are clone troopers. Remi had a problem with three sixth grade girls that would only walk down the hallway with link arms three across. So Dwight told her to build a Ewok army (make a bunch of Ewok origami and recruit people to take down this AT AT of girls. And they do!!! Also this was soooooo adorable with Lance and Amy. Lance said he hated this song kiss kiss that the PE teacher plays and Amy says she kind of likes it and then Lance jokingly says that they can’t be friends any more. Any ways they are bickering like C-3PO and R2 when origami today says this: “'Learn to like that song Lance, too, will."
"What? No way!"
"Yes... the future I see ... Lance, Amy driving in
minivan... in the back kids are sitting ..."
"WHAT???"
"Kiss This Kiss!' on radio comes ... Lance turns up volume... they laugh, sing along... roll eyes their kids do…puts hand on lance's shoulder, Amy does
"Enough!!!" shouts Harvey. "Stop before I puke!"
Then there was general commotion and discussion about whether Origami Yoda could really see the future that clearly, whether there would still be minivans and radios in the future, etc....
Then Amy whispered in my ear: "That sounds pretty
good to me."
When I got home I downloaded "Kiss This Kiss!'" and
started memorizing the words.”
Cassie is Sy Snootless the singer from Jabba’s palace. Bc she wants to bring back the play Olivia twist. Sherlock Dwight came up with an idea to practice before school and then perform during lunchtime!! Leaving Tippid Dwight started a rebellion there with Caroline where the kids stick google eyes on everything lol. Jen joined! Bc of cheerleading and the yearbook. Kellen caught Rohndella kissing a tall 8th grader named John. And it hurt him. But Harvey didn’t make fun of him bc he had something bad happen to him similar!! Who could Harvey like??? Jen is a leader in the rebel alliance now and she is Ventress. And Harvey is impressed… Harvey totally likes her is my guess! I love what mace windu is doing for Mike about his bawling and freak outs! “Well, not this time. Not with Mace Windu here to help!
See, when something happens, like Rabbski yelling at us, and I want to start yelling back .. . Mace Windu always stops me.
He's like: Play it cool, dude. Just Play. It
Cool.
And I'm like: But I AM right this time! I NEED
to say this.
And he's like: No, you don't. But you DO need to do your job. Listen instead of talk. Think instead of bawl. Make the Holocron. And be cool
.. just BE cool.
And as you know, Mace Windu is the coolest guy in the galaxy. And some of his coolness has been rubbing off on me.
Instead of a freak-out ,, , I just keep it
cool.” KEEP COOL AND CARRY A PURPLE LIGHTSABER. Mr Howell their least favorite teacher made a jabba the hut origami and helped sabotage the fun time too. He isn’t joking the rebels but they do have a common enemy…. Plot twist!!
April 13, 2016
This semester, Dwight and his gang of followers face their worst enemy yet: the FunTime menace. At the behest of the out-of-touch school board, FunTime has been introduced at McQuarrie to raise standardized test scores. “PREP time” is installed in place of all the school’s electives, where students watch mind-numbing videos of Professor FunTime and his singing calculator, instead of exploring music, art, and drama.
How can the students fight the FunTime menace and restore their favorite classes? Origami Yoda has the answer: form a Rebel Alliance. Dozens of kids take up the cause (along with their own Star Wars-themed finger puppets), and the next case file begins.
Angleberger’s previous books in this series are delightfully humorous when focusing on the minor problems of middle-school life, and they only get better as they delve into more serious issues. The The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett leaps beyond every day embarrassments and addresses a national issue in education: the systematic elimination of extra-curricular activities and creative studies in favor of promoting a science-, math-, and language arts-exclusive education, with little opposition from the general public. This book, in combination with book 5, shares this important message: students and parents need to participate in decisions that affect education.
I’ve greatly enjoyed this series so far. However, I did feel a bit overwhelmed by the multiple characters and their corresponding Star Wars puppets. While a multi-voice format is a great way to measure how each character affect’s the evolution and emotional growth of the entire group, too much is too much. Up until Surprise Attack, I felt that a reader didn’t need to be too familiar with Star Wars to get the humor. But since this book has tens of kids and as many Star Wars characters, someone without much knowledge will definitely miss the more obscure references.
How can the students fight the FunTime menace and restore their favorite classes? Origami Yoda has the answer: form a Rebel Alliance. Dozens of kids take up the cause (along with their own Star Wars-themed finger puppets), and the next case file begins.
Angleberger’s previous books in this series are delightfully humorous when focusing on the minor problems of middle-school life, and they only get better as they delve into more serious issues. The The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett leaps beyond every day embarrassments and addresses a national issue in education: the systematic elimination of extra-curricular activities and creative studies in favor of promoting a science-, math-, and language arts-exclusive education, with little opposition from the general public. This book, in combination with book 5, shares this important message: students and parents need to participate in decisions that affect education.
I’ve greatly enjoyed this series so far. However, I did feel a bit overwhelmed by the multiple characters and their corresponding Star Wars puppets. While a multi-voice format is a great way to measure how each character affect’s the evolution and emotional growth of the entire group, too much is too much. Up until Surprise Attack, I felt that a reader didn’t need to be too familiar with Star Wars to get the humor. But since this book has tens of kids and as many Star Wars characters, someone without much knowledge will definitely miss the more obscure references.
August 15, 2013
One of my favorite middle grade reads is Frindle. A story about a kid who bucks authority by calling a pen a "frindle," I always thought that the book (and most of Andrew Clements's school stories) were way more anti-authority than teachers would accept. Alas, Frindle is almost 20 years old, but The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett has come at exactly the right time to carry that torch.
The cynic in me thinks this is more an attempt to stake out a certain place in the broader debates over Common Core and standardized testing than to continue the story of Dwight and Origami Yoda, but I'm willing to forgive it because it's so well-done and so much fun. Given that the school didn't do so hot on their standardized tests, the principal has chosen to more or less eliminate electives in favor of test prep, complete with extremely hokey and poorly done videos and worksheets. The kids want their electives back, so it becomes a seesaw back and forth as the kids threaten to tank the tests, or to not improve, and the story is a war of attrition throughout without a clear conclusion.
There's a lot to like here, from putting the controversies around standardized testing in the forefront of the plot of a book a lot of kids will read, to the continually unique names of the origami Star Wars characters. The faster-than-usual pace combined with the message allows me to overlook some of the flaws and the fact that agenda-driven fictional books (especially for kids) often leave me uncomfortable.
Overall, a great addition to the series. Definitely looking forward to the next volume as well.
The cynic in me thinks this is more an attempt to stake out a certain place in the broader debates over Common Core and standardized testing than to continue the story of Dwight and Origami Yoda, but I'm willing to forgive it because it's so well-done and so much fun. Given that the school didn't do so hot on their standardized tests, the principal has chosen to more or less eliminate electives in favor of test prep, complete with extremely hokey and poorly done videos and worksheets. The kids want their electives back, so it becomes a seesaw back and forth as the kids threaten to tank the tests, or to not improve, and the story is a war of attrition throughout without a clear conclusion.
There's a lot to like here, from putting the controversies around standardized testing in the forefront of the plot of a book a lot of kids will read, to the continually unique names of the origami Star Wars characters. The faster-than-usual pace combined with the message allows me to overlook some of the flaws and the fact that agenda-driven fictional books (especially for kids) often leave me uncomfortable.
Overall, a great addition to the series. Definitely looking forward to the next volume as well.
September 1, 2013
"Yes! Join him you must. Only together can you withstand this enemy. An origami alliance you need." The students of McQuarrie Middle School are about to meet the Dark Side and it is FunTime. FunTime is a canned test prep program that is replacing their electives, including art, drama, chorus, and even JV sports. Why? Because their standardized test scores have fallen. Spurred on by Origami Yoda, the students form an alliance to fight this change.
Hilarious on the surface, but underneath it has very important messages: students (and parents) need to participate in the decisions that effect education; teachers and principals aren't the real enemy; and real change can only happen when the government understands that measuring educational success with standardized tests scores is counterproductive for our students, not to mention an inaccurate measure of what's important for the students to know. I truly hope the sequel has Origami Yoda testifying before Congress to end this inane "educational reform" that revolves around standardized tests and the corporations that get rich because of them. Maybe they'll listen to Yoda :)
Hilarious on the surface, but underneath it has very important messages: students (and parents) need to participate in the decisions that effect education; teachers and principals aren't the real enemy; and real change can only happen when the government understands that measuring educational success with standardized tests scores is counterproductive for our students, not to mention an inaccurate measure of what's important for the students to know. I truly hope the sequel has Origami Yoda testifying before Congress to end this inane "educational reform" that revolves around standardized tests and the corporations that get rich because of them. Maybe they'll listen to Yoda :)
April 10, 2014
October 2, 2013
I read it ten months ago, but I didn't write a review, so then I didn't remember anything, which forced me to read the book again just to catch up with what's going on before I read Princess Labelmaker, but by the time I got around to it, the next book had to go back to the library. So, kids, THIS is why you should keep track of your reading.
Not that I mind a re-read for the quality of the writing. Angleberger strikes a good tone in these. No, this particular volume in the series fills me with RAGE because it's about how the school has canceled all extracurriculars and electives in order to make time for all the students to go through a particularly inane set of materials to prep them for the high-stakes test. And this is a subject that makes me stabby.
I do like that the author is addressing a systemic problem facing current students. The books were delightful when addressing the minor embarrassments of daily life, better when addressing more serious issues, and even better now, I think. I'm looking forward to moving on with the series, and hopeful that the books offer some creative civil disobedience.
Library copy.
I read it ten months ago, but I didn't write a review, so then I didn't remember anything, which forced me to read the book again just to catch up with what's going on before I read Princess Labelmaker, but by the time I got around to it, the next book had to go back to the library. So, kids, THIS is why you should keep track of your reading.
Not that I mind a re-read for the quality of the writing. Angleberger strikes a good tone in these. No, this particular volume in the series fills me with RAGE because it's about how the school has canceled all extracurriculars and electives in order to make time for all the students to go through a particularly inane set of materials to prep them for the high-stakes test. And this is a subject that makes me stabby.
I do like that the author is addressing a systemic problem facing current students. The books were delightful when addressing the minor embarrassments of daily life, better when addressing more serious issues, and even better now, I think. I'm looking forward to moving on with the series, and hopeful that the books offer some creative civil disobedience.
Library copy.
June 12, 2013
I love that I just happened to read this book right after the state letter grades came out that rated our schools! It made me feel better already. Angleberger shows us that the insanity that surrounds high stakes testing is hurtful to kids. In this book, McQuarrie Middle School has eliminated all specials and field trips to roll out FUNTIME, a brain-numbing program designed to raise test scores. Dwight is back at McQuarrie, and he and Origami Yoda form the Rebel Alliance to try to bring creativity, curiosity, and real learning back to the school. I loved this recent installment of the series, too, but I thought it was a little more frenetic (LOTS of Star Wars characters this time), and I was disappointed it ended halfway through the story, to be continued. I'll be curious if students will love this one as much, or if it appeals more to frustrated teachers who are tired of the testing and rating mania. All the awesome humor and lovable characters are back, though, and I know I have a lot of kids waiting for me to put it out in my classroom library!
January 7, 2014
This book was honestly disappointing. I have read every book in this series and this book was not what I thought it would be. This was mainly because the author portrayed the kids as naive five year olds evidence of this when Angleberger writes, "Rabbski:... students who fail the test may be held back a year, at the discretion of the principle. Tommy: What does [that] mean?" (56) This proves my statement because these kids are in the eighth grade and they're pretty clever so the fact that they are represented as kids who cant understand a simple sentence is ridiculous.
This book did not impress me the way the other books in this series have. I also believe that this book was just generally sloppy writing.
This book did not impress me the way the other books in this series have. I also believe that this book was just generally sloppy writing.
October 4, 2024
"The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppet" is a fun ride for fans of the Star Wars universe, packed with clever references and a healthy dose of nostalgia. The plot, while a bit predictable at times, delivers some entertaining twists that keep you engaged. The cliffhanger at the end had me genuinely surprised, leaving me eager to see where the story goes next.
One of the highlights is the incorporation of student rebels, which adds a fresh perspective to the familiar themes of resistance and bravery. The character dynamics are enjoyable, and watching them navigate their challenges is one of the film’s stronger points. Overall, it’s a solid watch for die-hard fans, offering a mix of humor and adventure that keeps you guessing!
One of the highlights is the incorporation of student rebels, which adds a fresh perspective to the familiar themes of resistance and bravery. The character dynamics are enjoyable, and watching them navigate their challenges is one of the film’s stronger points. Overall, it’s a solid watch for die-hard fans, offering a mix of humor and adventure that keeps you guessing!
August 28, 2013
An entertaining continuation of the seriesin which The students form the Origami Rebel Alliance to protest the school board's decision to eliminate electives from the curriculum until Standardized test scores improve. The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett is hilarious and will be an instant hit with many young readers.
January 7, 2016
Funny book, but I was a tad turned off by the increased number of @#$!s in the page margins. I get that the author realizes adults read the books, but they're aimed at kids. Keep 'em kid-friendly, please (and thank you).
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