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Origami Yoda #2
Darth Paper Strikes Back
The hilarious, clever, and much-anticipated follow-up to the breakout hit, "The Strange Case of Origami Yoda!
"
It is a dark time at Ralph McQuarrie Middle School. After suffering several Origami Yoda-related humiliations, Harvey manages to get Dwight suspended from school for being a "troublemaker." Origami Yoda pleads with Tommy and Kellen to save Dwight by making a new case file--one that will show how Dwight's presence benefits McQuarrie. With the help of their friends, Tommy and Kellen record cases such as "Origami Yoda and the Pre-eaten Wiener," "Origami Yoda and the Exploding Pizza Bagels," and "Origami Yoda and "Wonderland: The Musical."" But Harvey and his Darth Paper puppet have a secret plan that could make Dwight's suspension permanent . . .With his proven knack for humorously exploring the intrigues, fads, and dramas of middle school, Tom Angleberger has crafted a worthy sequel to his breakout bestseller.
Praise for "Darth Paper Strikes Back"STARRED REIVEW"Angleberger's just-as-funny follow-up to "The Strange Case of Origami Yoda" delves deeper into the mystery of the helpful paper Yoda in a satisfying tale of friendship and just resistance to authority.Pitch-perfect middle-school milieu and enough Star Wars references (and laughs) to satisfy fans and win new ones."--"Kirkus Reviews, "starred review "In this imaginative sequel...author Tom Angleberger has his finger puppet squarely on the erratic pulse of middle-school life, with its shifting allegiances, squeals, moans and misgivings."--"Washington Post" "As with this story's predecessor, the well-observed middle-school dynamics (and Angleberger's sharp sense of humor) are greatly amplified by the book's design, which includes faux wrinkled pages, abundant doodles, and other scrawled marginalia. It's a natural step up from the Wimpy Kid series, with more text and narrative complexity, but just as much on-target humor and all-around fun." --"Publishers Weekly" "This book is honest, funny, and immensely entertaining. The illustrations and design will engage readers. Based on the positive reception "Origami Yoda" has received, kids will be clamoring for this sequel. They won't be disappointed." --"School Library Journal" "The Force is with Tom Angleberger in this sequel to his funny and clever novel/comics hybrid, "The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. "A sequel to equal the funny and clever novel/comics debut of the Origami Yoda, as Dwight's friends try to save him from reform school.--"Shelf Awareness"
"With the same deft touch that made "The Strange Case of Origami Yoda" a pleasure, Angleberger takes readers through the ups and downs of adolescence." --"Portland Book Review " ""Darth Paper" offers further proof that Angleberger really understands middle-schoolers and the daily dramas that engulf them, while still finding the humor inherent in their situations. --"Scripps News"
"
It is a dark time at Ralph McQuarrie Middle School. After suffering several Origami Yoda-related humiliations, Harvey manages to get Dwight suspended from school for being a "troublemaker." Origami Yoda pleads with Tommy and Kellen to save Dwight by making a new case file--one that will show how Dwight's presence benefits McQuarrie. With the help of their friends, Tommy and Kellen record cases such as "Origami Yoda and the Pre-eaten Wiener," "Origami Yoda and the Exploding Pizza Bagels," and "Origami Yoda and "Wonderland: The Musical."" But Harvey and his Darth Paper puppet have a secret plan that could make Dwight's suspension permanent . . .With his proven knack for humorously exploring the intrigues, fads, and dramas of middle school, Tom Angleberger has crafted a worthy sequel to his breakout bestseller.
Praise for "Darth Paper Strikes Back"STARRED REIVEW"Angleberger's just-as-funny follow-up to "The Strange Case of Origami Yoda" delves deeper into the mystery of the helpful paper Yoda in a satisfying tale of friendship and just resistance to authority.Pitch-perfect middle-school milieu and enough Star Wars references (and laughs) to satisfy fans and win new ones."--"Kirkus Reviews, "starred review "In this imaginative sequel...author Tom Angleberger has his finger puppet squarely on the erratic pulse of middle-school life, with its shifting allegiances, squeals, moans and misgivings."--"Washington Post" "As with this story's predecessor, the well-observed middle-school dynamics (and Angleberger's sharp sense of humor) are greatly amplified by the book's design, which includes faux wrinkled pages, abundant doodles, and other scrawled marginalia. It's a natural step up from the Wimpy Kid series, with more text and narrative complexity, but just as much on-target humor and all-around fun." --"Publishers Weekly" "This book is honest, funny, and immensely entertaining. The illustrations and design will engage readers. Based on the positive reception "Origami Yoda" has received, kids will be clamoring for this sequel. They won't be disappointed." --"School Library Journal" "The Force is with Tom Angleberger in this sequel to his funny and clever novel/comics hybrid, "The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. "A sequel to equal the funny and clever novel/comics debut of the Origami Yoda, as Dwight's friends try to save him from reform school.--"Shelf Awareness"
"With the same deft touch that made "The Strange Case of Origami Yoda" a pleasure, Angleberger takes readers through the ups and downs of adolescence." --"Portland Book Review " ""Darth Paper" offers further proof that Angleberger really understands middle-schoolers and the daily dramas that engulf them, while still finding the humor inherent in their situations. --"Scripps News"
176 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
387 people are currently reading
4207 people want to read
About the author
Tom Angleberger
81 books794 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 999 reviews
October 24, 2015
Everyone’s favorite misfit savant is back, now in seventh grade, and in more trouble than ever!
Due to a misunderstanding (and his long history of misbehavior), Dwight Tharp has been suspended from McQuarrie Middle School and recommended to be reassigned to the Correctional and Remedial Education Facility, a school for truly disturbed — and disturbing — kids. His pals Tommy, Kellen, Mike, Lance, Quivondo, and Caroline are once again compiling a casebook — this time not to decide whether Origami Yoda is real (they’ve established that) — but to prove to the school board that Dwight is a great asset to the school. But Dwight’s nemesis, the jealous Harvey, now armed with his own puppet, Darth Paper, has no intention of giving Dwight the slightest quarter.
Will Dwight be back? The fact that there are four more sequels and probably more in the works answers that. But the tales of Origami Yoda’s Jedi wisdom are even more funny and clever than in the debut novel. As with The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, some of the stories are bittersweet, but all of the stories in Darth Paper Strikes Back makes me hope that the Force (and Tom Angleberger) will be with us for many years to come.
Lastly, as with the debut novel, the cast narrating this book proved simply fantastic.
Due to a misunderstanding (and his long history of misbehavior), Dwight Tharp has been suspended from McQuarrie Middle School and recommended to be reassigned to the Correctional and Remedial Education Facility, a school for truly disturbed — and disturbing — kids. His pals Tommy, Kellen, Mike, Lance, Quivondo, and Caroline are once again compiling a casebook — this time not to decide whether Origami Yoda is real (they’ve established that) — but to prove to the school board that Dwight is a great asset to the school. But Dwight’s nemesis, the jealous Harvey, now armed with his own puppet, Darth Paper, has no intention of giving Dwight the slightest quarter.
Will Dwight be back? The fact that there are four more sequels and probably more in the works answers that. But the tales of Origami Yoda’s Jedi wisdom are even more funny and clever than in the debut novel. As with The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, some of the stories are bittersweet, but all of the stories in Darth Paper Strikes Back makes me hope that the Force (and Tom Angleberger) will be with us for many years to come.
Lastly, as with the debut novel, the cast narrating this book proved simply fantastic.
March 10, 2012
Mum: Let's start with the stars: how many?
LRN: 130,000.
Mum: How about five?
LRN: NOOO. TOO GOOD.
Mum: So, this is a sequel to The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. Was it better than the first book? The same?
LRN: Better, but a bit different. Dwight, the oddball in 6th grade, is going to be expelled, so his friends try to save him from his nemesis or rival, Harvey.
Mum: What does Harvey have to do with Dwight being expelled?
LRN: Harvey is saying bad things about Dwight, and one word: Darth Paper.(Well, that was two words, but who's counting.)
Mum: We should probably mention that in the last book Dwight was the weird kid who has an oracular finger puppet based on Yoda. So, Harvey has a Darth finger puppet?
LRN: Yes he does. Harvey wanted to make it look like a bad guy from Star Wars, and I bet he's going to make more Storm Troopers. And Dwight is going to make rebels.
Mum: I'm a little confused: so Harvey is telling bad things about Dwight to teachers, using a finger puppet? And that is working to get Dwight expelled?
LRN: Wooo. Impressive. Yes. You know it, Mum.
Mum: Is it in a case file format like the previous book?
LRN: Yes. Every book is like the last.
Mum: Anything else you want to say?
LRN: Yes, I do. There are instructions to make a Darth Paper in the back. Yay!
Mum: Should we find that YouTube link to the author howing us how to make Darth Paper?
LRN: Yup.
LRN: 130,000.
Mum: How about five?
LRN: NOOO. TOO GOOD.
Mum: So, this is a sequel to The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. Was it better than the first book? The same?
LRN: Better, but a bit different. Dwight, the oddball in 6th grade, is going to be expelled, so his friends try to save him from his nemesis or rival, Harvey.
Mum: What does Harvey have to do with Dwight being expelled?
LRN: Harvey is saying bad things about Dwight, and one word: Darth Paper.(Well, that was two words, but who's counting.)
Mum: We should probably mention that in the last book Dwight was the weird kid who has an oracular finger puppet based on Yoda. So, Harvey has a Darth finger puppet?
LRN: Yes he does. Harvey wanted to make it look like a bad guy from Star Wars, and I bet he's going to make more Storm Troopers. And Dwight is going to make rebels.
Mum: I'm a little confused: so Harvey is telling bad things about Dwight to teachers, using a finger puppet? And that is working to get Dwight expelled?
LRN: Wooo. Impressive. Yes. You know it, Mum.
Mum: Is it in a case file format like the previous book?
LRN: Yes. Every book is like the last.
Mum: Anything else you want to say?
LRN: Yes, I do. There are instructions to make a Darth Paper in the back. Yay!
Mum: Should we find that YouTube link to the author howing us how to make Darth Paper?
LRN: Yup.
August 19, 2011
As a general rule, I do not read sequels. I'm SO glad I made an exception. I liked Darth Paper Strikes Back even more than Origami Yoda. Bravo, Tom Angleberger!
April 19, 2012
Frist reading: 8/19/2011
Audio Book 4/18/2012
Better than the first. You must read this book!
Audio Book 4/18/2012
Better than the first. You must read this book!
April 29, 2015
This was a cute sequel and an improvement on the original ORIGAMI YODA.
Dwight, owner and inventor of Origami Yoda, is facing expulsion. All of his friends rally around him to present their case on why he's a great kid who deserves to stay at McQuarrie Middle School.
I found that my earlier comparison of these books to DIARY OF A WIMPY KID was unjust. For one thing, the kids in this series actually have a conscience and aren't total a**holes like the Wimpy kids are. They can be annoying, gross, or immature sometimes, but they have good hearts. I like that.
The drawings are still butt-ugly.
I love the great advice that little origami Yoda gives to the other characters. It is so cute and funny.
"Teach him you must."
"That's what I wanted to do. Teach him upside his head with my board."
"No!" goes Yoda. "To skateboard, teach him you must."
"What? No way!"
"Way yes," said Yoda."
One of the best chapters is when a deaf girl gets transferred to a new school and everyone starts talking real exaggerated to her, using sign language on her (which she doesn't even know!) and acting like she's the class pity case, or something. Yoda tells her how to fix it, and it's awesome. No spoilers...you'll just have to find out for yourself.
Another great chapter is when Yoda helps the kids raise money for the school fundraiser. It's great.
Well, I won't tell you how it ends - whether Dwight gets to stay in school with his friends or not - but I loved it. It was sweet, funny, and with a ton of Star Wars jokes that made me smile. Really great work from Angleberger.
Dwight, owner and inventor of Origami Yoda, is facing expulsion. All of his friends rally around him to present their case on why he's a great kid who deserves to stay at McQuarrie Middle School.
I found that my earlier comparison of these books to DIARY OF A WIMPY KID was unjust. For one thing, the kids in this series actually have a conscience and aren't total a**holes like the Wimpy kids are. They can be annoying, gross, or immature sometimes, but they have good hearts. I like that.
The drawings are still butt-ugly.
I love the great advice that little origami Yoda gives to the other characters. It is so cute and funny.
"Teach him you must."
"That's what I wanted to do. Teach him upside his head with my board."
"No!" goes Yoda. "To skateboard, teach him you must."
"What? No way!"
"Way yes," said Yoda."
One of the best chapters is when a deaf girl gets transferred to a new school and everyone starts talking real exaggerated to her, using sign language on her (which she doesn't even know!) and acting like she's the class pity case, or something. Yoda tells her how to fix it, and it's awesome. No spoilers...you'll just have to find out for yourself.
Another great chapter is when Yoda helps the kids raise money for the school fundraiser. It's great.
Well, I won't tell you how it ends - whether Dwight gets to stay in school with his friends or not - but I loved it. It was sweet, funny, and with a ton of Star Wars jokes that made me smile. Really great work from Angleberger.
Read
July 5, 2025i reread this purely for nostalgia purposes and so will not be rating it, but i have such an attachment to this story and these characters and the star wars franchise that i couldn't help but love this book the second time around, despite the fact that i am decidedly above the targeted age range.
these characters are so likeable and sweet - they really feel like middle schoolers i knew. and the story, of course, is uniquely ridiculous but also sincere. i really found myself caring about dwight and his fate and the disputed realness of origami yoda. harvey was obnoxious in this one but he always is lol.
but this was a perfect reread to lighten my mood after Sunrise on the Reaping absolutely tore my heart out. i found myself laughing out loud multiple times in the process of reading this and i have now mentally committed to a full reread of this series. for nostalgia! (and because my star wars phase is dangerously close to rearing its head hahah).
these characters are so likeable and sweet - they really feel like middle schoolers i knew. and the story, of course, is uniquely ridiculous but also sincere. i really found myself caring about dwight and his fate and the disputed realness of origami yoda. harvey was obnoxious in this one but he always is lol.
but this was a perfect reread to lighten my mood after Sunrise on the Reaping absolutely tore my heart out. i found myself laughing out loud multiple times in the process of reading this and i have now mentally committed to a full reread of this series. for nostalgia! (and because my star wars phase is dangerously close to rearing its head hahah).
June 21, 2023
This was a really cute installment in the series! Applause to the author for this series that lovingly and kindly shows what my siblings probably were like in middle school.
December 11, 2022
I wasn’t expecting the funny origami book to tackle the prejudice in the school system against neurodivergent kids but it went there and it hit hard.
I can make the Emergency Five-Fold Yoda from memory.
I can make the Emergency Five-Fold Yoda from memory.
December 7, 2018
I’m giving this book, and really the whole series, 5 stars on behalf of my son. I can hear him reading and rereading these books at night, laughing and truly enjoying himself (he’s also a fan of Star Wars which might be a prerequisite). He’s also taken to creating the ‘origami’ versions of the characters - as have some of his friends at school. This has opened up a commonality, besides video games, that allows these kids to connect with each other. Never read these, but I approve based on the results.
October 2, 2019
Overall, this was a fun story that felt like a Disney Channel Original Movie at times, especially now that the House of Mouse owns Lucasfilm.
However, there were a few unnecessary bits, such as misusing God's name and especially a mention of a preacher in a church being scary. Hopefully, the later books leave out that kind of garbage.
However, there were a few unnecessary bits, such as misusing God's name and especially a mention of a preacher in a church being scary. Hopefully, the later books leave out that kind of garbage.
September 13, 2014
Muy divertido!!
No había leído el 1º, pero venía viajando aburrida, lo tenía a mano y me puse a ojearlo. Lo terminé leyendo todo.
Muy original y gracioso ^^
No había leído el 1º, pero venía viajando aburrida, lo tenía a mano y me puse a ojearlo. Lo terminé leyendo todo.
Muy original y gracioso ^^
August 20, 2017
😠I did not like this book because DARTH PAPER IS MEAN.😠 I also did not like this book because Harvey is in more of the book than the last book and Harvey is mean.😠 Harvey made Darth Paper.😠
June 17, 2021
Darth Paper Strikes Back is a fun story that while geared towards being a children's read can be enjoyed by anyone at any age.
Book 2 in a 6 book series, Darth Paper revolves around Dwight and his Origami Yoda, who has an uncanny ability to not only give good advice, but "apparently" predict the future.
I was really interested in the real life issues (from a child's point of view) the characters deal with throughout the story.
Well written, easy to read and can be quite funny at times. The book also includes simple, easy to follow directions for folding your own Origami Darth Paper and an Origami Yoda.
Book 2 in a 6 book series, Darth Paper revolves around Dwight and his Origami Yoda, who has an uncanny ability to not only give good advice, but "apparently" predict the future.
I was really interested in the real life issues (from a child's point of view) the characters deal with throughout the story.
Well written, easy to read and can be quite funny at times. The book also includes simple, easy to follow directions for folding your own Origami Darth Paper and an Origami Yoda.
March 5, 2018
This sequel was hilarious😂 I love funny, sarcastic comic books!!! 😂😂😂👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 I wanna read the others!!!
August 31, 2011
I was surprisingly disappointed with this book. It's the sequel to 'The Strange Case of Origami Yoda' (which I was lucky enough to receive a signed copy from my library), and I absolutely loved that book. In this book, the school board is deciding whether or not to send Dwight, along with his Origami Yoda finger puppet, to a reform school for bad kids. Tommy, Kellen and the rest of the kids at MQuarrie Middle School (except Harvey) make a new case file telling the stories of the advice Origami Yoda gave to the kids and how it helped them, and how Dwight isn't a bad kid....just a weird one.
First of all, this book wasn't as funny as the first one, and the 'doodles' written in it by Kellen aren't as great either. Now, I'm not saying this is a bad book, I loved the first one, and this one was good too, but just not as good as the original. I am interested to see what Tom does next, as the end of this book says "The end, this is not!"
P.s. Happy to say that the Origami Darth Vader instructions in the back of the book are much easier than the Origami Yoda one from the first book. :)
First of all, this book wasn't as funny as the first one, and the 'doodles' written in it by Kellen aren't as great either. Now, I'm not saying this is a bad book, I loved the first one, and this one was good too, but just not as good as the original. I am interested to see what Tom does next, as the end of this book says "The end, this is not!"
P.s. Happy to say that the Origami Darth Vader instructions in the back of the book are much easier than the Origami Yoda one from the first book. :)
November 9, 2011
A fun (and silly) sequel that follows up the first book rather well. I was happy with how things ended--very relieved, actually. Still enjoyed the many Star Wars references, quotes, and doodles. I didn't think the story/stories quite measured up to the first book, and I didn't feel I got to know the characters as well in this book.
There was also still my issue with some of the language/name-calling/meanness. There was quaffling over the first book whether or not to put it in YF or JF. JF won out, especially when the first book became a Beehive nominee. I questioned, but let it go. I do not agree with this one being JF. Maybe I'd be all right with my 10-year old grabbing this off the shelf, since they're sadly yet probably exposed to the same kind of talk and behavior at school. But the 7-year-old looking for the Wimpy Kid readalike? Oh no. As a parent, I would not be happy with that. So just FYI to my friends who read my reviews and wonder about that.
There was also still my issue with some of the language/name-calling/meanness. There was quaffling over the first book whether or not to put it in YF or JF. JF won out, especially when the first book became a Beehive nominee. I questioned, but let it go. I do not agree with this one being JF. Maybe I'd be all right with my 10-year old grabbing this off the shelf, since they're sadly yet probably exposed to the same kind of talk and behavior at school. But the 7-year-old looking for the Wimpy Kid readalike? Oh no. As a parent, I would not be happy with that. So just FYI to my friends who read my reviews and wonder about that.
July 24, 2016
One of the worst books you will ever read. I can't even classify this as a book. It should be banned from all schools on the grounds of being just horrible. I would rather be the crazy person down the street talking about the end of the world, than read this horrible stain on the fabric of society.
January 30, 2016
Well, this would get 3.5 star rating because towards the end, it talk's about what they did at a school board meeting and stuff like that. But at the end, Dwight doesn't go to CREF. He goes to whatever school Caroline goes to.
February 7, 2015
No subestimes el poder del lado oscuro, Darth Paper es incluso mejor que El extraño caso de Yoda Origami.
Divertido y gracioso, muy recomendado para los pequeños padawans.
Divertido y gracioso, muy recomendado para los pequeños padawans.
November 20, 2021
I think it was amazing. The star wars theme was wonderful and it is a great book.
August 14, 2019
Listened to this one with my boys while trekking our next leg of our camping trip. My older son liked it better than the first in the series, saying it had more plot and intrigue. I thought it wasn't quite as strong because the novelty had worn off, and not quite as many quotable Yoda sayings. Either way, it helped our car trip.
August 15, 2022
There’s really nothing to dislike about this book. It had a stronger story than the first, and did more interesting things with the characters. Very heartwarming. Good message for not only kids but adults too.
January 21, 2021
Ok. I'm really starting to enjoy this series! I'm having so much fun reading it with my kids, and there are so many important social/emotional things to discuss!
January 14, 2023
I loved this one even more than Origami Yoda! They are a mixture of fun and mystery and seeing if you can really understand another person. Definitely ready to read this entire series!!
December 3, 2025
I love how the characters are relatable and will grow with you (in grade levels)
February 11, 2021
Dwight is in even more trouble than before, can his friends and Yoda save him from dark side. Great story with an diabolical twist, great fun.
August 28, 2024
Cool star wars references 😎🤖
June 16, 2025
Purple
February 23, 2017
I liked this even more than The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. Still humorous, and this time with a story line than promotes even more strongly that we need to be understanding of people around us even if especially if we don't quite understand them.
Dwight is still his quirky self in this second book. The first book is a case file constructed by Dwight's classmates, primarily his friend Tommy. They're gathering evidence to determine whether Origami Yoda is real or not. His advice is always spot on, but how? Can he really use the force? Origami Yoda was constructed by oddball Dwight, meaning they're doubtful of its wisdom.
In the first book, the kids are kind of waffling back and forth between being on Dwight's side or leaving him on his own. In this second book they're in his corner fighting for him. Principal Rabbski has suggested to the school board that Dwight be sent to a remedial school. This case file is a defense of Dwight by (most of) his classmates. Yes, he's odd. But once you decode his weirdness you realize his actions are always kind. Whereas the first book left me wanting a little more of the "be kind to those around you" message for the reader, this second book provided plenty.
But this isn't just Dwight's story. Other characters add to the "be kind, everyone's fighting their own battle" issue. A favorite example of mine is that of Caroline, who used to go to school with Dwight and Tommy at McQuarrie Middle but recently started attending a private school.
I really appreciate that this issue is brought up for young readers. It's an important thing to think about. You may not be tearing someone down because they're different, but neither should you be kind to outcasts just so you look better in the eyes of those around you.
All this leaves me so pleasantly surprised by this series so far. When I started, I was just hoping for something a little less annoying than Wimpy Kid but that was still humorous and would appeal to reluctant readers. Instead these books are both humorous and thoughtful.
**For basic reading comprehension questions for this book, check out my Teachers Pay Teachers store.**
Dwight is still his quirky self in this second book. The first book is a case file constructed by Dwight's classmates, primarily his friend Tommy. They're gathering evidence to determine whether Origami Yoda is real or not. His advice is always spot on, but how? Can he really use the force? Origami Yoda was constructed by oddball Dwight, meaning they're doubtful of its wisdom.
Dwight never seems to do anything right. Always in trouble. Always getting harassed by other kids. Always picking his nose. Always finding a way to 'ruin it for everyone,' as the teachers say.
If he would just listen to Origami Yoda's wisdom, like the rest of us, he would have it made.
But no, he ends up barfing in class because he ate thirteen servings of canned peaches at lunch, or stealing a girl's shoe, or wearing shorts with his socks pulled up above his knees.
In the first book, the kids are kind of waffling back and forth between being on Dwight's side or leaving him on his own. In this second book they're in his corner fighting for him. Principal Rabbski has suggested to the school board that Dwight be sent to a remedial school. This case file is a defense of Dwight by (most of) his classmates. Yes, he's odd. But once you decode his weirdness you realize his actions are always kind. Whereas the first book left me wanting a little more of the "be kind to those around you" message for the reader, this second book provided plenty.
But this isn't just Dwight's story. Other characters add to the "be kind, everyone's fighting their own battle" issue. A favorite example of mine is that of Caroline, who used to go to school with Dwight and Tommy at McQuarrie Middle but recently started attending a private school.
See, I have a severe hearing impairment. My audiologist calls it "profoundly deaf" But that is a little different from being completely deaf...
Anyway, I can get along just fine without any special treatment. And I didn't get any at McQuarrie. People were used to me, and nobody made a big deal about it.
But at Tippett Academy, EVERYBODY made a big deal about it. Everybody was so busy trying to show that they "understood my differences" that I never got a chance to be normal.
And some of them had taken sign language class, so they kept signing at me. People, I don't even know sign language! I kept telling them that I read lips and they kept waving their fingers at me.
Worst of all, some of them were practically fighting over who was going to be my friend. Mostly just to show everybody else that they were friends with someone "different".
I really appreciate that this issue is brought up for young readers. It's an important thing to think about. You may not be tearing someone down because they're different, but neither should you be kind to outcasts just so you look better in the eyes of those around you.
All this leaves me so pleasantly surprised by this series so far. When I started, I was just hoping for something a little less annoying than Wimpy Kid but that was still humorous and would appeal to reluctant readers. Instead these books are both humorous and thoughtful.
**For basic reading comprehension questions for this book, check out my Teachers Pay Teachers store.**
February 20, 2012
If you thought that the happy conclusion to The Strange Case of Origami Yoda was the end of the major troubles for Dwight, Tommy, Kellen and the rest of the group, then you were mistaken. Their problems only seem to escalate in this second book of the series as a misunderstanding between Dwight, his Origami Yoda finger puppet and a girl who asks the tiny Jedi oracle a very important question balloons into a fiasco that finds Dwight suspended from school indefinitely, and subject to a hearing that will determine whether or not he is to be expelled.
Just as in the first book, Tommy has agreed to put together a "case file" of all the good that Dwight and Origami Yoda have done around their school, including crucial first-person testimonials regarding the many times that Yoda's advice has helped students to work their way out of major jams. Harvey, though, always the negative voice to Yoda's sensible wisdom, isn't going to make things easy for Tommy. Harvey is still out to prove that Origami Yoda (and Dwight, by extension) are frauds, and he has enlisted the help of his own Star Wars finger puppet to do so. Darth Paper—complete with red lightsaber—is the newest in origami artistry at the school, and while the making of the puppet itself may be an impressive feat, Darth is nowhere near the adviser that Origami Yoda has proven to be. Darth Paper mostly just makes mean remarks to and about other students, often based cleverly on actual lines that Darth Vader spoke in the Star Wars films. Tommy can't allow himself to be distracted by Harvey's antics, though. Without a strong case file to back up the assertion that Dwight doesn't deserve to be expelled, Origami Yoda may be lost forever, and with him will go the golden advice that has kept the students at Dwight's school out of so much trouble these last several months.
As in The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, author Tom Angleberger builds well to a tense, exciting finish as Tommy prepares to go before the school board and speak his piece on behalf of Dwight. He may not exactly be a close friend of Dwight's, but he can see that Dwight is definitely being railroaded, and that at this point he's the only one with the power to save him from expulsion. With this in mind he approaches the board to speak, to perform a good deed on behalf of a classmate for no reason other than that it's the right thing to do. Perhaps Origami Yoda has been more of an influence on the student body for good than the disbelieving school faculty realized.
While I might not rate Darth Paper Strikes Back as highly as I did The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, there's no denying that this is an imaginative book, and genuinely heartfelt at times, as well. It's an effectively humorous story, of course, but there are also unseen layers of substance surrounding the plot, like a halo on the outside of one's vision that seems to disappear if one looks directly at it. I love Tom Angleberger's writing style, and I'm looking forward to reading more of what he has for us as he further develops his storytelling skills. He may never win the Newbery Medal, but then again, I wouldn't be all that surprised if one day he did. I would probably give two and a half stars to Darth Paper Strikes Back, and I encourage all who enjoyed The Strange Case of Origami Yoda to make time for this sequel.
Just as in the first book, Tommy has agreed to put together a "case file" of all the good that Dwight and Origami Yoda have done around their school, including crucial first-person testimonials regarding the many times that Yoda's advice has helped students to work their way out of major jams. Harvey, though, always the negative voice to Yoda's sensible wisdom, isn't going to make things easy for Tommy. Harvey is still out to prove that Origami Yoda (and Dwight, by extension) are frauds, and he has enlisted the help of his own Star Wars finger puppet to do so. Darth Paper—complete with red lightsaber—is the newest in origami artistry at the school, and while the making of the puppet itself may be an impressive feat, Darth is nowhere near the adviser that Origami Yoda has proven to be. Darth Paper mostly just makes mean remarks to and about other students, often based cleverly on actual lines that Darth Vader spoke in the Star Wars films. Tommy can't allow himself to be distracted by Harvey's antics, though. Without a strong case file to back up the assertion that Dwight doesn't deserve to be expelled, Origami Yoda may be lost forever, and with him will go the golden advice that has kept the students at Dwight's school out of so much trouble these last several months.
As in The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, author Tom Angleberger builds well to a tense, exciting finish as Tommy prepares to go before the school board and speak his piece on behalf of Dwight. He may not exactly be a close friend of Dwight's, but he can see that Dwight is definitely being railroaded, and that at this point he's the only one with the power to save him from expulsion. With this in mind he approaches the board to speak, to perform a good deed on behalf of a classmate for no reason other than that it's the right thing to do. Perhaps Origami Yoda has been more of an influence on the student body for good than the disbelieving school faculty realized.
While I might not rate Darth Paper Strikes Back as highly as I did The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, there's no denying that this is an imaginative book, and genuinely heartfelt at times, as well. It's an effectively humorous story, of course, but there are also unseen layers of substance surrounding the plot, like a halo on the outside of one's vision that seems to disappear if one looks directly at it. I love Tom Angleberger's writing style, and I'm looking forward to reading more of what he has for us as he further develops his storytelling skills. He may never win the Newbery Medal, but then again, I wouldn't be all that surprised if one day he did. I would probably give two and a half stars to Darth Paper Strikes Back, and I encourage all who enjoyed The Strange Case of Origami Yoda to make time for this sequel.
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