Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Realistic (light) school drama and Star Wars fandom rolled into one fun series for middle graders.
This is the sequel to the first Origami Yoda book and continues the adventures of our favorite middle school students. After the appearance of the prophetic Origami Yoda (constructed by the very crazy Dwight), Harvey strikes back by creating Darth Paper! McQuarrie Middle School is in the midst of a battle over Dwight- which can only be solved through creating another case file!
I liked Darth Paper Strikes Back, better than the first book. Tom Angleberger has a very comical writing style much like Diaries of a Wimpy Kid. I'd say the interest and reading level is for students grades 3-6.
Harvey has had enough of Origami Yoda and introduces Darth Paper as he tries to prove that Dwight and Origami Yoda have no real power. Tommy documents the stories again in his new case file that ends up being necessary to help save Dwight.
Good for ages 9 and up
Good for ages 9 and up
Reserved this at the library thinking it was a guide on how to make awesome Yoda origami. Turns out to be a kids book. Two stars because of the two origami puppet guides in the back. Would recommend actual Star Wars for kids instead.
Dwight has been suspended from school for being a "troublemaker", and Tommy and Kellen are convinced that it is Harvey and Darth Paper's fault. (Darth Paper is Harvey's puppet answer to Origami Yoda.) In attempt to save Dwight from expulsion, Tommy and Kellen begin to collect stories from their peers about how Dwight and Origami Yoda have helped them. The plan is to present the stories to the school board, but the boys aren't ready for what Harvey is willing to do to mock Origami Yoda.
The second volume of this clever, funny and weird series continues the adventures of the mystical origami Yoda puppet. Like most sequels, it is not as good as the first one. This may be due to author Angleberger's decision to build his story out of short stories, rather than one narrative.
Still, a fun book that comes complete with folding instructions for Yoda and Darth Paper.
The second volume of this clever, funny and weird series continues the adventures of the mystical origami Yoda puppet. Like most sequels, it is not as good as the first one. This may be due to author Angleberger's decision to build his story out of short stories, rather than one narrative.
Still, a fun book that comes complete with folding instructions for Yoda and Darth Paper.
I listened to this book on the way home from Utah yesterday. I came at it skeptically, just thinking it was another dumb kids book in the gist of Diary of a Wimpy Kid (which I have also read, and while I rarely apply the word dumb to books, that is one of the cases). This book, fortunately, is no such thing. I assume actually reading the book is infinitely more entertaining and with a much deeper meaning. I was alternately giggling and cringing the whole way through. Having not read the first book, it took me a bit to orient myself to the characters and their relationships. Most of the characters are in fact, very realistic and shallow seventh graders. The true hero is obviously Dwight. That kid and his Yoda are fantastic.
What makes me cringe is the actions of the adults. Apparently absolutely none of them have ever had any special education training in the slightest. Yoda is definitely a social coping construct to help Dwight help his friends, since most of them think he by himself is too "weird" to do anything. This feels like an Asperger's-ish obsession. And not one of his teachers took note? Not one of them asked if this was more than him goofing off? None of them noticed that school punishments had no effect, and Yoda was more helpful than disruptive? And that's only taking into account his Star Wars related behavior. Based on the stories from his classmates, he certainly has some social skills issues that were never addressed due to a lack of professional/parental attention, but was clever enough to find his own way to deal with him. It disgusts me that a school faculty would dismiss a child in need of special attention (the kind a correctional facility, which is the conflict of this story, would not be able to provide and would instead beat him until he turned to more destructive forms of social release). Perhaps I am simply privileged, growing up in a home and school district with an extensive special needs program, but one would think the the whole of a population that large /someone/ would notice Dwight was more than just a weird little Star Wars geek.
That doesn't stop Dwight and his friends from being awesome.
What makes me cringe is the actions of the adults. Apparently absolutely none of them have ever had any special education training in the slightest. Yoda is definitely a social coping construct to help Dwight help his friends, since most of them think he by himself is too "weird" to do anything. This feels like an Asperger's-ish obsession. And not one of his teachers took note? Not one of them asked if this was more than him goofing off? None of them noticed that school punishments had no effect, and Yoda was more helpful than disruptive? And that's only taking into account his Star Wars related behavior. Based on the stories from his classmates, he certainly has some social skills issues that were never addressed due to a lack of professional/parental attention, but was clever enough to find his own way to deal with him. It disgusts me that a school faculty would dismiss a child in need of special attention (the kind a correctional facility, which is the conflict of this story, would not be able to provide and would instead beat him until he turned to more destructive forms of social release). Perhaps I am simply privileged, growing up in a home and school district with an extensive special needs program, but one would think the the whole of a population that large /someone/ would notice Dwight was more than just a weird little Star Wars geek.
That doesn't stop Dwight and his friends from being awesome.