Review: I Finally got around to reading Yoda

The other day I was forced to admit, I just do not read enough Middle Grade books. This is ironic, because the majority of my reference questions are about MG books. A woman came in and said that her son was done with the My Weird School series, and she wanted to know what he should read next.
Thank goodness for Novelist, but when the list printed out (contemp., mg, humorous) I realized I had not read many of them at all. So, I plan to correct this.
I started with The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. I must admit I had checked this one out when it first came in simply because the crafter/Star Wars fan in me wanted to make a yoda. I did not actually read it then.
The crux: A creepy kid named Dwight walks around school with an origami yoda puppet on his finger dishing advice. Some of the advice is brilliant, some...not so much. Tommy has compiled a case file of incidences in order to get to the bottom of the "mystery".
Last night, I sat down and plowed through it. It took me about an hour. I would not claim that it is laugh out loud funny, but that is because it is not aimed at me. Instead, the mom in me wanted to find out why Dwight was the way he was. Something is really wrong there.
The book is set up like a case file, and many of the characters get their say-either through drawing, reporting personal experiences with the yoda, or in the case of Tommy, trying to apply what they have learned to his future with Sara, his crush.
I was glad to see a great mix of personalities, girls and boys, and a bully (that was pretty funny). It is short, and filled with illustrations, so reluctant readers may feel at home here. The kids write/speak like normal kids at this age, and kids can be mean. This is reflected here as well.
Overall, I was glad I read it. The sequel, Darth Paper Strikes Back is on order for me at the library, so I will keep going with the series. As for my quest to read more MG books, may the force be with me.

Comments

Christi said…

I've been meaning to read this one forever, will have to put it on hold.

And cosmic twin moment--I've been reading a lot of juvenile fiction this week, too. Well, by if "a lot," you mean three LOL

September 23, 2011 at 5:32 AM

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