Publishers Weekly
Is Origami Yoda real?” is the question that plagues sixth-grader Tommy and drives the plot of this snappy debut. From one perspective, Origami Yoda is a finger puppet that offers cryptic but oddly sage advice to Tommy and his classmates. From another, he is simply the “green paperwad” animated by Tommy's misfit friend, Dwight, who “wear[s] shorts with his socks pulled up above his knees” and stares into space “like a hypnotized chicken.” Compiling a series of funny, first-person accounts of Yoda's wisdom from his friends, Tommy hopes to solve this mystery to determine whether to trust Yoda's advice about asking a certain girl to dance. Angleberger peppers his chapters with spot-on boy banter, humorously crude Captain Underpants-style drawings, and wisecrack asides that comically address the social land mines of middle school. Tommy confronts the ethical dilemma of standing up for the weird kid and the angst of school dances: “My hands were shaking and my stomach was excited like the time my dad accidentally drove into a fire hydrant.” But with enigmatic counsel like “Cheetos for everyone you must buy,” Yoda keeps the mystery alive. Ages 8-12. (Apr.)
The Wall Street Journal
Mr. Angleberger's goofy entertainment is exactly calibrated to delight that cohort of boys who are old enough to notice girls but not quite brave enough yet to, you know, really talk to them.
—Meghan Cox Gurdon
Sacramento Book Review
Angleberger’s book drips with silliness and charm, detailing the rise of a new urban legend, through the lens of those confusing and awkward days gone by. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda is quick, it’s enjoyable, and it even includes instructions on how to make your own paper puppet prophet. What more could you want?
—Glenn Dallas
Richmond Parents Monthly
You don’t have to be a Star Wars fan to love this book. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda is funny and incredibly relatable. There are even instructions on making your own Origami Yoda (magic powers not included).
Children's Literature - Nicole Peterson Davis
Dwight can be strange at times, like the day he answered "Purple" every time Tommy asked him a question. But one thing he did is very intriguing. One day, Dwight created an origami Yoda that sat on his finger. This puppet can answer questions that predict the future—or can he? The problem is that Dwight can be clueless at times, but Origami Yoda always seems to have the right answer. That is what this book is all about. Tommy needs to know if Dwight's Origami Yoda will answer a very important question about a girl. This sixth-grade scenario is a little quirky, but very intriguing. This case file investigation will give all the information so the reader can use his or her reasoning abilities to figure out the truth about this Origami Yoda. The back of the book contains directions to make your own Origami Yoda. Reviewer: Nicole Peterson Davis
Catherine McTamaney
A lot of people wish they could predict the future, but for the kids at McQuarrie Middle School, there's help. Granted, the predictions come from an origami finger puppet and are mouthed by one of the weirdest kids in school, but they still seem to come true. The real question is whether Tommy should take the advice of a folded piece of paper when it comes to asking out one of the nicest girls in his class. Tom Angleberger delivers a creative, eye-catching story through Tommy's case file," with chapters told in each of the characters' voices, as Tommy tries to determine whether the origami Yoda is a fake. The voices are unique and believable, including the quirky (if curiously appealing) Dwight, the creator of the origami Yoda. Reluctant readers will be attracted to the characters' doodles on each page. A fun, light read, recommended for early middle school. Reviewer: Catherine McTamaney
School Library Journal
Gr 3–6—Sixth grader Tommy and his friends face gym class jitters, embarrassing nicknames, and considerable girl anxiety. They need the wisdom of a Jedi master just to make it through the day. When Tommy's weird classmate Dwight shows up at school with an origami Yoda finger puppet and suggests that Tommy and his friends check in with the Yoda when they have difficult situations to deal with or tough decisions to make. The Yoda's advice is so good that the friends can't imagine that it is coming from oddball Dwight and Tommy decides to investigate. Tom Angleberger's novel (Amulet Books, 2010) is Tommy's casebook. He documents his own interactions with Origami Yoda and asks his friends to contribute theirs as well. This works really well in the audio format. Five actors voice Tommy, Kellen, Quavondo, Sara, and resident skeptic Harvey with varying degrees of believable immaturity. The case is never resolved, and listeners are left to decide for themselves whether Origami Yoda is merely Dwight's dummy or if somehow the finger puppet is actually using the Force.—Paula Willey, Baltimore County Public Library, MD
