The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

Read this book you should.

Ha ha, if only it were that easy!  I'm sure you, Dear Reader, want a little bit more meat to your recommendation/review than that, right?  Or, am I using the force?  (ok, thats about all the Star Wars references I have in me....sorry) 

Here's the synopsis from Goodreads:
In this funny, uncannily wise portrait of the dynamics of a sixth-grade class and of the greatness that sometimes comes in unlikely packages, Dwight, a loser, talks to his classmates via an origami finger puppet of Yoda. If that weren’t strange enough, the puppet is uncannily wise and prescient. Origami Yoda predicts the date of a pop quiz, guesses who stole the classroom Shakespeare bust, and saves a classmate from popularity-crushing embarrassment with some well-timed advice. Dwight’s classmate Tommy wonders how Yoda can be so smart when Dwight himself is so clueless. With contributions from his puzzled classmates, he assembles the case file that forms this novel.

Tommy can't decide if Origami Yoda is real or not.  Ok, he know's Yoda is real, as in he actually exists, but is he real in the sense that he can actually dole out wisdom?


Tommy decides to be scientific and collect anecdotal evidence (stories) from other students who have sought the help of Origami Yoda to determine if Yoda is really real.  His friend, Harvey, doesn't believe that Yoda is really real and adds his own comments to the end of each story.


I read this book while proctoring our (statewide) 5th grade writing standardized test.  I was very worried that I was going to laugh out loud and cause a testing irregularity!

Also today, I had my weekly date with my "Lunch Bunch" (my 4th grade students who eat with me on Thursdays....We haven't met often, but I try to read to them while they are eating in hopes that it will entice them to read).  I read aloud the introduction and first case study and had the kids rolling!  At some points, I was worried I was going to get a milk shower from kids laughing so hard with their mouths full.


I would definitely recommend this book to anyone grades 4 and up.  I might be a little hard of a read for some 4th graders, but its great as a read aloud.  


In my opinion, this is a 5 star book.  It was funny, it was engaging, the story was cute, and my students love it.


Also, BONUS!  The author, Tom Angelberger, is going to be at the Virginia State Reading Association Conference in Roanoke, VA next week...AND I"M GOING TO BE THERE!!!!!!!!  I'm totally going to get his autograph!