The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

Angleberger, T. (2010). The strange case of Origami Yoda. New York: Abrams Books.

Summary: Dwight is one weird middle-schooler. He doesn't really understand social cues and he's considered a "freak" by the other students. One day, Dwight creates an Origami Yoda finger puppet that starts to hand out great advice. Tommy, Dwight's "friend", dismisses the puppet at first but soon comes to realize that the puppet might truly be connected to the force. He begins to collect a case study from the students that have been helped by Origami Yoda. When an imposter Yoda is created and starts offering bad advice, Tommy must decide which Yoda was the real one. It's important to Tommy to figure it out because Origami Yoda has given him some advice about a girl and he needs to know whether to take it. He decides to take the original Yoda's advice and asks the girl he likes to dance. 

Commentary: The characters in The Strange Case of Origami Yoda are very relatable. Dwight is the weird kid that most of the other student's make fun of or ignore. When Dwight creates the Origami Yoda that gives good advice, he becomes more socially acceptable. That is something that Tommy cannot understand. In the end. Tommy grows and matures as he sees that his research shows that Dwight did know what he was saying after all. Most of the students that consult with Origami Yoda face personal growth from following his advice. 

Connections: Teacher Resources, Book Trailer, Book Review, Author Interview
Similar Books: Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze by Silberberg; Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters by Lenore Look; Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading by Tommy Greenwald

Textbook Connections: The Strange Case of Origami Yoda would be an excellent suggestion for students who enjoy reading stories that contain humor.