“Always trust your instincts.” That is what I wrote in my review
of The
Strange Case of Origami Yoda. The point I was trying to make was that I
had picked up that book twice thinking that I should read it, but chose not to.
I should have followed my instincts and read it when I first considered it and
I would have been seven books ahead in the great Caudill race. I would like to
change my point. Still, trust your instincts; however, I should have just put
the book back down.
This series of books is going to have a following regardless, so I
do not feel so bad giving it a less than stellar review. In fact, boys, have at
it. It is perfect for mindless summer reading – if you like reading about school
during your summer vacation.
Let’s see, the book is around 150 pages. It follows in the
footsteps of Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
There are childlike illustrations or doodles throughout. Like the original, Darth Paper is presented as a case file.
There are short anecdotes provided by various classmates that are involved. The
main narrator, Tommy, comments on those anecdotes and then Tommy’s now arch-nemesis,
Harvey, adds a comment of his own. These all lend to the book’s attractiveness
to the reluctant reader or child in need of a quick-read.
But there is more. The series combines two, always popular
subjects – Star Wars and origami. In
my nine years at Decatur Public Library, the enthusiasm for origami, the art of
paper folding, has never waned. In fact, I would guess that our origami section
was the very first section I learned to walk to without having to look it up or
ask for a call number. It is a heavily traveled path. Each book provides the
blueprint for making the various characters mentioned in the book as well as
ideas for more.
And Star Wars? Do I even
have to go there? We have graphic novels, books of movie stills, books of
vehicular and architectural cross-sections, beginning readers, paperbacks. We
don’t carry Spongebob, Pokemon, Barbie or any other books based upon TV shows or movies. But we
happily provide Star Wars. Right
here, right now, my favorite part of Darth
Paper is all of the quotes from the movies. Sometimes the quotes are
slightly altered so you have to think hard to make the appropriate connection,
but that can be even more fun. Who doesn’t quote Stars Wars in their daily life anyway?
Back to business. Looking at the covers of these books, I am
thinking they really grab the attention of the early elementary boys. (And me,
yes, and me.) They are slight in size and colorful. I know some first grade boys
who would be immediately drawn to them and could even read them – smart cookies
– but the content is older. The kids were 6th graders in Origami Yoda. Now, in Darth Paper, they are all in 7th
grade. Not to say that 7th graders wouldn’t be reading this book…
but I think it is a stretch. A book they might hide at home under their pillow.
Do boys do that? Not something they would admit to at school. Come on!
Everything is Hunger Games now. And
it doesn’t compare. Feel free to correct me. I just think there is disjunction
between who the book is written for and who it is marketed to.
Fine. The first book’s case file set out to prove that Origami
Yoda was real. This is a different kind of case file. Dwight, the maker of Origami
Yoda, has been suspended from school. The principal is recommending to the
school board that Dwight be transferred to a school for kids with behavioral
problems. Origami Yoda’s last piece of advice for Tommy before Dwight leaves is
to defend Dwight with another case file. Tommy thinks this is a great idea and
gets right to work compiling anecdotes and acquiring signatures to present to
the school board to prove that Dwight is not a violent troublemaker.
Once again, Tommy “Skywalker” sets out to protect the innocent and
save the student population. But Harvey is back as well. He no longer sports a “better”
Yoda finger puppet. He has turned to the Dark Side. Now Harvey sports Darth
Paper and he is out to destroy Dwight!
Seriously, the quotes are the best part.
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