Tom Angleberger could have rested on the laurels of his unique premise. He could have pumped out book after book where Origami Yoda solves various midTom Angleberger could have rested on the laurels of his unique premise. He could have pumped out book after book where Origami Yoda solves various middle-school -type problems while Tommy and the gang wonder if Origami Yoda is real or just a creation of Dwight. It’s such an interesting concept that many fans (myself included) would have read many reiterations of “The Strange Case of Origami Yoda” before getting tired and moving on. To Tom Angleberger’s credit, he didn’t do that. Each book in the series develops the characters, moves them through time and ups the narrative ante.
“The Secret of the Fortune Wookie” finds Dwight suspended from McQuarrie Middle School for a semester and attending Tippett Academy, a private school. Tommy and friends feel lost without Origami Yoda to give advice, but then Sara shows up with Chewbacca ,the fortune telling cootie catcher, and Han Foldo, Chewie’s interpreter. Chewie and Han are solving all kinds of problems, but everyone still misses Dwight (well, maybe not Harvey). Reports out of his new school are sounding very Un-Dwight: he’s not getting in trouble, carrying around Origami Yoda or being weird. The kids must decide if Dwight is starting to fit into his new school or if there is something wrong. Should they be happy for Dwight or try and save him?
The series improves with each book because, as I’ve said, the characters grow and deepen. This is especially true in the relationship between the sexes. In “The Strange Case of Origami Yoda“, one of Tommy’s questions to Origami Yoda was how he could dance with Sara at the dance. In “Fortune Wookie,” Tommy and Sara have become good friends that interact frequently and comfortably, though they are not dating. Sara carries a large part of the plot and not just as an object of Tommy’s desire. It’s wonderful to see a kid’s book that shows how crushes work with fully realized characters and not just sticking girl characters in as a goal for the male characters to reach.
The most interesting interaction is between Kellen and his longtime crush, Rhondella. (view spoiler)[ Sara confesses to Tommy that she and her friends made the Fortune Wookie, not Dwight, as a way to tell Kellen nicely that Rhondella wasn’t interested in him. When Tommy gets upset, saying that Kellen has like Rhondella since the third grade, Sara replies that Kellen likes the ‘idea’ of the third grade Rhondella and doesn’t know anything about the 7th grade Rhondella. Important points made: 1. If you like someone, even if it has been for a long time, he/she is not obligated to like you back. 2. You have to like the actual person- not some idealized version. I was so happy these points were spelled out so clearly (too bad not to Kellen) because a lot of young adult books setup a hunter/hunted relationship between girls and boys. Boy sees girl and wants her (yet knows nothing about her) and pursues her despite her ambivalence or flat out rejection until she relents. What kind of relationship is that? I hope young readers of this book really think about why Rhondella rejected Kellen and not just think she’s a jerk. There are several budding relationships in this series: Tommy and Sara, Dwight and Caroline. These relationships are progressing because the participates not only like each other but because they interact frequently, are friends and share similar interests. This provides a good antithesis to Kellen’s crush on Rhondella. I hope young readers notice this and think about it. (hide spoiler)]
“The Secrete of the Fortune Woookie” is a fun and funny book that deals with many issues that middle schoolers face. If there is one drawback, is that it is esoteric. The series couldn‘t be a classroom read without a viewing of the Star Wars trilogy and it‘s prequels. While people who haven’t seen Star Wars *can* read it, the book loses much of it’s humor and would probably be confusing. For Star Wars fans, the books are endless fun. There are references to the movies and books in obvious and less obvious places. (The names of the schools McQuarrie and Tippett refer to the designer/illustrator and visual effects designer of the Star Wars movies.) Can you find them all?
Even though I am not a in middle school, I am a Star Wars fan and an Origami Yoda fan! I can’t wait to see what happens next!...more
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