Darth Paper Strikes Back: An Origami Yoda Book by Tom Angleberger

Darth Paper Strikes Back is Origami Yoda’s second adventure. His first outing was in the sixth grade at McQuarrie Middle School, and is published as The Strange Case of Origami Yoda.

Darth Paper Strikes Back: An Origami Yoda Book is about the seventh grade at McQuarrie Middle School, and the same group of friends as they struggle with new classes, changing relationships, and the dark side of the Force.

Dwight, the wierd kid who made Origami Yoda, is back, and Origami Yoda is dispensing advice and wisdom. Unfortunately, the teachers and staff at McQuarrie, and Harvey, the creator of Darth Paper, are certain that Dwight and Origami Yoda are a distracting and disruptive influence on the seventh grade students.

After Dwight is suspended, Origami Yoda asks Tommy to construct a case file to present at his school board hearing, and Tommy pulls together essays from a number of classmates explaining how Origami Yoda (and Dwight) have helped them with social issues, dating, choosing elective classes, and more.

Darth Paper Strikes Back is a great book for middle schoolers and their parents. It shows cooperative learning, independent thinking, caring for others and considering people’s feelings, and it shows both genders as equally intellectual and motivated. This is a particularly important theme for this age group.

I enjoyed this book, both nostalgically and as a book I would be happy to give to my middle school student. I particularly appreciated that Mr. Angleberger avoided the frequent pitfall of youthful adventures, where young people set off on a quest with little to no adult supervision, and survive against all odds. Origami Yoda’s case file was collected entirely within the framework of normal middle school experience, with no mountain climbing or dragon slaying required, although Tommy did cross Route 24 with his bike once.

I also really enjoyed the origami aspect of the book, and Mr. Angleberger’s website, www.origamiyoda.com offers a lot of supplemental information, including MANY different Yoda folds, Darth Paper, R2-D2, Admiral Ackbar, and more. What a great way to get young people interested in the art of origami!

Included at the back of the book are diagrams for “Dwight’s Emergency 5-Fold Origami Yoda” and “Darth Paper.” I made my own Emergency Yoda, to contribute to the balance of the Force. Here he is! If you are interested in purchasing Darth Paper Strikes Back: An Origami Yoda Book, click the link!