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27 of 29 people found the following review helpful.
Great series!
By Marianne G.
Aidan and I have really enjoyed reading this series aloud even though he is much younger(8) than the target middle school audience. Parents should be aware that early in the book there is a chapter dealing with a character's sexual orientation and the bullying that accompanies it. While it is handled well it may be more than parents of young children want to tackle, especially at 8PM when you haven't read ahead and are blindsided!
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful.
Dwight and the gang strike back -- another fun Origami Yoda book
By Kenya Starflight
Ever since I chanced upon the first book at our library, I have loved Tom Angelberger's "Origami Yoda" books. They're a fun and lighthearted read (especially given that most of the "official" Star Wars books tend to be deadly serious in tone), and they share powerful messages about accepting others, helping your friends, and being able to make a difference in the world. The later books in the series have become increasingly critical of our education system -- and how efforts to improve it are well-meaning but often misguided -- but rather than drag down the plot as "author tracts" often do, this development only ties into the plot and helps to carry it along."Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue!", the fifth book in the "Origami Yoda" series, is no exception. It's as fun and hilarious as its predecessors, and yet it delivers a powerful message.This book picks up where "The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Hutt" left off -- with the student "Rebel Alliance" having scored their first victory against the "FunTime Menace," an inane and ridiculously boring program that has nixed their elective classes in favor of watching stupid videos and doing worksheets to prepare for the standardized tests. Dwight, the strangest kid in school, is no longer part of the Alliance, but claims his supposedly clairvoyant Yoda puppet still is, and students continue to go to Yoda for advice regarding both the Alliance and everyday life at school. And Tommy, the main character, continues to compile a case file regarding the events of the "Rebellion" and the various misadventures of the members of the Alliance, both involving Dwight and on their own. But things take a turn for the worse when the case file ends up in the hands of Principal Rabbski, the Alliance's worst enemy... or is she?Kids who enjoy the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series will most likely enjoy this series as well. It's told in a similar style, in the form of first-hand accounts submitted to the case file with hilarious doodles in the margins (courtesy of student and Alliance member Kellen). And it's a refreshingly honest and up-to-date account of middle school life, using current events and fads to great effect (students use Twitter, and "Gangnam Style" is even referenced). This could make the book dated in a few years as fads and technology march on, but it's still very nice to see a YA book that doesn't feel dated the moment it hits shelves. Angelberger writes kids that sound and feel like actual kids, not miniature adults, and it's quite refreshing.Much like the other books in this series, Star Wars references abound in this book. Many of the doodles in the margins are Star Wars related, almost every student owns an origami Star Wars puppet that functions as a sort of mascot for them, and quotes from the movies and the "Clone Wars" television show pepper the students' speech and case file submissions. There's even a sly dig at a "rival" franchise, where a character, upon seeing the puppets, remarks that he never watched Star Trek... with predictable results. This could have come across as the author pushing his own interests into the book, but somehow Angelberger manages to make it work and even tie into the plot.The characters remain fun and interesting, too. Tommy mostly plays straight man to all the goofiness going on, but we do continue to get some insights into his character, as he deals with being the "unfavorite" child in his family and trying to overcome his fears in order to lead the "Rebellion." Kellen, Murky, and Harvey remain goofy and strange in their own ways (and Harvey, while annoying at times, is no longer the villain, thank goodness), and though there's less focus on Dwight in this novel, he's still as awkwardly strange as ever. And even some of the adults portrayed negatively in previous books (Principal Rabbski, Mr. Howell, and Mr. Good Clean Fun) are given sympathetic and even heroic moments in this book, showing that there's more to them than the students realize.This book also has a good, strong message for kids. Not that "rebelling is cool," but that even kids can make a difference if they are willing to stand up for what they believe is important. Dwight mostly stepping out of the spotlight for this book actually helps the plot along as well, making the kids stop relying on him and Yoda for help and using their own smarts and courage to achieve their goals and solve their problems. So many students, especially of middle-school age, feel helpless to change much in their lives, so this message is important and timely.Another great installment in the "Origami Yoda" series, and ends on a satisfying note without negating the possibility of future installments. Angelberger has created another winner. And just like the previous books, there are instructions for making your own Star Wars origami in the back.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful.
great series of books
By David Parks
I love reading this series with my ten year old son, but this instalment had a chapter in it that really wasn't age appropriate by my opinion. Besides the one chapter very good read
