Written by Tom Angleberger
Age Range: 8-12
 |
Published 2010 by Abrams
ISBN: 978-0810984257
MSRP: $12.95
|
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominee (2012)
Notable Children's Books in the English Language Arts (2011)
Sequoyah Book Award (2013)
Sunshine State Young Readers Award Nominee for Grades 6-8 (2011)
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda is one of those books I know I should have read a
long time ago. I have recommended it plenty of times, and there’s a signed copy
on our bookshelf at home, but I’d never actually picked it up and read it. Now
that I have, I am relieved to find that I had not been recommending a lousy book
to my young patrons.
Origami Yoda was created by weird kid Dwight (who clearly
displays autistic tendencies, even though his condition is never made explicit
in the book), and has become an oracle for the students at McQuarrie Middle
School. From his home on Dwight’s finger, Origami Yoda advises kids about
romance, pop quizzes and how to hide suspicious-looking pant stains. But is
Origami Yoda real? Or is Dwight just answering his classmates’ questions
himself? Tommy, the narrator, has compiled testimonies from his fellow students
with the purpose of solving the mystery. Through these accounts, which are
supplemented by comments from Tommy and the skeptical Harvey, the reader sees
into the lives of a group of sixth graders as they navigate the tricky territory
that is middle school.
The Strange Case Origami Yoda is part of a subgenre of children’s books that is
(happily) becoming more and more popular: quality middle-grade fiction for
reluctant readers—particularly boys—who identify more with outsiders than with
cool kids. I fully support anything that gets non-readers interested in books,
and the way Origami Yoda, Captain Underpants, the Wimpy
Kid manage to tap into the imagination of a pretty tough crowd is
laudable. Origami Yoda has the added
bonus of featuring a child with an Asperger’s like condition. According to the
CDC, autism in U.S. children increased by 119.4% from 2000 (1 in 150) to 2010
(1 in 68), so it is important that the condition is represented in children’s
literature so children with autism spectrum disorders can see kids like
themselves in the books they read. Higher visibility of kids with autism and
Asperger’s can also help non-autistic children develop empathy and feelings of
acceptance towards their autistic peers.
Author Tom Angleberger, who calls Asperger’s his
superpower, skillfully blends humor, pathos and pop culture to create an
enjoyable story that will appeal to kids who love Star Wars, kids who are just learning what its like to have a crush
and kids who feel like weirdos or outsiders. While the overall message is one
of kindness and friendship, there’s enough goofy schoolyard humor that it never
feels saccharine. All in all, a great choice for a wide range of young readers.
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos
Justin Case: School, Drool and Other Daily Disasters by Rachel Vail
Middle School is Worse Than Meatloaf by Jennifer Holm
Star Wars: Jedi Academy by Jeffrey Brown
No comments:
Post a Comment