Darth Paper Strikes Back: An Origami Yoda Book

What a disappointment this follow up to Origami Yoda is. It feels like the publisher just wanted to crank out more of the same, but with a different focus it couldn't work, and it doesn't. ( )

Star Wars is in my top five all time favourite films (more specifically, Star Wars: A New Hope, but when I first watched in back in 1978 it was only known as Star Wars). When I was a kid I had quite a few Star Wars figures, I read the books, and I watched the original trilogy on VHS over and over again. So when a book called Darth Paper Strikes Back popped through my letter box I could not help but be intrigued. A quick read of the press release informed me that it was the sequel to a book called The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, a book that I was not even aware existed. However, I started to skim read the first few pages to get a feel for the book, and I was instantly hooked.

To set the scene, here is the blurb from the first book, Origami Yoda: "Tommy and his classmates narrate this middle grade mystery, each recounting an episode in which they received wise advice from a finger puppet of Yoda, perpetually worn on the finger of their classmate, Dwight, a loser who can't get anything right. Is this puppet really Yoda? Or is Dwight a bit more together than he seems?"

From what I can work out, Dwight turned from zero to hero in the eyes of his classmates thanks to his amazing finger puppet. However, Dwight's nemesis, Harvey, has decided that he wants all of the attention and kicks off the new school year by introducing Darth Paper to his peers. Darth Paper is the complete opposite to Origami Yoda - mean, nasty, and on a mission to discredit Dwight and possibly even get him kicked out of school. If this sounds a little bizarre to you then I would ahve to agree with you on the face of it, but the story is not as strange as it sounds. It is laugh out loud funny and very, very clever.

This is the perfect book for boys (or girls) who love Jeff Kinney's Wimpy Kid books, but have read them so many times that they are beginning to fall apart. By all means go out and buy your kids new copies, but why not slip this one in as well - I am pretty sure they will love it. Especially if they are a Star Wars fan. Until recently I hadn't realised just how popular the Star Wars franchise was with today's 7-10 year olds, but friends have assured me that their sons can't get enough of it, thanks in part to the recent animated series, as well as games like Lego Star Wars. If they are big fans then can't lose with this book - like Wimpy Kid it is full of small doodle-like illustrations, it is narrated in the first person by a host of great kid voices, and if you're still not convinced - it also has instructions on how to make your own origami Darth Paper!


I guess I should just add one small word of warning - this story is set in an American school and as such all the terminology, etc is very American. This did not affect my enjoyment of the story, and I am not sure how many young readers will find it a distraction either, but I thought you had better be aware. ( )

Again, probably would have been much better if I were an eight-year-old boy. Not sorry I read them, somewhat clever series,just need a little more... ( )

In the second book of the Origami Yoda series Harvey makes Darth Paper, who quickly becomes Dwight's and Origami Yoda's nemesis and competitor. Dwight almost gets expelled as a result. ( )

This chapter book is definitely an interesting read. It tells the story of Dwight, the creator of a Yoga origami finger puppet, and his experiences in school with his friends. Dwight gets in a lot of trouble in school, and his arch-enemy, Harvey, has created a puppet, Darth Paper, which takes over for Dwight's origami Yoda. It becomes apparent that Darth Paper might be responsible for Dwight's troubles, and Dwight's friends are trying to prove it. It does contain some language (e.g.- crap) that may be more suitable for children who are a little older but who are into chapter books. The illustrations, seemingly hand-drawn, are eye-catching and add to the story. The story itself seems to be geared more toward boys, but girls may enjoy it as well. It is reminiscent of The True Diary of a Part-Time Indian in its format, but it is much more appropriate for a younger audience. Between the illustrations, manipulation of font, and storyline, this is a good chapter book for pre-teens. ( )