Tom Angleberger

Not resting on his (very comfortable) laurels from The Strange Case of Origami Yoda and with Darth Paper nearly ready to strike back, Tom Angleberger has cranked out another winner! On the day that M'Lady Luggertuck's corset is loosened, unusual things begin to occur at the usually starched and stately Smugwick Manor. From the Luggertucks themselves, right down to the lowly kitchenboy, Horton Halfpott, something is stirring in the air at Smugwick Manor. The "loosening" has begun.

In Horton show more Halfpott, or The Fiendish Mystery of Smugwick Manor or The Loosening of M'Lady Luggertuck's Corset, Angleberger unleashes a large cast of colorful characters in a mystery that includes the servants (including Loaf Burton, Old Crotty, the stable boys, and the spoon-wielding Miss Neversly), pirates, a certain desirable young maiden by the name of Celia Sylvan-Smythe, a pompous detective, the loathsome Luggertucks, members of the press (well, someone must tell the story of the theft!), Horton (of course), and Montgomery, but, as the ever-helpful narrator points out,

"Reader, I must warn you. Montgomery is such a dull character that, if he did not play such an important part in the story, I would have left him out. His mother is dull, too. In fact, you're welcome to forget her. There are enough characters for you to remember as it is."

However, you will remember Horton Halfpott! Against all odds, you will root for this charming, undernourished, kitchen lad and his never-ending pile of dirty dishes. A hilarious romp through the social mores of 19th century England.

Tom Angleberger once worked as a kitchenboy. Thankfully, he has found his true calling! Horton Halfpott is pure gold.

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As posted on Outside of a Dog:

Poor, hand working, scrappy young men can make for very boring heroes. Too good, too bland, etc. But in the right hands, they can make marvelous heroes, because the right hands can draw the thin lines between too good and just good enough. And thankfully, Tom Angleberger has an excellent pair of hands. He's already proven that with his origami skills, but he proves it again with Horton Halfpott; Or, the Fiendish Mystery of Smugwick Manor; or, the Loosening of show more M'Lady Luggertuck's Corset. Which has, by the way, the longest and most fabulous title of the year (of which I am aware, that is).

Poor, hardworking, scrappy young Horton Halfpott works in the kitchens of Smugwick Manor, cleaning the dishes, working tirelessly for his one chance a week to go home and give his mother his solitary penny and ask her if they finally have enough money to send for a doctor for his ailing father. Except for these Sunday mornings, he is at the mercy of Miss Neversly and her trusty spoon, which is often used the flog the ears of poor, hardworking kitchen boys. The entire household is at the mercy of M'Lady Luggertuck, and her no good son Luther, who is plain evil, so to speak. One day, the family's precious Lump, possibly the world's largest and certainly the ugliest diamond it the world, goes missing and a mystery is soon afoot. In comes a famous detective to apprehend the criminal and find the lump, and with him comes three story seeking reporters, eager to catch the scoop. It's a wonder that through all this hubbub, Horton is able to meet the lovely and kind Miss Celia Sylvan-Smythe, whose smile disarms are dear hero. Needless the say, there are more thefts, more beatings with spoons, some thrilling bravery and cunning thinking, some pirates and a plank and a happy ending for those that deserve one.

In the Acknowledgements, Angleberger writes that he was inspired by Charles Dickens, and it shows. The whole matter is very Dickensian, from characters names and situations to the occasionally slight but very sly humor. It reads like a 19th century novel, with it's omniscient narrator prone to addressing the "Reader" quite often (in my mind, every time I thought, "Reader, I married him"). There are some big laughs and little laughs, and even some social commentary thrown in for good measure, though it never beats you over the head with anything harsher than a feather. And Horton really is a strong character to build a narrative around, for he is good and kind and hardworking, but also clever and longs for knowledge and adventure. Miss Celia Sylvan-Smythe is a wonderful companion for Horton, because she is also clever and kind, and will accept no nonsense from her legion of suitors.

Horton Halfpott is a quick read, easily done in one sitting, but its virtues outlast its length. I know we have more origami to come from Mr. Angleberger, but I wouldn't mind more of Mr. Halfpott or even a spin-off detailing the mystery-solving adventures of the three stable boys. Basically, I just want more Tom Angleberger. And soon, if you please. :) show less

According to Tom Angleberger’s website, before becoming a successful author and illustrator, he was a journalist and a biology research assistant. Nowhere in his bio does it say that he was a teacher. This I do not believe: There is no way that Angleberger would be able to so accurately portray the horrors of high-stakes testing had he never been in the academic trenches, watching insightful lesson plans, electives, and, yes, critical thinking get steamrollered by the latest drill-and-kill show more scheme being sold by billion-dollar testing corporations and their snake-oil salesmen and bought by short-sighted and clueless administrators and school boards.

Dwight Tharp, back at McQuarrie Middle School from Tibbet Academy, and his good friend Tommy Lomax play Origami Yoda and Obi Wan Kenobi to lead what they’re calling the Origami Rebel Alliance. Principal Rabbski has dropped drama, art, chorus, music, and some sports to make room for Fun Time™ — a stultifying video program to drill the seventh-graders in math, complete with a rapping Professor Fun Time and a cartoon dancing, rapping calculator sure to appall and bore middle-schoolers in equal measure. Fun Time™ (dubbed the Fun Time™ Menace by Origami Yoda) provides an excellent satire on Study Island, Edgenuity and host of similar highly expensive and mind-numbing programs to drill students in the vain hopes of boosting test scores on high-stakes tests. Excruciating programs like this are commonplace across the nation, even though such test results don’t predict how good a school is, much less how well a student will do in college. (High school grades are a much better predictor of college success and graduation than scores on the SAT or ACT, much less high-stakes state tests.)

Can Dwight and his scrappy group of friends take on the Fun Time™ Menace and Emperor Palpatine Principal Rabbski? Read and find out!

Lastly, once again, I was lucky enough to follow the Origami Rebellion Alliance on audiobook, with the same wonderful cast of narrators as the three previous novels. show less

I love this series. They just contain some of the best writing for kids and adults out there. The stories are humorous and touching, and magical. Something rare that I can't find any flaws in, and which I don't want to because I love them.

I have shared this series with my son. (My daughter prefers to closet herself away and enjoy them by herself.) We read them together and laugh. And we discuss what's going on and how we feel about how the different characters choose to act.

In this book, show more we're introduced to Tommy and Dwight and the rest of the gang. And the best way to describe the essence of the book, without giving any spoilers, is to say that Dwight doesn't talk much unless he's got origami Yoda on his finger. And when he does that, he isn't really talking as Dwight so much, as the venerable Jedi. Or so it seems.

Yoda's cryptic wisdom makes this story shear magic. My boy and I HIGHLY recommend the series. It's one of my favorites.

Pam T~
mom/fur-mom show less