Reese's Review of The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

Texas Bluebonnet Nominee 2011

Exposition:

Tommy, a 6th grader, gathers evidence to decide how to answer the great question "Is Origami Yoda real?" His friends, too, contribute their stories of encounters with Dwight, a fellow 6th grader, and Origami Yoda. Harvey, one of Tommy's good friends, especially adds his two cents of doubt.

Conflict:

Tommy wants to ask Sara to dance, but doesn't know if he should take Origami Yoda's advice or not.

Rising Action:

Tommy collects stories of Origami Yoda's advice and the reactions of his friends. All the while, Tommy is coming to the realization that Dwight, though different, isn't a bad guy an is kind of fun to hang out with.

Climax:

After Tommy doesn't get the explanation he wants from Origami Yoda, he makes a smart remark about why Yoda can't get Dwight to act normal. Hurt by the remark from one of his friends, Dwight crushes Origami Yoda and throws him away.

Falling Action:

Harvey ends up trying to make a replacement Origami Yoda, which is good and sounds more realistic but hurts Tommy's feelings with a comment about Sara hating him. Dwight and his new Origami Yoda show up and contradict the comment, encouraging Tommy to ask her to dance at the upcoming school event.

Resolution:

Tommy finally gets the nerve to take Origami Yoda's advice and ask Sara to dance. Before he can, the Twist dance comes on the loud speaker. Suddenly, Tommy and Sara as well as their friends find themselves dancing together.

Literary Elements:

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the book was the author's use of an unexpected insight as Tommy came to the slow realization that despite Dwight's reputation, he was a well-meaning friend. Another literary element present in the novel was the choosing of the right words. The author did this though his use of the "diary" type of format and the differing point of views for each of the chapters. These techniques allowed the writer to "show" the story to the reader.

Angleberger , T. (2010). The strange case of Origami Yoda. New York: Amulet Books.