The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee (Origami Yoda #3)

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee (Origami Yoda #3)

by Tom Angleberger (Goodreads Author), Cece Bell (Illustrations)

4.1 of 5 stars 4.10 · rating details · 1,349 ratings · 283 reviews

IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE A CASE FILE WITHOUT ORIGAMI YODA?

With Dwight suspended, McQuarrie Middle School is missing its most famous attendee: origami Yoda. And no Yoda means no case file mystery to solve. But just as Tommy wonders if he'll ever find anything interesting to write about again, something BIG happens. Something BIG and HAIRY. It's a Fortune Wookiee, a paper fort...more

Hardcover, 202 pages

Published August 7th 2012 by Harry N. Abrams (first published August 1st 2012)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine

The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis

Newbery 2013

80th out of 137 books — 674 voters

UPCOMING 2012 BOOKS!

111th out of 136 books — 62 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 2,409)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Nov 06, 2012 Arsh M rated it 5 of 5 stars

Right now I am reading the book The Secret of Fortune Wokiee by Tom Angleberger. I think its a good book because it has funny chapters.Each time I read I can't take my eyes of it and want to read it all day. I'm at the part where a kid named Mike needs help but a Fortune Wokiee but all Fortune Wokiee does is growl. I think the author does a good job explaining how McQuarrie Middle School can face their problems without Dwight and origami Yoda. I think this book is going to be good because the fi...more

like 1 like · see review

Nov 05, 2012 Holly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: connections, character-traits, classroom-read-aloud, friendship, books-for-boys, point-of-view, humor, intermediate-kids-book, gifted-character

"Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter." Everyone misses Dwight at McQuarrie Middle School. With no Origami Yoda, Sara shows up with Fortune Wookie and Hans Foldo. She says Dwight threw them to her out his bedroom window. Tommy starts another case file to investigate whether or not the advice Fortune Wookie doles out is real. Meanwhile, everyone is concerned about Dwight at his new school. He is totally boring! Origami Yoda is in a picture frame at his house, he never gets in trouble, d...more

like 2 likes · see review

Dec 06, 2012 Cameron G. rated it 4 of 5 stars

I recently finished the book The Secret of The Fortune Wookiee by Tom Angleberger. When Dwight leaves McQuarie Middle school and takes advice-giving origami yoda with him, the rest of his old school doesn't know what decisions to make when Dwight's friend Sarah comes up with an idea. She folds a fortine teller, makes it look like a Wookie(from Star Wars), and claims that it has origami yodas's "magic" of predicting the future and giving advice. I like this book because of the funny cast of chara...more

like 1 like · see review

Apr 24, 2013 NebraskaIcebergs rated it 2 of 5 stars

Sometimes books can break cardinal writing rules and still get published. Of those, a few are of high enough quality to prove to the world that rules can and should be broken. Unfortunately, others such as The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee by Tom Angleberger prove the opposite.

One cardinal rule is not to start with the back story. The reason? Readers don’t yet have a reason to care for the main character and so even the smallest account of the main character’s past will bore them. In The Secret...more Sometimes books can break cardinal writing rules and still get published. Of those, a few are of high enough quality to prove to the world that rules can and should be broken. Unfortunately, others such as The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee by Tom Angleberger prove the opposite.

One cardinal rule is not to start with the back story. The reason? Readers don’t yet have a reason to care for the main character and so even the smallest account of the main character’s past will bore them. In The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee, Angleberger dedicates not just the first paragraph or the first page but the entire first chapter to an introduction of Dwight. He’s a character who apparently got suspended in the second book and has since switched schools, taking his Origami Yoda with him. While Dwight is an integral character in the lives of other main characters, and does eventually figure more in the current story, at this point he’s a character in absentia. Moreover, his origami and the related case files are meaningless to me. At this point I’m thinking: Who cares?

Another cardinal rule is to introduce an interesting conflict as soon as possible. I guess one could quibble here about how interesting of a problem it is that Dwight has switched schools, his old friends are bored, and Tommy needs to start a case file without him. Maybe it’s not these scenarios that are dull, but rather Angleberger’s execution of them. Dwight is apparently the only one who can keep Tommy and his friends from doing dumb stuff. He’s also the only reason they have anything worth doodling about. Oh, and they’re now too scared to talk to girls. One of the group members, Harvey, still has a tongue but he’s always just loud and rude. Tell you what, by the end of the first chapter, I’m starting to feel as if at a slumber party where everyone is a little overtired, sounding whiny and weird, but no one has the sense to sleep. If I’d read the books in order, then maybe my preexisting affection for these characters would have seen me through. But because I started with the third book, I had no affection, just annoyance. Even worse, I’m still thinking: Who cares?

A third cardinal rule, and the last I’ll cover in this review, is to stick to one point of view. Okay, let me modify that to say that one can write a story from multiple viewpoints but only if one can create clearly distinguishable characters. I’ll give Angleberger credit that first, whenever he switches viewpoints, he also starts a new chapter. Second, the first few chapters are mostly from Tommy’s viewpoint and so I finally started to feel comfortable with him. After that, though, almost every chapter is told from the perspective of a different character, which meant half the time I’d reach the end of a chapter and have to refer back to the start to know who the heck the story was about. After a while I developed the habit of checking for this info at the front of every new chapter, but that still didn’t make me feel any less frustrated. At least most of these later stories were interesting enough that I did finally start to care.

To end on a positive note, I did appreciate Angleberger’s message. Remember how I said that Dwight would eventually figure into the story more? Well, turns out that Dwight has fit into his new school too well, to the point that he is almost perfect. He does everything his parents tell him to do, never argues with his peers, and spends most of his time doing homework. His friends intervene to help him escape, because they miss the weird and wacky Dwight. Many teens have inner quirks which they’re afraid to share. Angleberger offers reassurances that it’s okay to be different. I just wish that this message had been contained a more engaging package.(less)

like · see review

Apr 17, 2013 David rated it 5 of 5 stars

Yes. Tommy starts another case file, a most curious one now that Dwight is no longer at McQuarrie. These kids are very perceptive, and a new character emerges in the empty space left by Origami Yoda. Is the Fortune Wookiee for real? Is the Force still working at McQuarrie, and how is Dwight getting along at Tippet Academy.

Tom Angleberger has created another mystery with plenty of good stuff and just the right amount of input from each of the gang to make for a clever and interesting read. Along...more

like · see review

Feb 17, 2013 Gabe rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Secret Of Fortune Wookie was a pretty good book, I liked it because its the 3rd book of Origami Yoda.
this is weird because Dwight likes a girl named Caroline, so he fallows her. (not in a stalker way.)
they both like each other. so Dwight comes up with a plan. all 3 books go along with this plan.
1. (origami Yoda) Dwight gets himself into trouble to get suspended.

2. (Darth Paper Strikes Back) Harvey is really annoyed with origami
Yoda so, he makes Darth Paper. just to compete advice. but, Dwig...more

like · see review

Dec 27, 2012 James Marsh rated it 4 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I’m a 32 year old married man who loves Star Wars (I was actually VP of a Star Wars club in high school) and YA fiction.

It almost feels unfair to review this book as it is really the first half of a larger story. Unlike previous volumes in this story there is no large event that the story is building towards and there is no sense of closure at the end. This was a very entertaining setup for the next installment.

That is not to say that the anecdotes aren’t still fun and that you don’t...more

like · see review

Nov 03, 2012 Lego Robot Ninja rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Nico

Mum: So, first things first: how many stars?

LRN: Four. Usually my reviews are five stars, but this book had one thing that was bad.

Mum: Yeah? What?

LRN: Two whole pages were crammed with...the page was called "I was right" and the page just going on and on and on with "I was right".

Mum: Okay, so what's the plot? Is Dwight, the weird kid with the Origami Yoda in the first couple of books, still working his oracular magic?

LRN: No, apparently he's at this new school, and he's gotten so good he does...more

like 2 likes · see review

Oct 28, 2012 Lisa G rated it 5 of 5 stars

Have you heard of origami yoda? If you haven’t, you are seriously missing out. I know these books are more for the Diary of a Wimpy Kid audience, but if you are a Star Wars fan of any age, you will love these books. And they’re not just for boys either – my daughter likes them, as do I. Let’s face it, Star Wars is for everyone. :)

Anyway, I just finished this book tonight with my daughter and we are already looking forward to the next installment, Art2-D2 coming March 2013.

So what’s the theology...more

like 1 like · see review

Oct 28, 2012 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-literature, contemporary-fiction, fiction, graphic-novel, humor, young-adult-fiction

This third in the The Strange Case of Origami Yoda series will not leave fans disappointed. Now that Dwight's transfered to Tippett Academy, Tommy and the gang at McQuarrie Middle School have resigned themselves to a colorless, Origami Yoda-less school year. But wait! Sara arrives at school one day with a fortune Wookiee that Dwight gave her to serve as their source of inspiration in Origami Yoda's absence. Chewie the fortune Wookiee is basically a cootie catcher. And of course, since Chewbaccca...more

like · see review

Sep 13, 2012 Leslie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, a-boy-s-shelf, chapter-book-8-11, middle-school-11-14, part-of-a-series

I know that boys have and will gravitate toward this series, and it is good that they do, but I really encourage the girls to take them up as well—they will especially enjoy Fortune Wookiee. And maybe I am just biased, but I think geeked-out girls are awesome. And awesomeness is a concern in Fortune Wookiee.

Who likes boring? I’m with Tommy, I would choose weird over boring any day. Fortunately for Tommy, he soon finds school weird enough to warrant a case file and is able to leave boring behind....more I know that boys have and will gravitate toward this series, and it is good that they do, but I really encourage the girls to take them up as well—they will especially enjoy Fortune Wookiee. And maybe I am just biased, but I think geeked-out girls are awesome. And awesomeness is a concern in Fortune Wookiee.

Who likes boring? I’m with Tommy, I would choose weird over boring any day. Fortunately for Tommy, he soon finds school weird enough to warrant a case file and is able to leave boring behind. Tommy finds himself faced with two major questions: What force is driving the Fortune Wookie and what is going on with Dwight at his new school?

Students and staff at Dwight’s new school believe they are being Understanding and caring, and Dwight thinks normal is a benefit, but I think any reader will share Caroline, Tommy, and even Harvey’s sense of panic in this situation. Dwight is rapidly losing that which makes him awesome; awesome, not “special.” “Special” is a demoralizing term here and makes anyone not-normal into an object to be pitied rather than a person only looking for acceptance (quirks included). It becomes increasingly creepy how “Understanding” and its principles seem to have a homogenizing effect on the students. The interesting thing about the criticism the book offers is how it functions as more of a cautionary tale than an all-out-dismissal of the intentions behind the actions. So much comes down to how well we know people and make the effort to understand them as they are—presently. Yes, there is a bit about people changing and growing up—something Middle Schoolers would really like people to notice.

The comedic episodes that make up the case file (aka The Fortune Wookie) have plenty say to its young readers even as it commiserates with them. How do we survive middle school with our singular sense of self intact? and seriously, what is the Big Pink, grandma? It is Angleberger’s sense of humor and personality-rich characters that make this read as fun as it is meaningful.

recommendations: any and all middle-grade student, Star Wars fan or no, though fans will get the references the easiest. (I would love for a Whovian to do a series in Angleberger’s fashion.) for those who like humor; stories about friendship; are interested in activism; and dig origami or kirigami.

of note: >>It helps to read these books in order; Angleberger finesses some of the smoothest transitions between books in a series I’ve seen, but there is a lot of development over its course. >>Angleberger introduces a thread that makes for a highly anticipated next book. Principal Rabbski is implementing a new program that means “so long Arts & Music Ed”…all electives actually. I love how he addresses Middle School concerns beyond relationship troubles. Spend five minutes with N or friends on the subject of music, art, drama, etc. in schools and you will know these young people are not dispassionate on the subject of what is happening in their schools and with their education.

~L (omphaloskepsis)
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/20...(less)

like · see review

Aug 21, 2012 Nick James rated it 3 of 5 stars

I love the Origami Yoda books and I will definitely continue to like them. They're funny, well-written, and appealing to all ages. But like Dwight in this book, I found this boring. It's not as funny and maybe it's because they're making a case file NOT about Origami Yoda. Actually, he's only in, like, one part of the book, which is the end. But the real reason I didn't like it...will come after the plot. I'm gonna go on now.
Dwight is now going to Tippett Academy, a fancy school that he enjoys,...more I love the Origami Yoda books and I will definitely continue to like them. They're funny, well-written, and appealing to all ages. But like Dwight in this book, I found this boring. It's not as funny and maybe it's because they're making a case file NOT about Origami Yoda. Actually, he's only in, like, one part of the book, which is the end. But the real reason I didn't like it...will come after the plot. I'm gonna go on now.
Dwight is now going to Tippett Academy, a fancy school that he enjoys, especially because his dream girl Caroline goes there. Anyway, to take Origami Yoda's place is the Fortune Wookiee, another origami creation by Dwight that is...a cootie catcher? Since when have Dwight's origami masterpieces used cootie catchers to tell the future? Because the Fortune Wookiee only speaks in roars, he has accompanied with him Han Foldo, who in a uncomprehensable way translates the Wookiee's predictions. I'm bored, and you should be by now, too. And the case file stories have lost creativity. None of them were that entertaining anymore (not even Quavondo the Cheeto Hog). I think even some of them tried to rely on Mr. Good Clean Fun to knock some humor into the stories. But wait! The plot is finally thickening! Dwight is starting not act like his normal self- actually becoming normal and not making origami anymore. In around the middleish-end, this becomes the main plot instead of the Fortune Wookiee, which is torn by Harvey and strangely is never talked about again.
I guess you're wondering what I really hated about the book. It's plain out the Fortune Wookiee. I hate that it never talks, which is reasonable, but then again the thing is a freaking cootie catcher. The user has to name their favorite Star Wars movie and character and the thing only can do 8 wishes because it only has 8 flaps. And then comes Han Foldo. His advice is supposed to translate the already bad Fortune Wookiee. But Han's translations are even confusing than the Wookiee's! Hear this one: "Wookiees ain't always modest, kid." What is that supposed to mean? That's pretty much the same question I asked throughout the whole book. I always love the Origami Yoda books, but not this one. I still suggest you get it if you truly and dearly love the books, but I really didn't like it. We'll have to see the outcome of the fourth book. Let the angry comments begin.(less)

like · see review

Aug 20, 2012 Jesika rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, borrowed, children, fiction, young-adult, reviewed, series

Tom Angleberger could have rested on the laurels of his unique premise. He could have pumped out book after book where Origami Yoda solves various middle-school -type problems while Tommy and the gang wonder if Origami Yoda is real or just a creation of Dwight. It’s such an interesting concept that many fans (myself included) would have read many reiterations of “The Strange Case of Origami Yoda” before getting tired and moving on. To Tom Angleberger’s credit, he didn’t do that. Each book in the...more Tom Angleberger could have rested on the laurels of his unique premise. He could have pumped out book after book where Origami Yoda solves various middle-school -type problems while Tommy and the gang wonder if Origami Yoda is real or just a creation of Dwight. It’s such an interesting concept that many fans (myself included) would have read many reiterations of “The Strange Case of Origami Yoda” before getting tired and moving on. To Tom Angleberger’s credit, he didn’t do that. Each book in the series develops the characters, moves them through time and ups the narrative ante.

“The Secret of the Fortune Wookie” finds Dwight suspended from McQuarrie Middle School for a semester and attending Tippett Academy, a private school. Tommy and friends feel lost without Origami Yoda to give advice, but then Sara shows up with Chewbacca ,the fortune telling cootie catcher, and Han Foldo, Chewie’s interpreter. Chewie and Han are solving all kinds of problems, but everyone still misses Dwight (well, maybe not Harvey). Reports out of his new school are sounding very Un-Dwight: he’s not getting in trouble, carrying around Origami Yoda or being weird. The kids must decide if Dwight is starting to fit into his new school or if there is something wrong. Should they be happy for Dwight or try and save him?

The series improves with each book because, as I’ve said, the characters grow and deepen. This is especially true in the relationship between the sexes. In “The Strange Case of Origami Yoda“, one of Tommy’s questions to Origami Yoda was how he could dance with Sara at the dance. In “Fortune Wookie,” Tommy and Sara have become good friends that interact frequently and comfortably, though they are not dating. Sara carries a large part of the plot and not just as an object of Tommy’s desire. It’s wonderful to see a kid’s book that shows how crushes work with fully realized characters and not just sticking girl characters in as a goal for the male characters to reach.

The most interesting interaction is between Kellen and his longtime crush, Rhondella. (view spoiler)

“The Secrete of the Fortune Woookie” is a fun and funny book that deals with many issues that middle schoolers face. If there is one drawback, is that it is esoteric. The series couldn‘t be a classroom read without a viewing of the Star Wars trilogy and it‘s prequels. While people who haven’t seen Star Wars *can* read it, the book loses much of it’s humor and would probably be confusing. For Star Wars fans, the books are endless fun. There are references to the movies and books in obvious and less obvious places. (The names of the schools McQuarrie and Tippett refer to the designer/illustrator and visual effects designer of the Star Wars movies.) Can you find them all?

Even though I am not a in middle school, I am a Star Wars fan and an Origami Yoda fan! I can’t wait to see what happens next!(less)

like 2 likes · see review

Aug 15, 2012 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bullies, community, families, friendship, graphic-novels, school, ncbla2013

The kids at McQuarrie Middle School miss Dwight, the creator of Origami Yoda, because he is now attending Tippett Academy where he tries to blend in and stay out of trouble. But the students there are all too accepting of their new classmate and his specialness, and Dwight becomes just like everyone else around him and almost seems treated as though he were a pet. Back at McQuarrie, his friend Tommy wonders what to do to save Dwight from mediocrity or being blended in with the rest of his classm...more

like · see review

Aug 13, 2012 paula rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s, favorites, great-books-for-middle-grade, if-you-liked-diary-of-a-wimpy-kid, milo-s-shelf

I swear these just keep getting better. The current crisis at Ralph McQuarrie Middle School is... how will everyone get by without the guidance of Origami Yoda, now that Dwight has transferred to fancy Tippett Academy? And by the way, what is going ON with Dwight? Reports are filtering in that he is no longer digging holes and sitting in them, speaks in complete sentences, and, strangest of all, has stopped bringing Origami Yoda to school!

While Origami Yoda was about accepting and appreciating D...more

like 2 likes · see review

Oct 02, 2012 Jennifer Peterson rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee is book #3 in the Origami Yoda series. I had not read the first two, but was quickly able to figure out what was going on. So reading the books in order probably isn't necessary. This is a funny and quirky story about classmates in middle school who have relationship struggles, friendship issues, and their fair share of awkward and unusual middle school moments, all while being incredibly obsessed with Star Wars. I'm a child of the 80's, so this was particularly...more

like · see review

Aug 23, 2012 Heidi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: series, tween-10-13, 2012-book-challenge, children-0-12, fiction, juv-6-12, humor, mystery

Silliness with some good values continues in this 3rd book which features both Chewbacca AND Han Solo (which made me pretty happy). I suspected the solution to the "mystery" from the beginning, and was right. But I did not know the reason behind it and enjoyed all of Chewie & Han's advice. The doodles were still fun.

The Star Wars trivia--well, I knew I wasn't as devoted as some but I didn't expect 6th & 7th graders to know THAT much of the itty bitty trivia things. Rather a bit of a sho...more

like · see review

Feb 13, 2013 Sathursan.K rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: feb2013, humor

The book, "The secret of the Fortune Wookiee" talks about how Dwight's friends are doing after Dwight getting suspended. When Sara gets an origami figures of Chewbacca and Hans Solo, they believe that it could be like origami Yoda. Each of Dwight's friends creates a chapter of how Fortune Wookiee and Hans Foldo helped them with their problems. Sometimes they helped, sometimes it didn't. It goes all into a case file form by Tommy. When they find out that Dwight isn't being himself at his new sch...more

like · see review

Mar 13, 2013 Josiah rated it 2 of 5 stars

One might look at The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee, or any of the books in Tom Angleberger's enormously successful Origami Yoda series, and on first impression assume they are all about humor. That impression would not be accurate, however. There is an ample amount of humor in the books, for sure, but Tom Angleberger never makes a story without utilizing the full palette of literary colors, mixing shades of middle-school wisdom, intriguing plot design and spot-on characterization to paint a co...more One might look at The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee, or any of the books in Tom Angleberger's enormously successful Origami Yoda series, and on first impression assume they are all about humor. That impression would not be accurate, however. There is an ample amount of humor in the books, for sure, but Tom Angleberger never makes a story without utilizing the full palette of literary colors, mixing shades of middle-school wisdom, intriguing plot design and spot-on characterization to paint a complete novel, not lacking in any regard. Picking up where Darth Paper Strikes Back ended, with Dwight Tharp suspended for the rest of the semester and assigned to attend another school until he's allowed back, we find even Dwight's closest friends having doubts about whether or not it's best for Dwight to retain his somewhat eccentric personality. Dwight himself may have doubts, which makes it all the more important for Tommy to start putting together another case file to help arrive at some answers, especially when a new origami Star Wars finger puppet enters the scene.

When Tommy's girlfriend, Sara, shows up to school with an origami Chewbacca (actually a kirigami Chewbacca, since it's formed out of multiple, cut sheets of paper) made to be used as a traditional cootie catcher fortune teller, it looks as if the craziness at McQuarrie Middle School isn't about to end because Dwight is temporarily out of action. Kirigami Chewbacca can't communicate on his own, though, since he speaks only in grunts, moans and low wails. He needs a sidekick, and who better to play the part than Sara's new origami creation, Han Foldo? Of course, Chewbacca and Han Foldo have more than just Sara's wisdom to back their advice. It was Dwight who gave Chewbacca to Sara, she announces to Tommy and the gang. That must mean the mysterious force which allowed Origami Yoda to dispense its pearls of wisdom in the past has now been delegated to Chewbacca, at least until Dwight is able to return to McQuarrie. The idea seems a reasonable one when Chewbacca quickly proves as trustworthy as Origami Yoda had been, fixing problems and presenting the truth even when there is no quick fix to be had. Harvey is as skeptical as ever, making it his mission to decry Sara's Chewbacca to anyone who will listen and prove the kirigami wookiee is nothing but a charade, but results speak for themselves. The advice being dispensed by the fortune wookiee is too good to believe it's all a trick.

Might there be more to the existence of the kirigami wookiee, however, than Tommy or his friends have guessed, despite Chewbacca's impressive track record? While Tommy and the others work to figure out the secret of the fortune wookiee, Dwight's situation at his new school is becoming increasingly stranger. The same idiosyncrasies for which he was routinely punished at McQuarrie are considered no problem at all in the new school, and are often even encouraged by the faculty. In fact, the other students in Dwight's homeroom have all made their own Yoda finger puppets, further marginalizing Dwight's Origami Yoda. Surrounded by students ambivalent to asking for Origami Yoda's advice and not inclined to follow its wisdom when offered, Dwight has shown a rapid trend toward behavior that for most would be considered normal, but for him is the exact opposite. What is really behind Dwight's willingness to shed everything that makes him special and act like a drone, when his friends at McQuarrie know there is so much more to him? If Tommy can't get to the root of the problem quickly enough, it could mean a permanent goodbye to Dwight, who is considering staying at his new school even after the suspension at McQuarrie has been lifted. Can Tommy find the right combination of words to let Dwight know there's no substitute for being who he truly is, even when being that person so often brings trouble into his life?

If there's a main point around which this story is centered, it's the words of kirigami Chewbacca as translated by Han Foldo on page one hundred forty-two, in response to Harvey's query about why people think him to be a jerk. "Not everyone speaks Wookiee," Han Foldo responds, which I think answers more than Harvey's personally specific inquiry. So much of the reason Harvey clashes with his peers is his driving need to prove he's right and everyone else is wrong, and to Harvey that's normal because it's what he feels the need to do. The other kids see it as annoying, rude, and sometimes even mean, but Harvey has a difficult time seeing it their way because proving himself right is simply part of his mental makeup. This sort of dissonance is, generally speaking, the larger reason for so much miscommunication and so many instances of hurt feelings between people, I believe. The way we look at the world differs from the way our friends and peers see it, and that disconnect accounts for boatloads of pain. If we would take it to heart to remember the truth that "Not everyone speaks Wookiee," it might do us a lot of good in our dealings with others. It could even help us understand the reactions of others who think us peculiar for being who we are, as hard as such unfair ridicule still may be to endure. This may also be the key for Tommy in trying to restore the Dwight everyone knows, especially if he can persuade Dwight to let the original Origami Yoda back into the picture to dispense one more round of advice. There's more to who we are as people than the perceptions of outsiders and trying to fit in with those perceptions. As Yoda says, "Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter."

I'm partial to Tom Angleberger's writing, and might consider two and a half stars for The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee. More noticeably than in the first two books of the series, this one leads directly to the plot of the next, giving us a preview of what's likely to happen and setting the stage for the biggest Origami Yoda showdown yet. I look forward to the fourth book, and I recommend The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee to everyone who has had a good time so far with the first two volumes in the series. (less)

like · see review

Feb 18, 2013 Nigarsan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: february2013, adventure, fantasy

The Secret of Fortune Wookiee by Tom Angleberger

This book is about a origami that looks like Chewbacca from Star Wars and his partner,his translator that looks like Han Solo,giving advice to anyone who needs it at a school.The students thought that their friend,Dwight,had made it for the school after being suspended until January just from doing origami.He was famous for making Origami Yoda,but now,he'd change and his friends are worried about him.So,in this book,they try to figure out what ha...more

like · see review

Dec 13, 2012 Matthew H H rated it 4 of 5 stars

Pages: 190
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Author: TomAngleberger
Title: The Secret Of The Fortune Wookie
Date Read: November 12th to November 25th

This book is about life at McQuarrie Middle School without Dwight. With Oragomi Yoda gone Dwight makes them a Fortune Wookie. But when things go crazy at McQuarrie they need Dwights help. However dwight has become "good." His mother will not let him participate in any non-educational things. But, when Dwight gets over his "good" phase he realizes he needs to...more

like · see review

Aug 28, 2012 Sandy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-for-boys, funny, juvenile-fiction, endearing-nerdiness

I was a little surprised when I heard that the Origami Yoda series was going to continue after Darth Paper Strikes Back. After all, it had ended pretty decisively with Dwight leaving the kids at McQuarrie for private school. How can we have Origami Yoda without Dwight? Well, in this third book in the series it becomes clear that while Origami Yoda might be gone for now, the Fortune Wookiee and Han Foldo are here to do the job in his absence. And it's still all kinds of awesome.

I could nitpick a...more

like 1 like · see review

Aug 26, 2012 Abi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grade-reads, visual-incorporated

I like it - Tom Angleberger (and Tommy, Dwight, Kellen, Sarah and the gang) do not disappoint. I can't wait for the next one, and it made me want to re-read books 1 & 2, since I loved them even more. It felt like one of those great but in-between books, like book two in the Chaos Walking Series or A Feast for Crows, where it is setting up an even better and more satisfying next book.

Origami Chewie definitely deserved his own book, though. :)

like 1 like · see review

Jan 11, 2013 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: children, graphic-novel, humor

I am continually impressed by how Tom Angleberger is able to pull out more books in the Origami Yoda series. I mean, Darth Paper Strikes Back was just inspired, and now The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee? That's just hilarious. If you're not familiar with the Origami Yoda series, it's about a group of middle schoolers who put together a case file proving the existence of origami. Let me explain: in the first book, a weird kid named Dwight makes an origami of Yoda and Yoda starts giving advice to...more I am continually impressed by how Tom Angleberger is able to pull out more books in the Origami Yoda series. I mean, Darth Paper Strikes Back was just inspired, and now The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee? That's just hilarious. If you're not familiar with the Origami Yoda series, it's about a group of middle schoolers who put together a case file proving the existence of origami. Let me explain: in the first book, a weird kid named Dwight makes an origami of Yoda and Yoda starts giving advice to other kids. The advice is really apt and much more wise than what the kids would expect of Dwight, so the kids start putting together a case file, sharing their experiences of how Origami Yoda helped them with their problems. The reason I file this under "graphic novel" is that each chapter in the case file has little doodles that really do look like middle schoolers drew them. Basically, as I said in my The Strange Case of Origami Yoda review, it's like what kids read after graduating from Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

Anyway, in this case, Dwight has been expelled from school and is sent to a private school. Tommy and the other kids are worried about him--he isn't making weird jokes and saying the word "purple" randomly, and he's not even taking out his origami Yoda anymore! In fact, Dwight's become... normal, and that's the last thing they want him to be. In the meantime, the kids are floundering without Origami Yoda's sage advice, and Dwight throws down an Origami Chewbacca to his neighbor, Sara. Chewbacca is a cootie-catcher/fortune teller, and Sara also makes "Han Foldo" to translate for Chewie, since, you know, we don't speak Shyriiwook. Chewie starts to give really good advice, too... is he using the Force, like Origami Yoda? But Chewie didn't even use the Force in the movie! As usual, this has Tommy's and Harvey's comments at the end of each chapter. I thought this book was really, really funny--maybe not as much so as the first book, but more than the second. What's next--Origami Boba Fett?

Ages 8-11(less)

like · see review

Nov 16, 2012 P rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the third book in the "Origami Yoda" series that I am reading with my kids. Lots of fun for Gen Xers who grew up with the original Star Wars movies and were disappointed by the prequels. It helps pass the adventures to the next generation! Easy read.

The kids at McQuarrie Middle School are bummed out that Dwight has been moved to another school, but a Fortune Wookiee with his buddy Han Foldo help straighten some challenges out. Interesting that Angleberger touches on the current fascinati...more

like · see review

Jan 25, 2013 Shannon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Aug 25, 2012 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-books-blogged, 2012-middle-grade, middle-grade-contemporary

To be honest, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this. When I first read The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, I didn't particularly care for it much but I knew my students would and I was right, they loved it. It's right up there with Diary of a Wimpy Kid in terms of popularity. In fact, I shared it with some fourth graders this week and had several ask for it afterwards (an indication of success to a librarian). By the time I finished the second book, Darth Paper Strikes Back, I'd really become...more

like · see review

Apr 28, 2013 Jackie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-fiction, humor, multiple-voices, school, friendship

Since Dwight's suspended and attending a pricey private school, Tommy, Kellan, Sara, and Rhondella are out-of-sorts and lost without Origami Yoda spewing his sage advice. Luckily, Sara (Dwight's next-door neighbor) shows up with an origami Fortune Wookiee that is capable of giving some advice of his own. Yet...something is not quite right at McQuarrie Middle School. Dwight's not there!

And, to make matters worse, when the kids do see and talk to Dwight, he isn't what they remember. He's, in a wor...more

like · see review

Oct 19, 2012 David Molnar rated it 2 of 5 stars

A letdown. The first two books in this series were fun, with some interesting character development. Here, I found myself wondering almost the whole way through why this book exists. There didn't seem to be a point, or a plot, or anything like that. The characters don't interact much, and we barely get to see Dwight. There is some interesting perspective on Dwight's autism - which, Angleberger doesn't actually name it, and I think that's a good thing, so Dwight's not "that ________ kid"; he's ju...more

like · see review

Aug 16, 2012 Kathy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-august

This was not quite as much fun as the first two, but it's still a very good book. None of Angleberger's fans should miss it.

Dwight has gone to another school, but the students of McQuarrie Middle School still have questions and problems in their lives. Where can they turn? To the Fortune Wookiee! Sara brings the Fortune Wookiee to school, and tells Tommy that Dwight made it. She also has Han Foldo, who interprets the Wookiee's grunts into actual advice. And, the advice works!

But dark days lie a...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 80 81 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
The Secret of The Fortune Wookie	3	9	Feb 26, 2013 12:50pm

combine
Other Editions (4)

Genres

Humor

44 users

Childrens > Middle Grade

33 users

Realistic Fiction

16 users

Childrens

14 users

Childrens > Juvenile

14 users

Humor > Funny

11 users

Young Adult

10 users

Childrens > Chapter Books

9 users

Media Tie In > Star Wars

9 users

Academic > School

7 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Capture the Flag
by Kate Messner
Ungifted
by Gordon Korman
Babymouse for President
by Jennifer L. Holm
Giants Beware!
by Jorge Aguirre
Flying the Dragon
by Natalie Dias Lorenzi

About Tom Angleberger

Tom Angleberger artist-turned-writer. He is a columnist for the Roanoke Times in Roanoke, Virginia, and began work on his first book while in middle school. Tom is married to author-illustrator Cece Bell. He lives in Christianburg, Virginia.

More about Tom Angleberger...

Books by Tom Angleberger

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda (Origami Yoda #1)

Darth Paper Strikes Back (Origami Yoda #2)

Horton Halfpott: or, The Fiendish Mystery of Smugwick Manor; or, The Loosening of M'Lady Luggertuck's Corset

Art2-D2's Guide to Folding and Doodling: An Origami Yoda Activity Book

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About The Secret of the...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from The Secret of the Fort...

“Sometimes I wonder if all my friends are insane.” — 4 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee
avg rating	preview: The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee Goodreads rating: 4.10 (1349 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13591296-the-secret-of-the-fortune-wookiee?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1334086312l/13591296.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13591296-the-secret-of-the-fortune-wookiee?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee by Tom Angleberger[/url]

The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee (Origami Yoda #3)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website