Friday, November 8, 2013

The Surprise Attack of Jabba The Puppett

 Kirkus Reviews (August 15, 2013)


Dark times have descended on McQuarrie Middle School, and a rebel alliance is born.... The seventh-graders of MMS have little time to celebrate Dwight and Origami Yoda's return from Tippett Academy before Principal Rabbski holds a special assembly to announce that since the school's standardized test scores were so low, new classes for all students will begin immediately. FunTime classes consist of watching videos starring Professor FunTime and his singing calculator, Gizmo--with extra worksheets! What's worse: FunTime classes take the place of electives such as art, chorus and band. The Origami Rebel Alliance hatches a plan to fail the test, sinking the school's chance of meeting state standards, unless Principal Rabbski ends FunTime and returns electives to the curriculum. But Emperor Palpatine--as the kids think of Rabbski--won't fall that easily! Tommy's case file grows in Angleberger's fourth doodle-filled paean to individuality, friendship and all things Star Wars. This book may not win any fans among school administrators, but those who have delighted in Tommy and his friends' previous case files will be pleased. It's not a great place to begin reading the series--start with the first--and readers be warned: This documents a battle, not the whole war, and ends with the words "To be continued" ("Way yes!" says Origami Yoda). Origami instructions are included (of course), and it's otherwise chock-full of customarily quirky fun. (Graphic hybrid fiction. 8-12)



No comments: