The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger

Yoda's powers are so vast, they encompass his very form -- even if that form is a folded piece of paper. Could this be true? Is Origami Yoda real? That's what Tommy, the sixth grade narrator of Origami Yoda (Abrams Books, 2010), is determined to figure out.

Collecting testimonials from various students about their interactions with the finger puppeteer Dwight, Tommy presents evidence (and commentary) for and against the idea that Dwight's Yoda finger puppet can indeed bestow wisdom far beyond its fibrous being.

Like his namesake, sometimes Origami Yoda's advice seems like some Jedi mind trick. Sometimes it's mysteriously accurate. But despite Dwight's lame Yoda impression, things have a way of working out just as Origami Yoda predicts.

Packaged as a case file "in case scientists ever decide to study Origami Yoda," this award-winning middle grade book is a fun and enlightening read that you don't have to be a Star Wars fan to enjoy (although some of the better jokes may be lost on you if you haven't at least seen taken a short visit to a galaxy far far away).

With a follow-up hitting the shelves at the end of summer — starring Darth Paper, of course — it won't be long before readers will be able to revisit Tommy, Dwight and their friends at McQuarrie Middle School. Who knows what trouble will accompany the dark lord's arrival? As fans of Angleberger's debut are well aware, sometimes you just have to let go and trust in the Force.

Guardians of the Hidden Scepter by Frank L. Cole

Amber is a smart kid. Especially for a 14 year old. Good thing she goes to an advanced school where she gets to take cool classes, like independent archeology. But when her favorite teacher up and disappears, Amber has a feeling this final exam will be unlike any other. And she's right.

Guardians of the Hidden Scepter (Cedar Fort, 2011) takes Amber and her classmates on a global quest to find their missing teacher. By using the tricks of the trade Dorothy Holcomb taught them, they are able to follow the clues she left behind -- and ultimately the mysterious artifact she is determined to protect.

Frank L. Cole leaves behind the wacky misadventures of his middle grade series, The Adventures of Hashbrown Winters, for a more cerebral take on a Biblical legend. This journey is filled with twists, turns, and brain teasers, taking its heroes  around the globe, encountering unusual cultures and evil bad-guys at every turn.

Fans of Indiana Jones will eat this up, and readers who enjoy an elegantly crafted tale populated by wicked creatures guaranteed to raise some goosebumps won't be disappointed.

There are definitely some creepy, intense moments, and the complex mystery may be a little much for anyone under 10, but middle school readers will be all over it. With an ending that keeps pages turning well into the night (and the lights on until morning), Guardians of the Hidden Scepter proves Cole is ready to serve up some YA adventures that will have readers hungry for more.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

So, yeah. I got to read the new Libba Bray book before it releases this week (May 24, Scholastic). And yes, you should be jealous. It. Totally. Rocks. Take my advice and head directly to your nearest book-purchasing outlet (such as the link on the left. I tell you this because I love you, my readers. It's just that good.)

Let me put it this way, if BEAUTY QUEENS isn’t already in pre-production, then Hollywood needs to snap to. This latest offering from the Printz Award-winning author of GOING BOVINE and the Gemma Doyle trilogy is the most fun I’ve had between the pages in quite some time. With its ideal-for-the-big-screen plot, deliciously snarky yet endearing characters, and Bray’s legendary searing, sarcastic wit, BEAUTY QUEENS has best-seller written all over it. In cherry bomb red lipstick, no less.

Bray credits editor David Levithan with throwing down the challenge:  “A plane full of beauty queens crashes on a deserted island. And … go!” Amazing concept aside, this gloriously crafted satire of the beauty pageant universe, commercialism, and the unholy control that corporate America lords over the minds, bodies and self esteems of young women is quintessential Bray – delivering a punch-in-the-gut message without getting preachy.

Painted with shades of Tropic Thunder, LOST and teen-targeted shows bearing a CW logo in the bottom corner of the screen, BEAUTY QUEENS is more than a story of teenage pageant contestants who crash on a tropical island. It’s about survival, sure, but not just living without running water, flat irons or regular mani/pedis. It’s about surviving the pressures and expectations placed on young women about how they look, what they say, who they are, and the women they want to become. Sometimes literally.

The extensive cast of characters — who embrace stereotypes with a hug so powerful it turns those labels inside out —gives Bray a chance to comment on a wide range of issues from anorexia and gun control to differences of sexuality, cultural and religion — just to point out a few. But beneath it all rings a distinct and guttural Girl Power battle cry, loud and proud, fist defiantly in the air.

Infused with hilarious footnotes, public service messages, and Corporation-funded commercial breaks, BEAUTY QUEENS richly captures the teenage experience of heartbreak, disillusionment, green-eyed rivalry, the iron bonds of friendship, and how the discovery of inner beauty can supersede the desire for sashes and tiaras (e.g., the acceptance of others).

For 15 and up, I'd make BEAUTY QUEENS required reading for every high school girl (and boy, for that matter). It lands a solid placement as one of my Favorite Books of All Time. How Bray will top it, I can’t imagine. But, as always, I look forward to her attempt. 

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

Oh, how I wish I could meet Tiny Cooper. He is so the kind of guy I would have adored hanging out with in high school. Will Grayson thinks so too, he just doesn't realize it right away.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson (Dutton, 2010) is told in alternating first person point of view by two different boys named Will Grayson. Somehow, Green and Levithan weave their two stories along distant paths until circumstance brings them together. Both Wills end up playing a large part in the life (and in the play about the life) of the larger than life Tiny Cooper.

Tiny Cooper has been Will Grayson's best friend since they were kids. Will knew Tiny was gay long before Tiny told anyone. It was kind of obvious. And even though Will and Tiny drifted apart for a while, they are finding their way back into friendship. Tiny isn't the easiest person to be friends with -- he's loud, over the top about everything, and is known for speaking his mind.

Their friendship is tested as Tiny and Will wade through the dark waters of high school, making their way toward something that promises to be a bright future.

At the same time, the other Will Grayson is struggling to come to terms with his own sexual identity and mental health, the obsessive goth girl next door who wishes she were his girlfriend, an absentee father and an ongoing online crush.

There is a wonderful serendipity when these two teenage boys with nothing more in common than their names meet and end up helping the other figure out a few things about themselves. But of course none of it would have happened without Tiny Cooper.

I strongly recommend the book if only to meet this amazingly drawn character. How these two authors were able to build and sustain his personality in tandem is awe-inspiring.

But I would recommend this book regardless. WGWG is about so much more than what happens in high school, despite what happens in the book. It's the little details and underlying emotions that truly paint the picture of a time in life when every thing you do or say or wear or think can make you either a target for ridicule or akin to a god(dess). When the friends you choose to hang out with can make you or break you.

But as Will so eloquently demonstrates, you really can't pick your friends. Life picks them for you.

With strong language and themes, Will Grayson, Will Grayson is definitely a teen book -- 15 and up. 4 1/2 bookmarks. I recommend the audio book edition -- the two readers (MacLeod Andrews and Nick Podehl) are fantastic.