Book launches today! Book giveaway, interviews, more…
Today’s the closest thing to an official launch date there is for “The Strange Case of Origami Yoda.”
Yesterday, I grabbed this cellphone shot of the book in BooksAMillion. I almost didn’t see it, it was covered by a copy of The Underneath!
I went by B&N today and they had set up, but not yet positioned, a beautiful cardboard display rack. The B&N folks were super friendly and offered to give the display a prominent spot right in front of the customer service desk! Thanks!
My good friend and fellow write Madelyn Rosenberg is giving away a copy of the booK! Plus, she has a nice post up today with lots of over-the-top praise and an interview with me. Read it and enter the contest at The Furnace.
BEST-SELLING author Cynthia Leitich-Smith was super-nice and let me write a guest post on her CYNSATIONS blog. I tell the whole story of Origami Yoda from website inspiration to Lucasfilm awesomeness!
Meanwhile the SW fans on theforce.net have an outrageous post going about Origami Yoda. I’ve been tempted to write in and explain what it’s really about, but why spoil their fun?
My favorite bit so far: “the origami sequences of ROTJ I found the Empororor’s death much more meaningful and frankly scary when he floats down the Death Star shaft and then unfolds into a plain piece of paper. Freakin’ chilling.”
And if you see Star Wars Insider #116 on the newsstand, peek inside and see if there’s a little something about Origami Yoda. (If you see it let me know, I haven’t seen it yet.)
New Event Scheduled: Peacework Walk to Read
I’ll be joining the fun at the Peacework Walk to Read literacy event to be held in Blacksburg, Va, on April 11.
Before the walk, I’ll be helping folks fold Yodas and/or hats to wear during the actual walk. I’m hoping to have a simple Origami Yoda Hat perfected by then.
Later, I’ll be juggling at the post-walk rally!
For more info…. Peacework Walk to Read
Origami in Space
Back in the 60s, Scientific American held a big paper airplane contest and I’m lucky enough to own the book that resulted: The Great International Paper Airplane Book. (It has some really great planes in it, with simple instructions.)
A sociology and anthropology professor, James Sakoda, won the origami category with a plane that looks a little like a partially complete horseshoe crab. (It’s the top one on the cover.) Sakoda went on to become a famous folder and wrote this book.
James Sakoda
What really jumped out at me was a quote Sakoda had about origami in space:
“because of the need to conserve space in an aircraft, the art of paper folding may be of use to someone, say, going to the moon.”
I don’t know if Prof. Sakoda was the first person to have this idea, but now, 30 some years later, origami is of great interest to the world’s space agencies.
NASA describes the 2013 James Webb Telescope as “folded with its shield origami style when it’s time to fit in a rocket.”
You can read about plans for an origami-inspired giant space telescope at Robert Lang’s site.
That article suggests that the first use of origami in space was a solar panel for a 1980’s Japanese satellite.
Tween reviews Origami Yoda
Tween book reviewer Megan, 11, has some really nice things to say about “The Strange Case of Origami Yoda” in this review!
Excerpt:
I really love this book because I saw a very vivid picture whenever something was described. I could see Tommy desperately trying to fix origami Yoda after its visit to the trashcan.
Origami Yoda and Popularity Papers reviewed in Richmond Parents Monthly
Richmond Parents Monthly magazine looks great this month:
They’ve given good reviews to both Origami Yoda and another Abrams title, The Popularity Papers!
Review excerpt for The Popularity Papers:
Marissa Moss’s “Amelia” series meets Meg Cabot in this surprisingly funny and honest book.
Review excerpt for Origami Yoda:
“The Strange Case of Origami Yoda” is funny and incredibly relatable. A nice touch is the addition of familiarly cheesy posters adverting school events. There are even instructions on making your own Origami Yoda (magic powers not included).
Win a copy of “The Strange Case of Origami Yoda”
A free copy of “The Strange Case of Origami Yoda” is up for grabs — all you have to do is bare your soul and recount your most horrific tale of middle school days for all to see.
Chip Donahue, founder of Kids In the Valley Adventuring, or KIVA, is sponsoring the contest and collecting entries on the KIVA Website.
Whether you’re in middle school now or are recovering, head over there and give it a shot. If you’re not in middle school yet, I bet they’ll consider an elementary school story as well.
He’ll be giving the book away on Friday, March 5, which is the official launch date for the book.
As a bonus, the winner will also get an Origami Yoda bookmark which features a tiny, but real, origami Yoda.
The book is out there!
My editor warned me that a book launch date is not exactly firm. I wasn’t expecting the book to be available until March 5, but my friend Chip has already got his hands on two copies. That’s one more than I have!
Here’s his account:
I just happened to pick up a copy or two tonight at [redacted]. I asked if we could order a couple for next week. The guy said, “Yeah, we got that in” and he brought me a few!
