![]() (In 2007, Dial published an earlier, out-of-print version of this novel, originally titled The Qwickpick Adventure Society and written under the pen name of Sam Riddleburger.) Told through journal entries, doodles, and handwritten notes, the story centers on three bored kids who sneak into a soon-to-close sewage treatment plant to see the sludge fountain before it disappears. In May, Amulet will publish The Qwikpick Papers: Poop Fountain!, the first book in a new middle-grade series. Though the publisher is keeping the mystery series’ title and storyline under wraps, Van Metre did describe it to PW as “a very quirky, younger chapter book series with an unusual – and green – protagonist.”īut fans don’t have to wait until next year to read fresh Angleberger fare. “I’m challenging my wife to make all these crazy drawings for the new series, and I know she’ll come through,” Angleberger said. ![]() In 2015, Amulet will release the debut book in what he described as “a really gonzo, over-the-top mystery series.” These chapter books will be illustrated by Cece Bell, Angleberger’s wife, whose graphic novel, El Deafo, is due from Amulet in September. Origami Yoda may be on the back burner, but Angleberger has several other projects percolating. It would be sad for me to think this is the end, so I’ll take a break and see what happens.” My characters, and especially Dwight, are very important to me – we’ve come a long way together. Also, I’m running out of ideas, and maybe after new Star Wars movies come out with brand new characters, other ideas might become apparent to me for a new generation of books. “I felt this is a good time to stop and catch my breath. “I’ve wrestled for a long time about how far I wanted to go, but this sixth book feels like a very natural conclusion,” he said. And I wanted to include a range of characters, from nerds to cheerleaders, and show what they have in common.”Īngleberger explained that he decided to end his series with Emperor Pickletine Rides the Bus for several reasons, yet he left the door open a crack for a revisit to Dwight and the other fictional students at McQuarrie Middle School. ![]() “There aren’t enough minority characters in children’s literature, and I wanted my books to have a very diverse group of kids – not just racially, but also socio-economically. “I wanted to connect with as many kids as possible,” he explained. This component of the series was very important to Angleberger from the start. He handles the issue of diversity in the lightest possible way, and with a very deft touch.” “I grew up in a similar small-town culture, and see my own childhood reflected in Tom’s books. “The kids in the books come from different economic backgrounds, and that is something you don’t often find in humorous children’s books,” she said. ![]() Van Metre observed that one element in the Origami Yoda series that is “very special” to her, and has resonated with kids, is Angleberger’s inclusion of a diverse cast of young characters. “Tom had taught them to fold origami Yoda finger puppets, and when he finished his presentation, they rushed the auditorium stage, waving their puppets, and Tom literally disappeared from sight in a sea of Yodas! That’s one of my favorite memories of the ride we’ve been on with this series.” She recalled accompanying Angleberger on a 2012 visit to Tobias Elementary School in Kyle, Tex., that ended with hundreds of kids storming the author. Susan Van Metre, Amulet senior v-p and publisher, has witnessed fans’ wild enthusiasm for Origami Yoda in person. I’m very proud of them – it’s the readers who energize and inspire me.” And some kids have filmed themselves with their origami creations and put movies on YouTube. We put up 10 to 20 new pieces of their origami on the series’ website every single day. “I’ve been amazed at how many kids love origami, and they have made some incredible things. “I had no idea that this concept would take off, and it is beyond gratifying,” he said. The Origami Yoda books grew out of Angleberger’s own childhood love of Star Wars and origami, and he was surprised and pleased to discover that so many kids share his fondness for both. In August, Amulet will release the sixth and final novel, Emperor Pickletine Rides the Bus, whose title and cover are revealed here for the first time. The force – and middle-grade readers – were clearly with the novel’s meshing of Star Wars and origami themes: four books followed in the series, which now has more than 5.3 million copies in print. In spring 2010, Amulet Books published Tom Angleberger’s The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, introducing Dwight, a seemingly clueless sixth grader who communicates with peers through the prescient voice of his origami Yoda finger puppet. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |