Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

A. Bibliography

Kinney, Jeff. Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Amulet Books. 2007. ISBN # 978-0-8109-9313-6.

B. Plot/Summary

"Jeff Kinney uses laugh-out-loud humor to convey the middle school experience of Greg Heffley: a video-game playing, undersized geek, who computes his class ranking to be "around 52nd or 53rd most popular this year." In a combination of text and comics, Greg brings us through his sixth-grade year, as he runs for class treasurer (he loses), survives the wrestling unit in Phys Ed, and participates in the school play under parental duress. When he takes his buddy Rowley for granted, Greg discovers he's underestimated the importance of Rowley's friendship. Often lighthearted and silly, Greg's journal also manages to tap into common issues of early adolescence--controlling parents, school bullies, evolving friendships--that will resonate with his real-life peers." Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices 2008

C. Critical Analysis

The main characters of Greg and Rowley are so realistic that it reminded me of what it was like in middle school. What they experienced is so close to what happened to me that it is scary. The emotional journey that Greg takes is absolutely remarkable and believable. Greg learning the valuable lesson of not taking friends for granted and how to get along with others is one lesson that all children of middle school age needs to learn. I love how Jeff Kinney takes such an important lesson and expresses it with humor so that it doesn't seem so "preachy".

D. Awards/Review Excerpts

Choices, 2008

Children's Choice Book Award, 2008

Quill Awards, 2007

Todd Morning (Booklist, April 1, 2007 (Vol 103, No 15))

"At every moment, Greg seems real, and the engrossed reader will even occasionally will see the logic in some of his choices."

Matt Oldenburg (The ALAN Review, Spring/Summer 2007 (Vol. 34, No. 3))

"This book is definitely meant to tickle the funny bones inside all of us."

E. Connections

*other books by Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days

The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary

* other diary fiction books

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

My Brother's Keeper by Mary Pope Osborne

Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey by Margaret Peterson Haddix [audio recording]