Diary of a Wimpy Kid

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID just made my list of Top 10 Books of 2007. After listening to my fourth grader rave about the book, which he found on the internet of all places because it's been published there, I ordered a hardcover edition of the book. I know that kids who find a book they love will read it over and over again, and the choice as a parent is whether to buy it in hardcover or buy it in paperback over and over. Since paperbacks don't always stay in print and hardcovers sometimes appreciate dramatically in price, I opted for the hardcover copy. It came in today. My son sat down with it immediately. Even though he'd read the whole book on the internet, he loved the idea of being able to hold it in his hands. He flipped through the pages and made certain all his favorite jokes were still in place, which was amusing to watch because I've done the same thing. One of the amazing things I've learned since is that the whole book is available on the internet. You can find it at [...] Feel free to preview the whole book if you like, the author has generously placed it there, but it's gone on to be a #1 seller in hardcover and paperback all the same. Free on the internet is one thing, but books and portability are best. Since most of the television shows my wife and I watch on Friday nights were suspended or repeats and I needed a mental vacation after the stress of pounding the keyboard all day, I picked up DIARY OF A WIMPY KID and started turning pages. I didn't stop till I'd devoured the last page. The book is a flat-out laugh riot from page one to page 217. With pencil drawings that look like they were made by an early elementary school student, it was also an incredibly fast read. The story is about Greg Heffley, which is kind of like Jeff Kinney if you look at it right. Greg's in sixth grade and isn't exactly a social butterfly or even much accepted by the other kids. In fact, he's lucky if they notice he's alive. Greg's got a regular mom and dad, but Jeff Kinney paints them so vividly with just little details that you can't help feeling you know these people. His dad has a violent streak when it comes to punishing Greg on the spot. Greg even points out when there are good times to screw up and bad times to screw up. Hint: a good time is when his dad is reading the paper; a bad time is when his dad is building a brick wall. Line drawings accompany this. Greg's also got an older and younger brother that helps drive him crazy at home. The younger brother, Manny, doesn't really speak, but he's into everything. Greg's older brother, Rodrick, has his own band and generally stays out of Greg's life. However, the relationship between the two comes to the forefront every now and again. Rodrick doesn't mind putting something over on Greg or making him look bad. The things that make this book work the most, and kept me turning pages, are Greg's insights on life. He's not a good kid. He's not a bad kid either. He's just a kid. One part scared, one part "that's not fair", and one part selfish. It's the selfish part of Greg that brings about observations about popularity, such as his acknowledgement that he's number fifty-something popular among the boys, but he's due to move up a spot because one of the other boys is about to get braces. His efforts to get out of trouble without having to actually take responsibility for his actions are amazingly dead-on for the age group Kinney is writing about. The fact that Greg's unwilling to give up trick or treating is good. The touchstones of elementary school life, like the Cheese that's haunted the outdoor basketball court for a year and gave birth to the Cheese Touch myth that actually ended up making one kid movie way, are here as well. There are literally hundreds of reasons to buy this book. Number one is that it is the perfect gift for kids who are reluctant readers. Christmas is upon us. Kids are going to be thrown in cars for trips to see relatives, and this book will guarantee some quiet time - except for snickers and outright belly laughs. I had an absolute blast with it. Before I knew it, I was committing the unpardonable sin of reading sections aloud to my wife while she was watching television. Normally I enforce that one to keep my own television watching manageable. However, I was soon that guy. The book is just too good not to share, so here I am sharing it with you. Do your kid a favor and go buy the book. But make time to read it yourself. This is one that I think a lot of people will read and tell friends about. Then mark February 2008 down as the release month of the second book, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: RODRICK RULES. I've already got mine on order.

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a book series that falls in the genre of contemporary realistic fiction. This book is written from the perspective of a middle school boy named Greg Heffley, and follows his average everyday life. This book is structured like a journal or a diary and is organized by day and month. There are small illustrations that follow along with the story and the font looks like someone’s handwriting. This book addresses issues that all children go through such as getting in trouble with their parents, bullying, and not getting along with friends. It is written to be funny and entertaining and children love it. Children can relate to all the situations the main character is faced with, and they cannot put the book down. The author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney, does a good job incorporating figurative language in the book. For example he uses a metaphor when Greg exaggerates the privileges Manny has by saying he is treated like a prince. “You know how I said I play all sorts of pranks on Rowley? Well, I have a little brother Manny, and I could NEVER get away with pulling any of that stuff on him. Mom and Dad protect Manny like he’s a prince or something. And he never gets in trouble, even when he really deserves it” (Kinney 21). Another use of figurative language Kinney uses is hyperboles. In the book on Christmas morning, Greg describes coming downstairs to find “about a million gifts” under the Christmas tree, but explains that there were hardly any with his name on it. This is an exaggeration because there was not actually a million presents under his Christmas tree. In the book one of the situations Greg is faced with is friendships. Greg’s best friend is Rowley who lives down the street from him. They play video games together after school, go trick-or-treating on Halloween, and build snowmen together in the winter. Greg feels sad and jealous in the book when Rowley suddenly finds new friends and does not spend as much time with Greg as he used to. It’s hard to be a good friend while maintaining new and old friendships when you’re a child and even as you grow older. Children are constantly faced with hard situations that test their character while growing up. There are specific times in the book when Greg's character is tested, like when Rowley gets in trouble with the safety patrol sponsor for something that Greg was responsible for. Whether Greg was going to tell the truth and face his consequences or let his best friend take the blame for him, is a very realistic situation that kids might have to resolve, along with the issue of listening to your parents and dealing with the repercussions when getting in trouble. On New Year’s Eve, Greg was sent to bed at 7:00 PM and was not allowed to come downstairs to watch the New Year’s Eve special on TV. Greg explains that, “Manny told Mom I made him eat a spider. I told her there was no spider, and that it was just a tiny ball of thread” (Kinney 134). One of my favorite parts of the book is the school play Greg participates in. When preforming, his older brother Rodrick records the play which embarrasses Greg and makes him mad. The scene that Greg is in goes horribly wrong and ends up in a food fight. The way Kinney writes is brilliant and laugh out loud funny. Overall I think this book is wonderful and will get students willing and excited about reading. I think that children need books that are interesting and that will hold their attention. These books are great because they appeal to a wide audience because everyone can connect to the main character. Without coming out and clearly stating it, this book will teach kids valuable life lessons about bullying, friendship, loyalty, self-esteem, and the challenge of navigating the sometimes conflicting demands of family and school. Teachers can uses this book in the classroom to discuss character development, literary terms, and how to properly deal with difficult situations they might be faced with. I would recommend Diary of a Wimpy Kid to any student looking for a good book to read or to any parent wanting to communicate with their child about the problematic situations that occur in the book.

Children’s literature is somewhat of a new concept to me. I did not start getting really immersed into books until I was in high school; that being said I never got to fully experience children’s literature from the mindset of a child. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney forces one to read it with a mindset of a child. If one does not try to see from a kid who is just entering middle school’s point of view they would not be able take in all that one can from the book and it could even likely steer one from ever wanting to have any profession that deals with middle schoolers. Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid is an easy to read, comical, and a view changing book for both children and adults. Children might be a little off put by the size of the book at first glance but when actually opening the book the font is big and well-spaced enough that it would not be too difficult for kids to read. There are even many illustrations that take place on every page that will really grab children’s attention. The illustration are not too complex; the kids’ reading this book could actually relate to this more simple art rather than something that looks like it was drawn by Picasso. Diary of a Wimpy Kid’s illustrations also bring out the humorous moments in the actual writing; it helps the kids develop more of a visual. One example of that is when Greg writes in his diary “Fregley’s one of these kids who’s not supposed to eat any sugar, so two minutes later, he was bouncing off the walls”(Kinney 193). Then at the bottom of that there is a drawing of Fregley shaking from all the sugar and making a silly face that makes one understand what Greg must be going through all the while Greg just stares at him blankly not knowing what to do. That whole scene is just full of silly humor; just like the entire book. One of the main reasons this book is so great for kids and adults is that it is very easy for kids who are entering middle school to relate to what Greg is going through; definitely when they get to read it from his perspective. There is a part in the book that I can see most kids at that age relating to; it is when Greg writes in his diary “I have told Rowley at least a billion times that now that we’re in middle school, you’re supposed to say “hang out” not “play””(Kinney 18). Which shows how kids are so concerned about being “cool” and fitting in with everyone else while trying to act like what they think people their age act like. Even with adults it helps them have more of an understanding of how kids around Greg’s age think and what they’re going through; it helps them relate. Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid also contains a lot of literary elements that really make the book come together. The voice of the book is Greg who is just entering middle school and the tone of the book is comical and playful. The theme that Kinney develops in the book is that it is okay not to be one of the popular kids; just be yourself. That theme is something that really needs to be taught to kids during that time of their life because they often try too hard to be something they’re not at that age. Kinney uses a good amount of symbolism in his book such as Greg’s little brother’s nickname for him, “Bubby”. The nickname represents Greg’s feelings of insecurities and embarrassment regarding his family. Insecurities, embarrassment, and awkwardness is all part of the package deal that comes with growing up and definitely with entering middle school. In Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid he does an outstanding job of revealing all of those troubling thoughts and feelings in a way that will make one laugh but also have more of an understanding for how a child’s mind might work. Diary of a Wimpy Kid is an easy book to read, it’ll make one laugh, and it’ll change one’s perspective when it comes to the mind of a middle schooler.

Overall Review: In Diary of a Wimpy Kid we find a classic and fantastically funny example of the foibles, follies and funnies of middle school! We're taken on a tour de force of all the most embarrassing, frustrating, irritating and (most of all) hilarious happenings of childhood: Christmas disappointments, embarrassing school plays, hiding video games, planning out the all-important trick-or-treating route, geeky friends, bullies, wrestling units, tattling brothers, trouble with parents, substitute teachers (yikes!), trying to make the `Class Favorites' page of the yearbook, and all the other random antics inbetween! The diary/comic strip style of writing makes the reading easy and accessible--and even funnier than it would be otherwise! Greg, our `hero', lays out his cockeyed sense of what life is all about in a dry, no nonsense style that will keep you in stitches! There are no great literary moments or fascinating character developments; instead, you'll find yourself chuckling as you reminisce about your own days in middle school...or perhaps you'll find a kindred spirit who knows just what you're going through! Hilarious and true to life, Diary of a Wimpy Kid reminds us of many important things, but first and foremost is this: Don't touch The Cheese! Overall rating is 4 out of 5 stars! Content Review: PROFANITY: One mild instance VIOLENCE: A few very mild instances SEXUAL CONTENT: NONE MATURE THEMES: Mild RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 9+ There is only one word in this novel that could be construed as profanity. Other than that, there are a few crude references and some `little boy' humor. There is no sexual content (although, there is one part where reference is made to a magazine owned by an older brother). The violence consists of pushing people over in the hallways and throwing things at people. Some of the characters write comic strips that get a little violent--such as stepping in acid puddles, moms slipping and dying (because they stepped on a crack), heads being chopped off, etc. The themes are mostly about life in middle school, which include lying to get your way or get out of trouble, and the meaning of friendship/popularity. Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a Squeaky Clean Read for ages 9+. This review was written by Emily A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer To see more fantastic books reviewed with content in mind, visit us at squeakycleanreads.com!

it is good quality I bought it to my son and he loves it .It is very amusing and entertaining.

Absolutely hilarious! My kids (and I!) couldn’t stop laughing. Perfect for middle schoolers and anyone who remembers surviving those awkward years. A must-read classic!

My 10 year old son and I have been reading this for his required nightly reading and we were floored with Greg's behavior every page. We've seen the movie, but it hits different on paper lol. The author did a fantastic job describing this character's toxic behavior and leaves you knowing how he'll probably be in adulthood. The lesson to be learned: kids, be a Rowley!

The book Diary of a Wimpy Kid written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney is an excellent example of contemporary realistic fiction. However, this is not just your average book. Kinney created a whole new outlet for children's literature in a way when publishing this book. The whole book is written as if it is a young boys journal/diary. The interesting point here is that the font is as if it was actually written by the boy in pen. The medium of the illustrations is something different as well. Kinney illustrated cartoons of the incidents that were occurring in the book to make it as if Greg the main character had drawn it. The tone in this book is lighthearted and young. The reason why young comes to mind is because all of the experiences Greg writes in his journal/diary about are all things he is experiencing for the first time. The theme of this book is that you can make it through middle school. Everyone else has gone through middle school and these same experiences it just takes time to get through it. This book takes you through the life of middle schooler Greg Heffley. Throughout the entire book the reader learns about the many events and experiences Greg goes through on a day-to-day basis. The reader learns about these experiences when Greg writes about them in his journal/diary. In the beginning of the book the reader learns tat Greg's mother has given him this journal/diary. The book starts off with Greg's official first day of school. While Greg is going through his first day he has written about parts of his day in his journal/diary. An excellent example of Greg experiencing a real life relatable event is when he gets an assigned seat in class. Greg gives the reader advice on this topic, " by the way let me give you some advice. On the first day of school, you got to be real careful where you sit. You walk into the classroom and just plunk your stuff down on any old desk and the next thing you know the teacher is saying, `hope you like where you're sitting because these are your permanent seats'" (Kinney, 4). In this moment the reader can tell that the book will be relatable and pertain to them whether they are in middle school or not. Personally I read the book before middle school and now after and I realized it kind of helped prepare me for what was coming in a way. I went through the same seating arrangement incident my first day of middle school. I am pretty sure an enormous portion America's middle schoolers has as well to this day. As the reader continues throughout this book Greg continues to live through many incidents and new life experiences. The reader begins to learn about Greg's family and their antics. Such as, " dad wakes up at 6:00 in the morning no matter what day of the week it is, and he is not real considerate of the fact that I am trying to enjoy my Saturday like a normal person" (Kinney, 17). I think many middle school aged kids go through this at one point. I went through the time when I thought my mother would never let me sleep in on the weekends. The ironic thing is that I am still at that point today. By the end of the book, it is the end of the school year for Greg. He has finally made it through his first year of middle school. This book is an entertaining read that in some ways can inform a reader on some of the many middle school events and experiences that they may face. This book may even be read after middle school and makes the reader think back and reflect on their good old middle school memories. I will always recommend this book to be purchased and hope you enjoy it!