Diary of a Wimpy Kid

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

Plot

Greg Heffley is given a journal by his mother. Emphatically proclaiming that it is not a diary, Greg records the events of his year in middle school. He writes and draws about his family, his friends, his school days, and the bullies he tries to avoid. He worries about who he will sit by in class. He is mystified by girls. Greg has always tried to be friends with the girls, but now they only seem to like Bryce Anderson, and he never really liked girls until now. Greg's friend Rowley is immature for middle school. He is still into knock-knock jokes and elementary school stuff, but Greg likes him anyway. Another neighbor boy, Fregley, is just scary in a weird and clueless way. Greg avoids him, but he keeps popping into Greg's life. Greg spends a lot of time trying to play video games while his dad tells him to go do something else. He is cast as a tree in the school play, The Wizard of Oz. Greg shuts down the play when he throws an apple at Dorothy and all the other trees join in. It all sounds like the kind of middle school life many kids dread and love at the same time.

Critical Evaluation

Greg is often clueless about the effect he has on the people around him. He doesn't worry about breaking Dorothy's glasses with an apple. He just keeps going, day after day, and maybe that is what life feels like for middle school kids. It helps that Greg creates silly situations all the time. When Rowley gives Greg a Big Wheel for Christmas, the boys have fun by throwing a football at each other as they take turn riding. Whoever knocks the other boy off the Big Wheel wins. This is the kind of thing many kids would do if they had the time and the Big Wheel.

Annotations

Greg Heffley survives day after day of annoying family members, jerks at school, and goofy friends. He captures the funny side of life in his musings and funny drawings.

Author

Jeff Kinney began the Wimpy Kid stories as a series of comics on FunBrain.

Genre

Fiction – middle school life

Curriculum Ties

Language arts – journal writing

Visual arts – comic book art

Booktalk Ideas

Talk to the audience about keeping a journal or diary.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 4 - 6 (age 9 - 12).

Challenge Issues and Defense

Greg's attitude and outlook on life can be sarcastic and negative at time. The things he does ought to be an example of what NOT to do for young readers.

Why is it here?

My son is in fifth grade. He won't go to school without one of the Wimpy Kid books in his backpack. He has copies of all five titles (some in hardcover and paperback) plus all of the do-it-yourself books.