Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Diary of a Wimpy Kid #1)Audiobook

Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid is nothing more than the days in the life of his main character, Greg. There's no real plot to speak of. Only Greg's day-to-day interactions, including minor conflicts that pop up and are resolved in a matter of pages, only for something new to come up. And yet, the descriptions of these conflicts and events, told with the aid of simple, yet unique, drawings, are very entertaining. Kinney writes with a dry, flat tone and simple style that make his jokes somehow funnier, and the drawings, too, are incredibly entertaining. There is not one dull page in this 200+ page first book, and in spite of myself I want to read more.

I think part of the appeal of these books is that they are not patronizing. Kinney is not trying to teach a lesson. He is merely trying to entertain. There is no big message, and yet it is filled with thematic value. Through Greg, Kinney has things to say about family, school, friendship, boredom, and just every day life, especially the life of a teenage boy, and it all feels real - it all feels like something that anyone can relate to. And it's refreshing that Kinney's tone lacks any cynicism or the sulkiness of many young adult books. Kinney portrays the negatives of life with a comedic silliness, as if to laugh off those little nuisances that a teenager like Greg might take seriously. It's nice when a book makes you feel like you can connect with the characters, feel that you're not alone, and then makes you realize that there are some things we shouldn't take so seriously about ourselves. Kinney does that here.

The comedy works largely because Kinney does not stray from his flat characters. There are no sudden changes in character, no moment when they suddenly realize they were wrong. Because, let's face it, people rarely realize or admit when they are wrong. And that's what makes Greg such a great character, though he doesn't have a whole lot of depth. Kinney portrays him as a self-centered teenager without disparaging said teenager. We can laugh at Greg's mistaken perspective as a flaw in his person and as a flaw in many young people (and sometimes not so young). For example, when Greg's grandmother's house is toilet papered, partly due to Greg's actions, he feels bad but decides that she probably doesn't mind because she's retired and has a lot of time on her hands anyway. Greg's logic makes sense, but a wise reader will realize that, retired or not, nobody wants to clean toilet paper off their home.

As funny as Greg's perspective is, the supporting characters help out a lot as well. Rowley, his best friend, the one Greg is embarrassed to admit as his best friend, is reliably nerdy, either taking things too seriously, or unable to control his laughter over childish jokes. Rodrick, Greg's older brother, is reliably rebellious. Manny, Greg's younger brother, always calls Greg "Bubby," a name he doesn't want his friends knowing, and also always gets whatever he wants, just like the youngest generally seems to. There is also Greg's mom, whose purpose in life is to embarrass her children, and Greg's father, who is pleased when Greg decides he wants to take up weightlifting. And this is but a small assortment of the many characters who make their way through this story. Everyone meanders into Greg's life, and his diary, occasionally and leave without explanation only to return again. And in the end it all feels just right.

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.

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.