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

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.

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.

I started co-reading with my 11 year old and this was the second book we have read. I intend to discuss the books we both read and think hard about what we can learn from these books. When I read this book, I am scratching my head about what it teaches us. Greg is such a mediocre, un-loyal, self-centered, not so smart kid, it is very hard to pick a virtue from him. The other roles in the book have not much virtue either. However, the stories are not boring, and I kept hearing my kid chuckling while he was reading.

Then I read some reviews on the book. It is very interesting that parents are all leaving bad reviews for this book, saying Greg is not a good role model. However, kids seem to all have good reviews. Reading these reviews are more valuable than reading the book. You learn something about how people think about the characters and how parent’s and kid’s have different expectation of these books. It is obvious that parents hope for their kids to learn from reading. They are disappointed that the book provides no moral stories and is just a waste of time, and worse than that, the cynicism jerk attitude has infected some kids and made them think that it is cool and find a bad role model.

What surprises me is how kids think. They mostly have good reviews. The book relaxes them. It relates with them, and it amuses them. Some kids even claim it to be the best book and be their savior. This makes me wonder why. I think it is because people like to laugh at other people’s misfortune, stupidity, and relax when they see another person being mediocre. In a world that is full of competition and stress and filled with all kinds of lessons and good role models (even for small kids), such a book has nothing to teach, just something to laugh about, so it is valuable.

So, when select this book, if your purpose is to learn lessons, then this book is not for you. If you just want to enjoy it like you would enjoy a comedy show, then this book is for you.