Diary of a Wimpy Kid: A Novel in Cartoons

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Kinney, Jeff. 2007. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: A Novel in Cartoons. New York: Amulet Books. ISBN: 9780810993136

PLOT SUMMARY

Greg Heffley makes it clear that he is keeping a JOURNAL, not writing a DIARY, on the first page of his book, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID. He is not writing because his mom insists, he is writing because when he is rich and famous it will save him a lot of time answering questions about his youth! He is a middle school “kid” who hasn’t reached his growth spurt yet. He considers himself 52nd or 53rd on the popularity kid list, but his best friend, Rowley, is “hovering” about the 150 mark. Greg has an older brother, Roderick, who plays in a heavy metal band called the Loaded Diaper, and Roderick's greatest thrill in life is to humiliate his younger brother. Greg also has a younger brother, Manny, who get just about anything he wants. Greg’s mom is a bit of an enabler and his dad, Frank, thinks Greg needs to spend more time outdoors playing sports and less time inside playing video games. Greg IS a rather intelligent kid, although an underachiever. He is in the reading group in middle school that holds their books "right-side up."

This book, like Kinney’s other Diary books, is written just as if it were a journal, on drawn lines on the page. The cartoon drawings that accompany the text are very humorous. The reader actually gets an idea of what the characters look like and speech bubbles add to the fun. More than a “plot” the Diary books share day-to-day circumstances much like a diary would. We do find out about the characters in Greg’s home and his friends based on his first person discussions and cartoon-like illustrations.

For example, on Halloween Greg and Rowley were headed out to break their candy collecting record when Greg’s mom insisted they take his little brother, Manny, with them. When Greg complained and explained their plans, Mom insisted Dad tag along, (ruining their plans) to keep the boys in the neighborhood. When the teenagers finally ditched Dad, they were pranked by a car load of high school kids and returned to Greg’s grandmother’s house for safety, even though she was fast asleep. When a phone call home demanded the boys come home “immediately,” they snuck through the backyard and hid behind bushes to escape from the awaiting villains. Greg noticed the next day on the bus that Grandma’s house was rolled with toilet paper. He “felt a little bad…but on the bright side, Gramma is retired, so she probably didn’t have anything planned for today anyway.”

Readers are enlightened about the wrestling unit in PE, the class play, a most disappointing Christmas, safety patrol adventures, and try outs for the cartoonist job at the school paper.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The DIARY OF A WIMPY KID series is just fun and funny. After reading the first book and getting to know the characters, I had to read the rest of the series. The thoughts in Greg’s head are hilarious. His thoughts are not far off from what kids this age really think and are concerned about, which makes the protagonist endearing to an adult reading the text. A child reading the book(s) is sure to relate on some measure to the events that happen to Greg, (through no fault of his own, of course).

Not many boys grow up escaping issues with an overprotective mom and a dad that wants to live out his dreams through his son. If the reader has older or younger siblings, he or she is sure to relate to the harassing of the older one and the spoiling of the youngest. Greg explains his feelings in ways that take this reader back to her childhood and remember curfews getting later and later for younger siblings.

The text on the page along with the cartoon-like figures is brilliant. THE DIARY OF A WIMPY KID is easy to read, funny, and approachable. It is perfect for reluctant readers who see a page of print in a chapter book and panic. The stories are engaging and cause the reader to laugh out loud. The first person narrative is written just like Greg would think. This style draws the reader in and makes Greg seem almost like a real friend. We root for him. We worry about him. We commiserate with him. We feel his pain. We want him to succeed, even though we know it is doubtful, at best. Even if he did succeed, it would probably not be for long. This IS the life of a teenager. Even the most popular ones are vulnerable. Though our protagonist is a little on the ornery side, we are on his side.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) - Kinney's popular Web comic, which began in 2004, makes its way to print as a laugh-out-loud "novel in cartoons," adapted from the series. His print debut should keep readers in stitches, eagerly anticipating Greg's further adventures.

School Library Journal - Greg Heffley has actually been on the scene for more than two years. Created by an online game developer, he has starred in a Web book of the same name on www.funbrain.com since May 2004. This print version is just as engaging. Kinney does a masterful job of making the mundane life of boys on the brink of adolescence hilarious. Kinney's background as a cartoonist is apparent in this hybrid book that falls somewhere between traditional prose and graphic novel. It offers some of the same adventures as the Web book, but there are enough new subplots to entertain Funbrain followers. This version is more pared down, and the pace moves quickly. The first of three installments, it is an excellent choice for reluctant readers, but more experienced readers will also find much to enjoy and relate to in one seventh grader's view of the everyday trials and tribulations of middle school

Booklist - The first year in the middle-school life of Greg Heffley is chronicled in this laugh-out-loud novel that first appeared on the Internet. Greg tells his story in a series of short, episodic chapters. Most revolve around the adolescent male curse: the need to do incredibly dumb things because they seem to be a good idea at the time. Yet, unlike some other books about kids of this age, there's no sense of a slightly condescending adult writer behind the main character. At every moment, Greg seems real, and the engrossed reader will even occasionally see the logic in some of his choices. Greatly adding to the humor are Kinney's cartoons, which appear on every page. The simple line drawings perfectly capture archetypes of growing up, such as a preschool-age little brother, out-of-touch teachers, and an assortment of class nerds. Lots of fun throughout.

VOYA - Kinney provides readers with a realistic view of middle school life as seen through the eyes of the entertaining but not very bright class clown. Readers can expect lots of middle school humor and exaggeration. Kinney manages to inject enough humor in the simple drawings to make them an integral element in the book. Because Kinney began his Wimpy Kid adventures on a Web site, many middle schoolers already familiar with the character will ensure a ready audience for this print version.

CONNECTIONS
I have the most personal connection of all. The DIARY OF A WIMPY KID series is the first chapter books my then nine year old grandson would pick up. He read them over and over and then listened to the audiobooks and laughed all over again. When a part was coming up he remembered reading he would chirp, “Grandma, listen to this. It’s really funny!” What greater reason could I have to like a book?

A reluctant reader is likely to at least pick up these books and attempt to read them. I would definitely make them available in my classroom and read part of one out loud. Every child, especially reluctant male readers, deserves books in the classroom they can read and identify with.

Have the students keep their own journals (diary) and write their own thoughts and experiences down on paper. It wouldn't pass for the writing process, but it could sure be considered a writing journal to gather ideas from.

Have children visit the website of Jeff Kinney to read his biography and other beloved authors.

Have the audiobook versions of the DIARY OF A WIMPY KID series available for students to listen to. The voice of the narrator, Ramon de Ocampo, perfectly matches Greg's voice.

Have the students work in small groups and write a Reader’s Theater script to one of Greg’s adventures and “perform” it in front of the class.

Have the students make a different book jacket for the DIARY OF A WIMPY KID with a short summary and review on the inside flaps.

Provide opportunities for students to visit author and other fun sites that promote reading like http://www.funbrain.com.