Diary of a Wimpy Kid--Book Review

"A Twenty-first Century Charlie Brown" posted October 21, 2008
By
Ima Teach (Texas)

Online game developer/designer and now author Jeff Kinney introduces his audience to Greg Heffley, a rather puny, mildly popular, intellectual (but not interested in embracing that quality) middle schooler whose journal reflections will keep the reader chuckling. As with most middle school kids, Greg finds this time in his life wrought with lofty ideals, deflating disappointments, and intimidating challenges. His mother buys him a journal in which he chronicles his thoughts about his life and activities in and out of school. At school, his familiar and funny misdaventures include avoiding the cursed touch of the infamous aged, begrimed, and sun-fried cheese; attempting to boost his self-image by running a smear campaign to win a student council office; and wrestling in a form-fitting leotard in P.E. At home, he is sandwiched between his older brother Rodrick (who enjoys many more freedoms than Greg) and his annoying, over-indulged younger brother Manny (who gets EVERYTHING he asks for at Christmas).

The first of four books in a series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: A Novel in Cartoons became a #1 New York Times Bestseller. The reader need but read the first page to get a taste of the humor and enjoyment of Kinney's witty combination of text and cartoons:

"First of all, let me get something straight: This is a JOURNAL, not a diary...All I need is for some jerk to catch me carrying this book around and get the wrong idea. The other thing I want to clear up right away is
that this was MOM's idea, not mine."

Greg Heffley is a twenty-first century Charlie Brown--he just can't seem to catch a break. Readers from middle school through high school as well as adults will enjoy the good-intentioned, hilarious, and unfortunate antics of Greg Heffley.