The Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Bibliography:

Kinney, Jeff. 2007. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Amulet Books: New York, NY. ISBN0-8109-9313-9.



Plot Summary:

The main character, Greg Heffley, comically records his experiences in middle school in a journal, interspersed with illustrations, that his mother insisted he start. Greg tells of the events that take place almost daily, including holiday celebrations, his family, classes and classmates, traumatic sports activities, practical jokes, and video gaming. Greg continually strives for popularity and status among classmates and girls, however, his efforts are cancelled out by his nerdy friends, bully of a big brother, preschool-aged little brother, and his protective parents. When his best friend Rowley becomes more popular, Greg goes to great lengths to save their friendship.



Critical Analysis:
The main character, Greg, personifies the common teenage boy who prioritizes popularity, girls, and video games above most everything. He has a humorous way of dealing with and interpreting situations throughout the novel, which make him a likeable character. He is a practical joker, who is embarrassed often by his family which many males can relate to during this age. He tries to seem stronger both physically and emotionally than he really is, such as when his mom bails him and Rowley out of a haunted house, he says, "I guess it was a little embarassing when Mom did that, but I'm willing to let it go this one time." He is imperfect and does reflect his age with actions such as lifting weights in order to impress classmates in his new wrestling class, or passing out flyers for a haunted house that opens at 3pm when it is 2:30pm and they haven't set it up yet. These things make Greg a believable, innocent character that many readers will be rooting for.

The plot is very original and creative which keeps the reader's interest. It bounces from one activity or event to another, sometimes without completing one thought first (just as in a teenagers mind). However, it is consistent in that it all takes place in the usual daily life of a teenage boy: at school, at home, and at friends' houses. The events that take place are believeable and logical based on the age group and a setting in the 2000 era.

The theme is one of friendship. Greg and Rowley have an interesting, but tight-knit friendship in the beginning of the story. When Rowley, the nerd, suddenly begins to climb the social ladder at school, Greg becomes jealous. Greg goes to great lengths to become Rowley's best friend again. In the end they do go back to the way things used to be and learn to appreciate each other that much more. This is a timeless theme that rings true for many teenagers struggling with friendships as they grow and change.

The authors chose a first person point of view which enhances the pleasure of reading this story. The hysterical cartoons that accompany an extremely likable character make any reader engaged. The author has accurately reflected the speech patterns of this age group, with language such as, "gonna" and "parent-proof". Made-up things such as, the "Cheese Touch" (like cooties) add more interest into this believable story. The young group is separated from the "parent" group in this story by actions such as teenagers calling people "cool", having "back-up friends", trying out to be a tree in a play just for the opportunity to throw apples at a girl that wouldn't let you cheat on a geography test, etcetera. While the parent group just wants what is best for their child and to make them well-rounded so they "ground" them, insist they try out for plays, and don't let you listen to or play anything that isn't parent approved. All of which are logical personalities for these two groups of people.



Excerpt Reviews:

School Library Journal: "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"

Publisher's Weekly: "His print debut should keep readers in stitches, eagerly anticipating Greg's further adventures."

Booklist: "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"



Connections:

*This book is a great tool to get junior high aged students interested in reading.

*This book can be used as a discussion starter for many things, including popularity, the first day of school or first day in a new place, friendship, family, etcetera.

*This book can be used to demonstrate how to write a comic book or novel with cartoons. It can serve as an inspiration for assignments such as these.

*This book can be used as an inspiration to start a journal or diary.