DIARY OF A WIMPY KID by: Jeff Kinney

Bibliography
Kinney, Jeff. 2007. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID. Ill. by Jeff Kinney. New York, NY: Amulet Books. ISBN 0810994550.

Plot Summary
Greg Heffley is just starting middle school and his mother has given him a “diary” that he insists is a journal to write down his thoughts about middle school. He begins by talking about the cheese touch and begins to weave his humorous tale of the woes of middle school including being selected for the smart reading group, running for student council, loving video games, how cool he is by number in the class, being forced to try out for the school musical, Halloween, safety patrol, doing the right thing, losing his best friend, trying to make a new best friend, writing the school comic, trying to become class clown, and finally winning his friend back by taking the “cheese touch” fall for him which takes us to the end of his first year of middle school.

Critical Analysis
This book is an example of a graphic novel. The author/illustrator includes many black and white drawings throughout the text to add humor to many of the stories he tells. For instance, he draws pictures illustrating the large snowman he is trying to make (complete with sod and other stuff), him kicking his little brother’s snowman over, and finally what his dad does to his big snowball. The story is also written throughout with the lines that are found in many common blank journals or like notebook paper giving it that school feeling.

The novel takes place in modern times and the reader can connect on some level with Greg as he makes his way through the difficult endeavor of middle school. We see everything through Greg’s eyes, including when he does the right thing which is really the wrong thing, his best friend becoming more popular than him, and how in the end he does something to gain back his best friend’s friendship.

Overall, this is a heartwarming and funny stories about many things that middle school students have to deal with and how sometimes we don’t always do the right thing the first time.

Review Excerpts
starred review in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “His print debut should keep readers in stitches, eagerly anticipating Greg's further adventures.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “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 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.”

Connections
*Graphic novels and comics are popular with many reluctant readers, and this book could be used for one of those readers to hopefully get them interested in books.
*This book would be great for middle grade readers because they can identify with the lead character.
*Have students create their own journal with illustrations (point out that illustrations do not always have to be perfect and that they do not have to have an in depth storyline).
*This book would be a good bridge between picture book and young adult books with little to no illustrations.