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Even non-wimpy kids should read Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Pros
Quick read
Cons
none
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Great book for wimps and non wimps, boys and girls, kids and parents
I love books. I have books scattered all over the house to read.
Monkey Girl says she likes to read but her favorite reading material is non-fiction materials and Nick magazine. I can't get her to read fiction. Needless to say I was thrilled to find a book that she not only read in a day; she was then on my case to go to the library to get the second book. The book that caused this reaction? Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney.
I had heard good things from my e-mail parenting group about the book and the cover does tell you that it was a New York Times Best Seller. Looking at the book I figured Monkey Girl would like the cartoons included. But as I read it, I didn't think she would like it. After all she's in fourth grade and the main character is in middle school making him sixth or seventh grade. It's about a boy and she's beginning to get into the boys have cooties stage. I know she doesn't consider herself wimpy.
She devoured the book. I've never seen her carry a book around reading it whenever she gets a chance. She was so involved in the book that she didn't even notice that I moved the radio dial in my car from her country station to my rock station.
The book has the feel of a diary. On lined paper with a typeface that looks like very neat printing the story is told in first person by Greg Heffley. Each page has a cartoon or two that shows Jeff's life. Often there are speech bubbles that help the story along. Greg's mom is forcing him to write in this diary – oh, wait, Greg wants us to know that it's a manly journal not a girly diary.
Greg is entering that horrible time of life – middle school. Or as he says:
Let me just say for the record that I think middle school is the dumbest idea ever invented. You got kids like me who haven't hit their growth spurt yet mixed in with the gorillas who need to shave twice a day.
That's the tone of the whole book – Greg sharing his thoughts in a personal conversational way. There isn't much description but the story does tell itself.
Greg's got worries. He likes girls but they don't seem to notice him. He's got a big brother (Rodrick) who bullies him and a little brother Manny who gets him in trouble. His mom and dad are both in the picture and he doesn't always appreciate their efforts to make him a better person. Rowley is his best friend who is rather sheltered.
There is no major plot with a huge climax at the end of the book. It's just a journal of day to day events. We learn about the Cheese Touch which is like Cooties, student council elections, Halloween, the school musical of The Wizard of Oz with singing trees, and safety patrol.
Greg is in no way the innocent bystander in many of these events but he's not obnoxious.
Mr. Kinney has a way of writing which connects with his readers. You laugh. You feel embarrassed for Greg but you don't want to stop reading.
When I asked Monkey Girl if she identified with Greg she said no. But she said the book was funny (even though she hopes that's not the way junior high will be).
This book was great for starting conversations. At one point Greg talks about trying to play dumb so he doesn't get the gifted book and can read the easy book (Bink says Boo). As Monkey Girl is in the gifted program we got to talk about playing dumb and the effect it has. We also talked about life from a boys point of view.
This 217 page book is a quick read and can easily be re-read. I'm just happy that I can read it from the point of view that I lived through that stage of life and am glad I don't have to again. I just hope it doesn't scare Monkey Girl too much about her impending time in middle school. After reading this book, I hope she has more empathy for wimpy kids.
Monkey Girl says she likes to read but her favorite reading material is non-fiction materials and Nick magazine. I can't get her to read fiction. Needless to say I was thrilled to find a book that she not only read in a day; she was then on my case to go to the library to get the second book. The book that caused this reaction? Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney.
I had heard good things from my e-mail parenting group about the book and the cover does tell you that it was a New York Times Best Seller. Looking at the book I figured Monkey Girl would like the cartoons included. But as I read it, I didn't think she would like it. After all she's in fourth grade and the main character is in middle school making him sixth or seventh grade. It's about a boy and she's beginning to get into the boys have cooties stage. I know she doesn't consider herself wimpy.
She devoured the book. I've never seen her carry a book around reading it whenever she gets a chance. She was so involved in the book that she didn't even notice that I moved the radio dial in my car from her country station to my rock station.
The book has the feel of a diary. On lined paper with a typeface that looks like very neat printing the story is told in first person by Greg Heffley. Each page has a cartoon or two that shows Jeff's life. Often there are speech bubbles that help the story along. Greg's mom is forcing him to write in this diary – oh, wait, Greg wants us to know that it's a manly journal not a girly diary.
Greg is entering that horrible time of life – middle school. Or as he says:
Let me just say for the record that I think middle school is the dumbest idea ever invented. You got kids like me who haven't hit their growth spurt yet mixed in with the gorillas who need to shave twice a day.
That's the tone of the whole book – Greg sharing his thoughts in a personal conversational way. There isn't much description but the story does tell itself.
Greg's got worries. He likes girls but they don't seem to notice him. He's got a big brother (Rodrick) who bullies him and a little brother Manny who gets him in trouble. His mom and dad are both in the picture and he doesn't always appreciate their efforts to make him a better person. Rowley is his best friend who is rather sheltered.
There is no major plot with a huge climax at the end of the book. It's just a journal of day to day events. We learn about the Cheese Touch which is like Cooties, student council elections, Halloween, the school musical of The Wizard of Oz with singing trees, and safety patrol.
Greg is in no way the innocent bystander in many of these events but he's not obnoxious.
Mr. Kinney has a way of writing which connects with his readers. You laugh. You feel embarrassed for Greg but you don't want to stop reading.
When I asked Monkey Girl if she identified with Greg she said no. But she said the book was funny (even though she hopes that's not the way junior high will be).
This book was great for starting conversations. At one point Greg talks about trying to play dumb so he doesn't get the gifted book and can read the easy book (Bink says Boo). As Monkey Girl is in the gifted program we got to talk about playing dumb and the effect it has. We also talked about life from a boys point of view.
This 217 page book is a quick read and can easily be re-read. I'm just happy that I can read it from the point of view that I lived through that stage of life and am glad I don't have to again. I just hope it doesn't scare Monkey Girl too much about her impending time in middle school. After reading this book, I hope she has more empathy for wimpy kids.
