First Impressions

The cover and design of these books has become somewhat iconic. The distinctive art style adds an additional layer of life (and uniqueness) to the series that make it stand out in my mind against hundreds of other books. As of July 2020, there are currently 15 Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, each one mirroring the same journal-like style of the first one. And you know what? It works.

The Bad

Some of the humor in Dairy of a Wimpy kid is a little juvenile. But if my little brother is any proof, then bathroom humor and occasional fart jokes work to make some younger kids laugh. (The use of these sort of jokes isn’t over done at all, in my opinion. They are fairly infrequent and sprinkled within the text.) Even at 17, I still enjoyed reading this book. I do feel less connected with the text now that I’m older though.

In terms of plot lines and traditional story structure, Dairy of a Wimpy Kid sort of does away with all of it. There is a plot line running through the story if you search hard enough and kind of squint but for the most part these books read like … well, a diary. It is part of what makes them so unique and easy to read.

The Good

Not everyone likes to read, which is totally okay. Even the most devoted of readers can feel that way sometimes. For those less than enthusiastic readers, I feel that Diary of a Wimpy kid is the perfect book. The route Jeff Kinney chooses to tell this story makes for an easy to read, funny, and lighthearted adventure that draws readers in with its unintimidating format.

The Last Word

In my opinion, the Dairy of a Wimpy Kid books are a spectacular option for bringing literature to what might otherwise be considered a less than enthusiastic audience.

Have a child (younger sibling, cousin, neighbor, student) that won’t read? Try this book…