Diary of a Wimpy Kid Review Part 1

I can see why the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is so popular! The book is hilarious, honest, engaging, and full of valuable lessons for young adults. Did anyone actually enjoy middle school? I don't think I have met a single person who did not share the same sentiment regarding middle school: it was awful. They were awkward, hit their growth spurt (or didn’t), their friends changed, kids were mean, they were uncoordinated, etc. This book is stuffed full of stories that the reader can relate to in one way or another. 

I absolutely love how this book is written especially for the audience it is intended for. Books written in first person feel more relatable, in my opinion, which I think is an important quality in finding books for reluctant readers. Getting kids interested in reading can be difficult, but I think even the most reluctant of readers would enjoy these books immensely. The anecdotes are hilarious and the cartoons bring the stories to life, add in more laughs, and get the reader eager to flip the page. One of my personal favorite cartoons was when Greg was describing how his dad gets angry vs. his mom. The description was funny enough but the cartoon made it even funnier! I immediately related my own experiences to many of Greg's stories while reading and relived some funny and painfully awkward times. While I am enjoying the book, there are some things that I do not love about it and make me question how age appropriate it is for younger kids. Bad character traits, bullying, unfriendliness, humiliation, etc. are all seen here and there throughout the book. That being said, the book is written in the eyes of a middle school student and I do think that many kids of that age can relate to Greg's day to day life. I also think that there are plenty of activities that parents or teachers can create based on the book that will help children realize what is right vs. wrong, develop their thinking and discussion skills, and let them use their creativity.

One activity that I think would be really fun with the younger grades would be a Halloween activity. On page 62, Greg discusses how he never gets a store bought costume and how he can never think of an amazing costume idea. You could have your students either individually or in pairs design a costume for Greg using random craft materials. Or you could even have them design their own haunted house map! It could be tied into a geography unit even and students would have to include a title, direction, a scale, a legend, etc. There are also plenty of situations that Greg trudges through that I think would be important to bring up and discuss with students. On page 17, Greg talks about avoiding his “best friend” Rowley and how he thinks their friendship is questionable. Are Greg’s reasons for not wanting to be friends with Rowley anymore fair or right? Is it right to avoid a friend because you’re embarrassed of them? What would you do in Greg’s situation? Should you care what others think? On page 93, Greg talks about how he was going to cheat on his state capitals quiz but Patty Farrell mentioned the poster to the teacher and Greg subsequently failed the quiz. Would you have spoken up and told the teacher? Why is cheating harmful to your education? There are an abundance of discussion questions that you could base off of the reading to help your students grow as individuals. 

Knowing how popular this series is, how funny the first half of the book was, and how funny the movie looks, I don't think the second half of the book will disappoint!