Sunday, May 17, 2009

Are You a Wimpy Kid?

Have you been reading any of the books in the Wimpy Kids series? I just finished reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw, the third book in the best-selling "novel in cartoon" series by Jeff Kinney. As I did with the first two books, I laughed out loud while I was reading. When you think about it, how often does a book make you do that?

The Wimpy Kid series is about the misadventures of Greg Heffley and his quest of achieving middle-school popularity. Whether it's getting a date with the prettiest girl in class, outsmarting his parents, or playing sports, Greg's mini-dramas and his inclination towards being oblivious to those around him, always conclude with hilarious consequences.

For me, reading The Wimpy Kid series was a literary vacation from novels that often tell tales of kids in the midst of tragedies of a very serious nature - AIDS, teen pregnancy, abuse, death, and so on. The trials and tribulations of Greg Heffley seem pale in comparison to the issues faced by tweens and teens in other books (and in real life), but may be one of several reasons why the Wimpy Kid books are so popular. It makes me wonder - are the Greg Heffleys in life and their concerns about being seen in their Wunderwoman Underoos or getting caught by the "cheese touch" in the minority these days?

Do yourself a favor. Read at least one book in the Wimpy Kid series. If you don't and one of your classmates (or your local librarian) calls you "ploopy," you'll have no idea what they're talking about.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw can be found at the library, as well as Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley's Journal, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules. Book four in the series is due October 12, 2009, and 20th Century Fox is currently seeking a bright young male to play the role of Greg Heffley in the Wimpy Kid movie (check out some of the audition tapes).


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