Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Written by Jeff Kinney

Narrated by Ramon de Ocampo

It's a new school year, and Greg Heffley finds himself thrust into middle school, where undersized weaklings share the hallways with kids who are taller, meaner, and already shaving. The hazards of growing up before you're ready are uniquely revealed through words and drawings as Greg records them in his diary.

• Language: English
• Publisher: W. F. Howes Audio
• Release date: Jan 5, 2009
• ISBN: 9781407439792

Reviews for Diary of a Wimpy Kid

[laviniarossetti · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This 'diary' was a diary owned by a boy called Gregory, and who really HATED having one. It was meant to be what he would like to call a 'journal' and no 'Dear Diary' this and 'Dear Diary' that.

Gregory gets up to a lot of weird things like the 'Cheese Touch' and all those kind of weird ideas of mouldy cheese in the playground. And when Gregory loses his best friend Rowley, will he ever get him back again?

This book was remarkably funny, and all I could do when I was reading it was laugh and laugh and laugh. I think it's even got me out on witty Mr Gum!!!

Gregory's life has kind of changed, not really changed, but gone bazaar, and in the next books, will he ever get a normal Middle School life again?

[kylekatz · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

2007. I doubt any boy in middle school or even elementary school would fail to enjoy this book and empathize with the main character, Greg Heffley. Greg expends a lot of energy trying to get by in school. He's sort of average, not the popular kid, but not the goat of the class either. The illustrations did not impress me, I suppose they were trying to make them look like funny, but I just found them ugly. The book is inoffensive. It never once had a vocabulary word of the least interest or difficulty. Something I find good about the Lemony Snicket's "A Series of Unfortunate Events" is the use of a bit more sophisticated language. The only thing that mildly offended me was when the boys and the girls had to say what they would want robots to be able to do for them. The Boys said homework, dishes, make breakfast and brush their teeth. The girls said give dating advice and have different kinds of lip gloss in their fingers. Come on. As if the girls didn't want the robot to do their homework too?

[myab-3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My son (8 yrs old) really enjoys these books. I promised him I would read it, as while we read parts together I really got a laugh out of it. Reading the entire book was just as funny. That Greg,.. he's certainly looks at things his way! It is well written, and I plan on reading the rest of the series.

[journey07_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

lol of a book!!!!

[lalalibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

hilarious!

[springersh · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

LOLvery funny!

[desmondmarie32 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Got this book for my kids...I ended up reading the whole series!!

[peacelovetigers · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

it is very very very funny.

[galinkaus · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is my son's most favorite book and pretty much the only one he would re-read many times.

[amaraduende · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

<3 <3 <3 The text and the pictures both... just <3 This book was lots of giggles and some real-life LOLs, too.

[mahallett · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

pretty funny

[jules72653 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

LOL funny in places. Loved it!

[bness2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Now I wish I had read this as a kid. Very funny and a lot of it shows great insight into what it is like to be one of the less than popular, wimpy kids.

[michaelsaalfrank · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

very funny book

[1ofakind98 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It is very funny

[josephanthonycook · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

this book is funny

[neku104 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a very funny book, although it was short. I have read this book about 4 times!

[sirfurboy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a good fun read. A story written in the form of a middle school boy's diary (or journal as he would prefer it to be known) complete with his own cartoons which are a perfect and hilarious counterpoint to his authentic pre-teen voice, that says so much by leaving out so much!There are various cultural references that a non American reader must interpret - usually with an eye to what we see on movies. I think middle school is like 11-14 or something, but no doubt an American reader of this comment can correct me if I am wrong.I loved the way this book gets into the head of the boy who writes it though. Things like "The Cheese Touch" or the naming of your racing cars with rude words and such like to put off your opponent are just so reminicent of that age.What I particularly enjoyed was the way memory and imagination can fill in so many details. The boys in one class end up making a list of rude words they don't want their robot to say. Not only was that a hilarious scene, but I could also imagine being there, and I could imagine all the conversations and hilarity that would surround that list. The description is brief but somehow it brings out so much more.All in all this is a perfect book for 8-13s or so, and indeed anyone who remembers what it was like to be that age!

[erickhernandez-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is about a boy named Greg he writes on a diary about his life. Greg's mom made him write on the diary he did not want to do it. He gets in to try

[mrsdwilliams · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

First book in the Wimpy Kid series.Greg keeps a journal to record the events of his first year in middle school. He writes about getting put into teh gifted reading group, " I was pretty disappointed to find out I got put in the Gifted group, because that just means a lot of extra work." Greg wonders about popularity and grades as he tries to figure out who he wants to be. His family doesn't help--his older brother is a creep and his younger brother tattles constantly. His parents, well, they are simply clueless. his best friend, Rowley, is not the sharpest crayon in the box and Greg is always trying, and failing, to explain the complicated rituals of adolescence. For instance, "I have told Rowley at least a billion times that now that we're in middle school, you're supposed to say 'hang out,' not 'play.' But no matter how many noogies I give him, he always forgets the next time.The book is written on lined paper, with lots of funny little drawings, so it really feels like reading someone's journal. Greg's voice is fresh and funny.

[youthgpl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Merideth says; Greg is the middle child in a middle-American family. However, his desire to be popular consumes his life, and causes him to make some very bad decisions, and abuse his best "friend". I get the appeal of these books, but I really dislike Greg. He is selfish, petty and mean. He does get his comeuppance in the end though, so I guess that's a happy ending.

[tssutton · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

alot of kids pick on this one kid and he gets mad

[kmacneill_4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. It was so much fun to read about the main character, Greg, and his thoughts about stuff. The book was a really easy read. I think this book is great for reluctant readers. The pictures make the book more interesting and kids will be able to relate to Greg which makes this a page turner. Students will be able to identify with this 6th grader who is going through the struggles of middle school, growing up and all the adjustments that come with it. This would be a great book for boys especially. I would use this book as inspiration for students to keep their own "graphic" journals. Kids might want to start keeping one after reading this, I know I did!

[whitneyw_68 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is so fantastic. Diary of a Wimpy kid is about a middle school aged kid named Gregory. He is not the school jock, the class clown, or any other stereotypes found in schools. He is just a normal student, brother, and friend figuring out life and having funny and clear observations of the poeple around him. With his author as Jeff Kinney Gregory works as a great protagonist because he is intelligent and very likable. This kid can be found in every classroom. He is very relatable and Jeff Kinney does a great job of getting the point across that this is the musings of a normal kid. He has his mother and father in the home, he has two brothers, and he is basically just a boy learning about life and trying to survive in middle school. Gregory takes the reader on adventures in his daily life, from when he gets up having to feed his little brother or when he steals his older brothers bad cd, he is a kid and he does kid-like things. This book also has a lot of realistic aspects to it, like Gregory gets yelled at from his parents, or his mom tried to diet and gets off. He is a very real boy, and this series is so popular because he is real.

[jhartley_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

a very funny book and also very origanal

[mrssclass · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I thought it was funny. I enjoyed reading it.

[nomadreader_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's written in actual diary form, and the delightful middle school boy, Gregory, who narrates loves to draw cartoons. The end result is something in the graphic novel family, but text dominates the graphics. For a taste of what the book looks like, visit Amazon's look inside. As someone who read Captain Underpants, I had relatively low expectations. There is often quite a disconnect between things kids find funny (Captain Underpants, for example) and things adults find funny (are there kids who laugh at 30 Rock as hard as I do?) Diary of a Wimpy Kid is one of the rare books both kids and adults can enjoy. It's certainly a kids book, but I laughed out loud numerous times. It's hilarity is often clever, but there are also a few well-placed low-brow moments. I thoroughly enjoyed Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and I have already requested the next three in the series from the library. If there are young, reluctant readers in your life, please hand them this book. If there are kids who love to read, please hand them this book. Before you do, read it yourself, and laugh.

[mjsimonsen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jeff Kinney has created the type of book that holds appeal for even the most reluctant reader. The book is written in diary form on what looks like notebook paper in simple printed script and illustrated by the voice/protagonist of the book: Greg Heffley. Greg is starting sixth grade along with his friend, Rowley, and a host of fellow students who vary widely in size and maturity level. These are real situations for real kids. The humor is constant and the honesty with which Kinney writes for young people shines throughout the book. I know now what a "hybrid" novel is--Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a shining example of using creativity and getting away from the idea of writing a traditional book helps to get kids to read. I hope to see more books like this one--Jeff Kinney has created an unforgettable character in Greg and has touched upon a successful formula for readers and former nonreaders. This book has much promise; Kinney remembers what it is like to be a kid. He knows how to write for kids. This book's strengths: voice (first person), easily read, humorous, characterization, realistic conflict. Weaknesses: wandering/varied setting, multi-faceted/unclear plot, may be too juvenile for sophisticated higher level readers.

[sdea_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jeff Kinney shows us the life of a typical middle school age boy, Greg Heffley. Kinney invites us into the world of a young adult through the eyes of Greg in the form of a journal"NOT a Diary" Illustrations and humor guide us through the everyday "ups and downs" of a teen at school, home, and hanging out with friends. If you remember loving to read comic books or the comics in the paper, you will love the style of writing used in this book. The plot of the story tends to wander from mishap to mishap. Until the very end where a lesson is learned about friendship and personal responsibility and making "grownup" like decisions.

[tzaleski_4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Kinney is right on with his characterization of middle school boys! The main character, Greg, had me laughing so hard at his everyday typical boy antics. My paperback copies of this series all fell apart from the constant passing around the classroom. Fights broke out if there were discrepancies as to who was next on the waiting list. A perfect book to get resistant readers to fall in love with reading! The only part I didn't like was the crossover of "The Cheese" into my classroom. Students turned this game into a tagging game...it was constant and mean spirited at times.