book review diary of a wimpy kid

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney - review

'The Diary of a Wimpy Kid' books are all about a kid called Greg who fills in his journal (not a diary!!) of all the misadventures in his life.

Everything Greg seems to do has hilarious consequences and his family are very funny. In this book it is summer vacation and even though it is nice and hot Greg insists on staying inside hooked up to his video games with the blinds drawn. His mother is tired of Greg being lazy and decides that this summer should be fun and packed with family activities.

This book was very good. My favourite character has to be Greg as he can be horrible but the audience always roots for him anyway! I really like the part when Greg's mum is forgotten by the whole family at a petrol station in the middle of nowhere - it is hilarious.

I recommend this book to readers around 10-13 who enjoy reading as it is quite easy to read, but it has some challenging words as well.

I give this a big 5/5 because I enjoyed reading it so much.

Want to tell the world about a book you've read? Join the site and send us your review!

• Children's books
• Children and teenagers
• Children's books: 8-12 years
• Jeff Kinney
• Funny books (children and teens)
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid
• children's user reviews

Most viewed

• ADMIN AREA MY BOOKSHELF MY DASHBOARD MY PROFILE SIGN OUT SIGN IN

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID

A novel in cartoons, from the diary of a wimpy kid series , vol. 1.

by Jeff Kinney & illustrated by Jeff Kinney ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2007

Certain to elicit both gales of giggles and winces of sympathy (not to mention recognition) from young readers.

First volume of a planned three, this edited version of an ongoing online serial records a middle-school everykid’s triumphs and (more often) tribulations through the course of a school year.

Largely through his own fault, mishaps seem to plague Greg at every turn, from the minor freak-outs of finding himself permanently seated in class between two pierced stoners and then being saddled with his mom for a substitute teacher, to being forced to wrestle in gym with a weird classmate who has invited him to view his “secret freckle.” Presented in a mix of legible “hand-lettered” text and lots of simple cartoon illustrations with the punch lines often in dialogue balloons, Greg’s escapades, unwavering self-interest and sardonic commentary are a hoot and a half. 

Pub Date: April 1, 2007

ISBN: 0-8109-9313-9

Page Count: 224

Publisher: Amulet/Abrams

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2007

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

Share your opinion of this book

More In The Series

BOOK REVIEW

by Jeff Kinney ; illustrated by Jeff Kinney

More by Jeff Kinney

More About This Book

PERSPECTIVES

SEEN & HEARD

DAVID GOES TO SCHOOL

by David Shannon ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 1999

The poster boy for relentless mischief-makers everywhere, first encountered in No, David! (1998), gives his weary mother a rest by going to school. Naturally, he’s tardy, and that’s but the first in a long string of offenses—“Sit down, David! Keep your hands to yourself! PAY ATTENTION!”—that culminates in an afterschool stint. Children will, of course, recognize every line of the text and every one of David’s moves, and although he doesn’t exhibit the larger- than-life quality that made him a tall-tale anti-hero in his first appearance, his round-headed, gap-toothed enthusiasm is still endearing. For all his disruptive behavior, he shows not a trace of malice, and it’ll be easy for readers to want to encourage his further exploits. (Picture book. 5-7)

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1999

ISBN: 0-590-48087-1

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Scholastic

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1999

More by David Shannon

by David Shannon ; illustrated by David Shannon

TUCK EVERLASTING

by Natalie Babbitt ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 1, 1975

However the compelling fitness of theme and event and the apt but unexpected imagery (the opening sentences compare the...

At a time when death has become an acceptable, even voguish subject in children's fiction, Natalie Babbitt comes through with a stylistic gem about living forever. 

Protected Winnie, the ten-year-old heroine, is not immortal, but when she comes upon young Jesse Tuck drinking from a secret spring in her parents' woods, she finds herself involved with a family who, having innocently drunk the same water some 87 years earlier, haven't aged a moment since. Though the mood is delicate, there is no lack of action, with the Tucks (previously suspected of witchcraft) now pursued for kidnapping Winnie; Mae Tuck, the middle aged mother, striking and killing a stranger who is onto their secret and would sell the water; and Winnie taking Mae's place in prison so that the Tucks can get away before she is hanged from the neck until....? Though Babbitt makes the family a sad one, most of their reasons for discontent are circumstantial and there isn't a great deal of wisdom to be gleaned from their fate or Winnie's decision not to share it. 

Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1975

ISBN: 0312369816

Page Count: 164

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Review Posted Online: April 13, 2012

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1975

CHILDREN'S SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

More by Natalie Babbitt

by Natalie Babbitt

by Valerie Worth & illustrated by Natalie Babbitt

• Discover Books Fiction Thriller & Suspense Mystery & Detective Romance Science Fiction & Fantasy Nonfiction Biography & Memoir Teens & Young Adult Children's
• News & Features Bestsellers Book Lists Profiles Perspectives Awards Seen & Heard Book to Screen Kirkus TV videos In the News
• Kirkus Prize Winners & Finalists About the Kirkus Prize Kirkus Prize Judges
• Magazine Current Issue All Issues Manage My Subscription Subscribe
• Writers’ Center Hire a Professional Book Editor Get Your Book Reviewed Advertise Your Book Launch a Pro Connect Author Page Learn About The Book Industry
• More Kirkus Diversity Collections Kirkus Pro Connect My Account/Login
• About Kirkus History Our Team Contest FAQ Press Center Info For Publishers
• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions
• Reprints, Permission & Excerpting Policy

© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Popular in this Genre

Hey there, book lover.

We’re glad you found a book that interests you!

Please select an existing bookshelf

Create a new bookshelf.

We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!

Please sign up to continue.

It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!

Already have an account? Log in.

Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.

Almost there!

• Industry Professional

Welcome Back!

Sign in using your Kirkus account

Contact us: 1-800-316-9361 or email [email protected].

Don’t fret. We’ll find you.

Magazine Subscribers ( How to Find Your Reader Number )

If You’ve Purchased Author Services

Don’t have an account yet? Sign Up.

• virtual wonders
• guest posts
• review policy

Tuesday 10 August 2010

Review: diary of a wimpy kid.

Title: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Author: Jeff Kinney Publisher: Puffin , $14.95 RRP Format: Paperback ISBN: 9780143303831 For ages: 6+ Type: Junior Fiction About: Having to repeatedly retrieve this book from my young son's school bag in an attempt to get through it for review, is testament to the fact that kids love this Wimpy Kid. Only seven-years-old, this is the first major junior fiction book Riley has consistently worked his way through - and that's something considering the quite sophisticated linguistic nature of the book, despite its liberal peppering of stick figure illustrations. And what's wrong with a stick figure illustration, I ask you? I've admitted more than once to a total addiction to Archie comics in my time and that addiciton not in the least bit compromised my capability of devouring great hulking historical and Shakespearean tomes once I passed the 18 year mark. Basically, you can't argue with the New York Times Bestseller List and Wimpy Kid has kinda been known to hang out on that list - frequently. And there's a reason why. The book is good. What I like most about Diary of a Wimpy Kid is that it's actually really funny, and being that American humour is often very different to our Brit-derived dry humour, I was consistently impressed to find myself reading and reading and giggling with nary an eye-roll necessitated by predictable slapstick. Greg Heffley is a kid on the brink of high school - and he's soon thrown headlong into the terrifying corridors of tween/teen society, resplendent with all manner of kid - from wimpy to jock. Alas, Greg falls into the former category. Luckily, he has his dorky mate Rowley as an emotional standby, but as Rowley's popularity slowly starts to climb, Greg is left flailing in a sea of morons. When Gregs' mum hands him a journal (NOT a diary!), the lad soon fills it with his lamentations on high school being the dumbest thing ever invented and how meekly he fits into the popularity line up (starting out at roughly no. 52 or 53, by his own calculations). As his story unfolds - from September through to June - we soon learn why he rates around 52... and why this ranking is, like, SO unfair.

From Halloween shenanigans to Year Book atrocities, following Greg's year long journey is a riot a minute - not only from the cleverly written text but the abundance of hilarious cartoons that pepper the funny with even more funny. I'm talking laugh out loud and re-reading aplenty here. Even the style of the author's line drawings will have you giggling, with many a teen stereotype resplendantly inked and guffawed over.

I zipped through Wimpy #1 in about an hour (mainly due to many re-reads) and dove straight into #2, and although the funny in this book is a major hook, it was also fabulous to take note of the frequent sophisticated prose that kids will absorb even without knowing it.

Sophisticated may not be a word many associate with the Wimpy Kid books, but Kinney writes with a sophistication that belies the books' style... funny and super smart. Now that 'aint in the least bit wimpy. Author website

This book is available online

BEHIND THE BOOKS MENU

Notice: All forms on this website are temporarily down for maintenance. You will not be able to complete a form to request information or a resource. We apologize for any inconvenience and will reactivate the forms as soon as possible.

Book Review

Diary of a wimpy kid — “diary of a wimpy kid” series.

• Jeff Kinney

Readability Age Range

• Amulet Books, an imprint of Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
• Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards, 2009; Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award, 2009

Year Published

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney has been reviewed by Focus on the Family’s marriage and parenting magazine . It is the first book in the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series.

Plot Summary

Greg Heffley decides to keep a journal, not only because his mother wants him to, but also because he wants something he can give to people who ask him questions once he is rich and famous. In handwritten type and through the use of cartoon illustrations, Greg details his day-to-day life as a middle school student and gives his opinion on bullying, why girls like boys, where to sit on the first day of class, how to draw cartoons and numerous other topics, such as the cheese touch.

The cheese touch is a middle school ailment similar to cooties that comes from touching an old piece of cheese that rests beneath the basketball hoop on his school’s playground. If you touch it, you have the cheese touch until you touch someone else. Then they have it.

At home, Greg is a middle child. Greg’s older brother, Rodrick, plays practical jokes on him; Greg thinks his younger brother, Manny, is spoiled. He believes that his parents don’t understand him. They do unforgivable things, such as telling him to stop playing video games and go outside. When that happens, Greg goes to someone else’s house and plays video games.

Greg’s best friend is Rowley. They became friends because Greg felt sorry for Rowley. All the mean things that Rodrick does to Greg, Greg does to Rowley, along with a few ideas of his own. One day, Greg goes too far and lets Rowley take the blame for chasing kindergartners all the way home, instead of walking them home, as a Safety Patrol person should. As a result, Rowley stops hanging out with him. Greg does not understand why. But later, when his classmates ask how the cheese under the basketball hoop disappeared and Greg knows that a group of older bullies made Rowley eat it, he tells his classmates that he (Greg) threw the cheese away. Although his class now flees his cheese touch, he and Rowley resume hanging out together.

Christian Beliefs

Other belief systems.

Greg thanks his “lucky stars” that he is on the other side of the gym from the girls because his wrestling outfit doesn’t completely cover him during wrestling matches in gym class.

Authority Roles

From Greg’s point-of-view, his mother is seen as crazy for wanting him to write his feelings in a diary, but he appreciates her help when she steps in to keep a chain-saw guy from chasing him on Halloween night. His mother uses her authority to force Greg to go out for the school play. After he pits his father and mother against each other, they argue, but he still has to go out for the play. His mother brings a bouquet of flowers to give to Greg after the play. But when he destroys the entire performance by not singing and throwing apples at a classmate, his mother tosses the flowers in the trash on their way out.

When Greg asks for a Barbie dollhouse for Christmas (he wants to use it as a fort for his soldiers), his mother is OK with him experimenting with different toys. After his parents argue, he is not given the dollhouse.

When Greg has a personal problem, his mother does not ask for details but tells him it’s important to do the right thing. As a result, Greg does what is right for him, not others. When he tells her that he did the right thing, once again, not going into any details, she takes him out for ice cream.

From Greg’s perspective, his father is not normal because he gets up early on Saturdays to clean the house. His father badgers him about not playing video games and doing something that requires physical movement. When his father shuts off his console and tells him to go outside, Greg goes to Rowley’s house and plays video games. Greg thinks his dad is smart but doesn’t have common sense and isn’t capable of dismantling Greg’s game system.

Greg’s father loves Halloween. He fills up a trash can with water and throws it at teenagers who walk past their house.

To show Greg that he shouldn’t have destroyed his younger brother’s snowman, his father destroys the enormous snowman-base that Greg and Rowley made. His parents let his older brother listen to heavy metal music with parental warnings on them, but not Greg. When his father punishes Greg for doing something wrong, he throws whatever is in his hands at Greg. When his mother punishes Greg, she takes a few days to figure out his punishment.

In many ways, Greg feels that his parents slow him down, but he tries to tolerate them and their ways. When his parents do not immediately give him an expensive weight set that he asks for, Greg concludes that, once again, he has to take charge of the situation.

Rowley’s dad monitors his son’s games and actions. He also stops the boys from scaring others in their homemade haunted house at Halloween.

Mrs. Norton, the director of the school play, whispers the lines to students instead of forcing them to memorize the script.

Profanity & Violence

A lot of mild variations of words, such as jerk, stupid, dumb, dork, heck, shoot, freak, and butt, are used. Even milder expressions, such as stinky poo, screw loose, and suck it up, are also employed. Greg gives his friend Rowley noogies for asking if he wants to play instead of saying hang out.

Sexual Content

A side comment is made that girls may like boys because they have cute butts. Younger brother Manny brings Rodrick’s magazine with a woman in a bikini lying on a car to show-and-tell at his day care.

Discussion Topics

Get free discussion questions for this book and others, at FocusOnTheFamily.com/discuss-books .

Additional Comments

Producers often use a book as a springboard for a movie idea or to earn a specific rating. Because of this, a movie may differ from the novel. To better understand how this book and movie differ, compare the book review with Plugged In’s movie review for Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

You can request a review of a title you can’t find at [email protected] .

Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. The inclusion of a book’s review does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.

Latest Book Reviews

Castle Reef 2: Bloodlines

Compass and Blade

Nothing Else But Miracles

Waverider (Amulet #9)

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

Dune Messiah

Weekly reviews straight to your inbox.

Book Review: 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days'

Book Four in the Popular Series

• Children's Book Reviews
• Authors & Illustrators
• Young Adult Books
• Best Sellers
• Classic Literature
• Plays & Drama
• Shakespeare
• Short Stories
• M.S., Instructional Design and Technology, Emporia State University
• B.A., English Literature, Brown University

"Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days" is the fourth book in Jeff Kinney’s humorous series of books about middle school student Greg Heffley and his trials and tribulations, most of which are of his own making. Once again, as he did in "Diary of a Wimpy Kid," " Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules ," and " Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw ," Jeff Kinney has created, in words and pictures, an amusing “novel in cartoons,” although the summer setting does not allow for the scope of humor that a school year middle school setting does. As in the other books in the series, the emphasis in "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days" is on the general goofiness that comes with being a self-centered adolescent and the often unexpected (at least, to Greg) results.

The Format of the Book

The format of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" has remained consistent throughout the series. Lined pages and Greg's pen and ink sketches and cartoons work together to make the book seem like an actual diary, or as Greg would emphasize, “a journal.” The fact that Greg has a somewhat goofy outlook on life and is always trying to work everything out to his benefit and justify his actions makes the diary format particularly effective.

Each of the earlier books in the series focuses on Greg's daily life at home and at school. Each book also tends to focus on a particular family member and Greg's problems with them. In the first book, it's Greg's little brother, Manny, who "never gets in trouble, even if he really deserves it." While Greg also complains about Rodrick, his older brother, Rodrick doesn't take center stage until the second book, "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules." In the third book in the series, the conflict between Greg's father's expectations and Greg's wishes is emphasized.

It's no surprise, then, to find Greg and his mother at odds in "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days," but there are also some major conflicts with his dad. What a surprise it is to find all the action set in the summer rather than during the school year. According to Jeff Kinney, “I’m very excited about 'Dog Days' because it takes Greg out of the school setting for the first time. It’s been a lot of fun to write about the Heffley summer vacation.” (7/23/09 media release) However, the book loses something by not being set during the school year and not including the usual interaction between Rodrick and his brother.

It's summer and Greg is looking forward to doing whatever he wants, with an emphasis on staying indoors and playing video games. Unfortunately, that is not at all his mother's idea of summer fun . The difference between Greg's vision of the perfect summer and the reality is the focus of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days."

Recommendation

"Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days" ​ will appeal to middle-grade readers , but probably younger ones 8 to 11. While "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days" is not the strongest book in the Wimpy Kid series, I think it will appeal to fans of the series. Kids reading the series know that Greg is over-the-top in terms of being self-centered. They understand the relationship between cause and effect in terms of what happens as a result of Greg's poor judgment and find it amusing. At the same time, Greg's thought processes, while exaggerated, mirror those of many tweens, which is also part of the appeal of the Wimpy Kid series. (Amulet Books, An Imprint of Harry N. Abrams, Inc. 2009. ISBN: 9780810983915)

• All About "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules"
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
• How to Teach Your Students to Write Biography Poems
• Two Voice Poems for Kids, The Best Poetry Books
• 10 Things About 'Big Nate' Creator Lincoln Peirce
• Summer Reading Lists For Kids, Tweens, and Teens
• Profile of Husband Killer Kelly Gissendaner
• Recommend a Good Book to Me
• Keeping a Diary
• Biography of Anne Frank, Writer of Powerful Wartime Diary
• Top Book Recommendations for Boys From Librarians
• 5 Things You Don't Know About Anne Frank and Her Diary
• Top 11 Children's Books for Valentine's Day
• Controversial and Banned Books
• 25 Weird, Witty, and Wonderful Language-Related Terms
• High Interest-Low Reading Level Books for Reluctant Readers

Good Books for Catholic Kids

Guiding Catholic families towards the True, the Good, and the Beautiful

Review of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”

The basic problem is that the protagonist, Greg Heffley, is a lying video game addict who manipulates his friends, disrespects his parents, and doesn’t show personal growth to speak of in the story. I’ll break that down with details for you.

Greg is a liar. He lies to his parents, his teachers, his friends, and his peers. He’s not just any liar: he’s a skilled, sneaky one. For example, when his dad tells him to go play outside, Greg goes to a friend’s house and plays video games. Then he soaks himself in a sprinkler so it looks like he’s been running around working up a sweat, thereby deceiving his dad. On another occasion, Greg deceives his friend’s parents by sneaking in a forbidden violent video game in the case of an educational one.

Let’s talk about the video games. Greg lives for his video games, and he prefers violent ones. He describes car-racing as too babyish, and resents his friend’s contentment with such boring games. The more violent the game, the cooler for Greg. When Christmas comes, he sulks about not getting the particularly violent video game he wants and is ungrateful for all his other presents.

Greg has a rather sweet, slightly immature best friend, Rowley, whom he manipulates and bullies. He beats up Rowley using all the same moves his own brother used to beat him up. He makes fun of Rowley’s simpler tastes in video games and humor. On one occasion, he convinces Rowley to ride a big wheel down a hill repeatedly while Greg throws a football at his head to try to knock him off. This is the great friendship in the book, and I actually found it truly sad to read.

Greg has a abysmal view of adults in general. He considers them dumb and easily tricked. Unfortunately, in this story the adults  are  rather dumb and easily tricked. He repeatedly gets around video game grounding by sneaking off to game at his friend Rowley’s house. He tricks Rowley’s parents by sneaking in video games they have expressly forbidden in their home. Greg’s teachers are also sometimes taken in by his lies.

The ending of the book is supposed to provide a shade of redemption in one area of Greg’s life at least: he finally does something kind for Rowley. But here’s the problem: the kind act is telling a lie to get Rowley out of an embarrassing predicament. At this point, I was asking, really, Jeff Kinney? That’s the best redemptive moment you can come up with?

There are miscellaneous other problematic areas of the book. One that really bothered me was a scenario where Greg’s older brother left a bikini pictures magazine laying out and Greg’s littler brother took it to show and tell. This is supposed to be hilarious; it’s most certainly not what I want my 8-12 year old laughing about.

10 thoughts on “ Review of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” ”

Pingback: Concerning Turkish Delight ~ Good Books for Catholic Kids

I watched my now 8-year old grandson go from reading the type of books you recommend to reading Captain Underpants and now the Wimpy Kid books, both of which are provided each week by his school library. I abhor those books that contribute nothing toward his growth as God would have it. I spent an hour searching for anyone to agree with my judgement, but only found accolades. And I learned there are 14 of the Wimpy Kid books! After shutting down my computer, it suddenly occurred to me to ask for a Catholic review and I found your website. Thank you. I am going to pass it on to my son, the father of said boy, who has never been a reluctant reader, but now he’s reading junk!

I’m so glad you found this review helpful! These books definitely have a way of spoiling a child’s ability to appreciate wholesome, classic books. I think most parents have no idea the messages these books are conveying. I hope your grandson rediscovers his love for good books!

These books are horrible! My sister-in-law keeps buying them for my son, and my husband won’t agree to just ask her to stop. The worst part? Our son eats up the piggish, amoral, irreverent humor. They are a true reflection of what our society is coming to, and they glorify the opposite of all the values I am trying to teach. 😦

That’s a tough situation! I agree they are simply horrible books. I hope you can find a way to get them out of your home!

Thank you for this review! I saw the author of the Diary of A Whimpy Kid series, on EWTN news and it sounded like it was a fun but good Catholic series. I went out and bought the whole series for my 9 year old grandson. I am very upset with myself. I am very close to my grandson. He loves the series. At least now I know I need to have a conversation about them with him. Thank God, He led me here.

oh my goodness! i never realized how terrible these books are. my 17 year old is so into these books but now i will have to stop buying them. i will remove them from the household as i don’t want my child to be learning about manipulative liars. thanks brittany.

This is an invaluable review. Thank you!

My children were reading those books when younger, I wish I had read the before, but, oh, how much you rely on what the school recommends! It’s completely opposite to how I brought them up… So sad. I wonder what the author was like when younger and what brought him to write the series…

Thank you for this review. I had a feeling these books were not for the type of reading I want for my son, but your review just confirms it. THANK YOU!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Discover more from good books for catholic kids.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

Review: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth

By Tina Vasquez, for The Children’s Book Review Published: December 2, 2010

By Jeff Kinney

Reading level: Ages 9-12

Hardcover: 217 pages

Publisher: Amulet Books (November 2010)

Last month, in what was believed to be the biggest book release of the year, Jeff Kinney added another addition to his increasingly popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid series: The Ugly Truth . This chapter of Greg Heffley’s life is chronicled in the same diary/illustration style so many children have come to know and love, but this time around the loveable protagonist is on the cusp of that very rocky period known as puberty. Greg finds himself in all kinds of new and unsettling situations, like sitting though boys-only classes devoted to “the facts of life” or getting cornered by his gammie for “the talk” and though nothing groundbreaking is ever revealed to him about the intricacies of adult life, it’s clear that young Greg is struggling to walk the fine line between childhood and young adulthood.

To make matters more difficult, a summertime argument is drawn out for months, forcing Greg to return to middle school without the much-needed companionship of his goof of a best friend, Rowley Jefferson. Worse yet, Greg’s mom has also decided to return to school for a semester, leaving he and his brothers and father to fend for themselves. Greg may be incredibly smart and perceptive for his age, but he’s still too immature to admit to his mother- and himself- that at this point in his life he needs his mom around for more than just making dinner and washing dirty laundry; he needs her presence and guidance.

In each edition of the Wimpy Kid series it’s always seemed as if Greg wanted to grow up quickly, but now that things are changing faster than he’d like them to he’s forced to navigate the often complicated world of girls and social circles on his own. In the Ugly Truth , it’s clear that Greg just wants things to go back to the way they were.

Chances are Kinney will continue riding this series out, which means young readers will just have to wait and see where life takes Greg Heffley.

Add this book to your collection: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth

Have you read this book? Rate it: [ratings]

• X (Twitter)

Bianca Schulze is the founder of The Children’s Book Review. She is a reader, reviewer, mother and children’s book lover. She also has a decade’s worth of experience working with children in the great outdoors. Combined with her love of books and experience as a children’s specialist bookseller, the goal is to share her passion for children’s literature to grow readers. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, she now lives with her husband and three children near Boulder, Colorado.

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes
• Entertainment

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Actor Says Becoming a 'Worldwide Meme' as a Teen 'Ruined My Acting Career'

Young actor Charlie Wright was subjected to an internet campaign titled #NotMyRodrick after he took a role in 2017's 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul'

Paras Griffin/Getty

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul star Charlie Wright is opening up about the negativity he experienced after becoming a "worldwide meme."

On Sunday, Wright, 25, shared a video to YouTube and TikTok in which he recalled being cast in the 2017 family comedy, which served as the third live-action film in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid franchise. Released several years after the first two Wimpy Kid movies, based on author Jeff Kinney's children's book series of the same name , The Long Haul featured an entirely new cast, including Wright as the character Rodrick, who is lead character Greg Heffley's (Jason Drucker) older brother.

"Let's just say that when the world found out I was playing Rodrick, they weren't very happy," Wright recalled of reaction to his 2016 casting announcement . When 20th Century Fox released a trailer for the movie in March 2017, internet criticism of the film was aimed largely at Wright, culminating in an internet trend known as #NotMyRodrick .

"For the better half of 2017 and honestly until like 2018, I was kind of a worldwide meme, not to brag or anything," he said. While Wright said he found many of the jokes funny at the time, the trend gave way toward more serious anger and derision toward him. Comments on YouTube trailers for that movie remain turned off seven years later.

20th Century Fox/Alamy

Wright noted in his video that he remains unsure whether "the hate towards me was because" he replaced Devon Bostick, who played the character Rodrick in the first two Wimpy Kid movies, or whether the trend simply grew popular as a joke paralleling turmoil over Donald Trump's election and inauguration around the same time as the movie was marketed to audiences.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

"The random death threats were a little disturbing, I'll be honest," Wright shared, noting that even after the initial internet fervor died down, "there were still a couple of stragglers that were in my DMs or in the comments on my Instagram."

The Long Haul proved the Wimpy Kid series' final live-action entry. Further entires have been developed as animated films for Disney+. In Wright's video, which he said is the first time he has spoken publicly about his experience following The Long Haul , the actor noted he experienced "a depressive episode for almost three years" following the film's release.

"It kind of ruined my acting career, but I'm still alive," Wright, whose IMDb page last credits him with a 2021 appearance in Yellowjackets , said. "I'm still here, and to be honest, I never really liked acting."

Wright shared in his video that while he holds no ill will towards people who turned him into a meme as a teenager, he regrets that "no one was there to really guide me through it or help me."

"I just had to suck it up and deal with it; I had to figure it out on my own and it took me three years to finally let go and move on," he said.

Related Articles

Enjoy a better experience!

In order to receive the best web experience with our website, please use Microsoft Edge or another browser other than Internet Explorer.

We use website cheesiest cookies to ensure you enjoy our site.

The cheesiest website around.

• For Teachers
• Wimp Yourself
• Get in Touch

• Appearances
• Get to Know Jeff

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

In the first book of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, #1 international bestselling author Jeff Kinney, introduces us to Greg Heffley: an unforgettable, unlikely hero that every family can relate to. Being a kid can really stink. And no one knows this better than Greg. He finds himself thrust into middle school, where undersized weaklings share the hallways with kids who are taller, meaner, and already shaving. Greg is happy to have Rowley Jefferson, his sidekick, along for the ride. But when Rowley's star starts to rise, Greg tries to use his best friend's newfound popularity to his own advantage, kicking off a chain of events that will test their friendship in hilarious fashion. The hazards of growing up before you're ready are uniquely revealed through words and drawings as Greg records them in his diary. But as Greg says: “Just don’t expect me to be all “Dear Diary” this and “Dear Diary” that.” Luckily for us, what Greg Heffley says he won’t do and what he actually does are two very different things.   

ISBN: 978-1-4197-4185-2

• Published: Apr 01, 2007
• Format: Hardcover
• Price: $14.99

Where to buy

The Wimpy Kid Series.

Famed for laugh-out-loud humor through words and cartoons, the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books follow Greg Heffley as he records the trials and triumphs of middle school. More than 290 million copies have been sold around the globe!

Click or scroll through the books

Rodrick Rules

The Last Straw

The Ugly Truth

Cabin Fever

The Third Wheel

The Long Haul

Double Down

The Getaway

The Meltdown

Wrecking Ball

The Deep End

Diper Överlöde

More from the Wimpy World.

Get ready to see the Wimpy Kid world in a whole new way with the Awesome Friendly Kid series, written by Greg Heffley’s best friend, Rowley Jefferson. And don’t miss the Special Disney+ cover editions, The Do-It Yourself Book , boxed sets and more!

Cabin Fever (Special Disney+ Cover Edition)

Rodrick Rules (Special Disney+ Cover Edition)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: (Special Disney+ Cover Edition)

The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Blank Journal

The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary: The Next Chapter

The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary: How Greg Heffley went to Hollywood

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Special Cheesiest Edition

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Best Friends Box

Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Book Box

Awesome Friendly Book Bundle

Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories

Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Adventure

Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson’s Journal

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Get the app
• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

Explaining the News to Our Kids

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Celebrating Black History Month

Movies and TV Shows with Arab Leads

Celebrate Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary

Diary of a wimpy kid: the meltdown, common sense media reviewers.

Epic neighborhood snowball fight perks up 13th installment.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Some facts about climate change, how the dinosaurs

Greg's mom is full of wisdom as always: Learning t

Greg often makes wrong decisions -- it's his hallm

One very long snowball fight. One kid gets two tee

Greg calls his friend an idiot.

Parents need to know that Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Meltdown is the 13th book in the best-selling Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney. Like Book 6, Cabin Fever, there's a big snow storm, but in The Meltdown, Greg's mom forces him outside to play in it. The finale is an epic neighborhood snowball…

Educational Value

Some facts about climate change, how the dinosaurs went extinct, medieval castle warfare.

Positive Messages

Greg's mom is full of wisdom as always: Learning to deal with "conflict" is part of growing up, and kids who spend too much time with video games forget how to interact. In this installment, kids are outside most of the time engaged in exciting, creative play that involves lots of problem-solving, strategy, and cooperation with other kids. Also, Greg reminds us to cover our mouths when we cough and sneeze. Less potty humor in this installment: Greg's friend goes to the bathroom behind a rock and almost gets caught.

Positive Role Models

Greg often makes wrong decisions -- it's his hallmark and what makes his antics really funny to kids. In this installment, he tries to get out of chores, breaks into his vacationing grandma's house without permission, leaves his baby brother unsupervised. His mom often keeps him on the right path, making him go outside, calling for screen-free weekends, telling Greg he needs to deal with his own conflicts. This all brings out the best in Greg. He proves to be a strategic and creative thinker when forced. A lot of his wild plans fail (pizza boxes on his feet when he has no boots), but he's always full of ideas.

Violence & Scariness

One very long snowball fight. One kid gets two teeth knocked out by an ice ball (banned by the kids after that), many kids get pushed out of the way by a snowplow. Kids lost in woods almost hit by father's car. Dogs attack and go for leftover pizza, not kids. Fight in cafeteria. Pictures of kids pushed over or being hit on the head by bullies. Kid tells tall tales about dead pets in the school cafeteria freezer and a man whose head exploded when he sneezed. Last illustration shows an atom bomb going off out the window while cyborg Greg plays cards with a robot. Talk of castle warfare with boiling oil poured on invaders.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Meltdown is the 13th book in the best-selling Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney . Like Book 6, Cabin Fever, there's a big snow storm, but in The Meltdown, Greg's mom forces him outside to play in it. The finale is an epic neighborhood snowball fight with snow forts and flags where kids have to strategize, problem-solve, and cooperate -- a great reminder of how important interactive play is for kids to build these vital skills. One kid loses two teeth in the melee when an ice ball is thrown -- kids get together to ban ice balls after that. The only other hazard is a snowplow that almost runs down the kids. In other parts of the book, kids get lost and almost get hit by a car, and dogs attack and go for leftover pizza, not kids. The last illustration shows an atom bomb going off out the window while cyborg Greg plays cards with a robot. Kids will learn a bit about climate change and the extinction of the dinosaurs, as well as medieval castle warfare. There's not as much potty humor in this book to watch out for, but Greg often makes bad decisions, usually out of forgetfulness or laziness. He also shows himself to be a strategic thinker with lots of big ideas -- that often fail miserably.

Where to Read

Community reviews.

• Parents say (2)
• Kids say (24)

Based on 2 parent reviews

Great Depth

What's the story.

In DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE MELTDOWN, it's winter and Greg is impatiently waiting for the cold weather. His school heater is on too high, making his brain foggy. Perhaps that's why he forgot to do his country report -- he'll just have to fake it. When the weather finally turns, the school heater breaks and it's freezing in school. It's also so snowy on his walks to and from school that one day he straps pizza boxes to his feet. He's making excellent time until the boxes get soggy and the neighbor dogs smell the leftover pizza. As the snow continues to fall, neighborhood tensions rise. The safety patrol girls won't allow snowball fights after school. The kids that live up the hill won't let the kids that live down the hill sled on THEIR hill. Throw in a snow day, snow forts, and an enterprising kid selling specialty snowballs, and Greg and his friends better be ready to rumble.

Is It Any Good?

In this 13th Wimpy Kid, Greg's up to his usual bad ideas until he lands on a stellar one: an epic neighborhood snowball fight, the kind kids dream of as soon as the first flurries fly. Well, he doesn't come up with the whole idea, but his snow fort gets things rolling. At the height of the battle, there are multiple forts, team flags, shaky alliances, and a guy selling specialized snowballs. There's even a spy. And -- many parents will love this -- it all comes together because Greg's mom forces him outside, telling him that video games don't teach kids how to interact. In just one afternoon of snow-covered mayhem, kids have to plan, negotiate, strategize, and cooperate. This part of The Meltdown is such a great reminder of how amazing getting outside and looking for the good kind of trouble can be.

The rest of The Meltdown is less cohesive and engaging. There's a school report Greg forgot about, a hot school, and then a freezing-cold school, smelly socks, kids spreading germs, breaking into Grandma's house, and so on. Mixed in, you'll find an introduction to the neighbor kids who'll stage the fight later, but it's not done smoothly. Perhaps this hodgepodge fits in with the diary premise, but luckily it doesn't last the whole book. For the finale, author-illustrator Jeff Kinney includes a full-page spread of the snowball melee. That's how you know he's having a ball as well.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the snowball fight in The Meltdown. Have you ever had a snowball fight like that? What strategies did the neighborhood kids use to win? How did they come up with rules to keep things safe?

Do you think it's cruel for Greg's mom to have screen-free weekends? Do you think he would have been outside if his mom didn't force him out?

Which is your favorite Wimpy Kid book so far? Do you read other graphic novel series? Which ones?

Book Details

• Author : Jeff Kinney
• Illustrator : Jeff Kinney
• Genre : Humor
• Topics : Adventures , Brothers and Sisters , Friendship , Middle School
• Book type : Fiction
• Publisher : Amulet Books
• Publication date : October 30, 2018
• Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
• Number of pages : 224
• Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
• Last updated : March 21, 2019

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

Our editors recommend.

Dork Diaries 1: Tales from a NOT-SO-Fabulous Life

Big Nate: In a Class by Himself: Big Nate, Book 1

Dog Man: Dog Man, Book 1

Funny books for kids, graphic novels and memoirs, related topics.

• Brothers and Sisters
• Middle School

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.