LadyD Books: Most Popular Book at my Library: Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Dear Readers,

I recently read that there are two new movies this month based on popular kids books: "How to Train Your Dragon" and "Diary of a Wimpy Kid." Has anyone read these books before? Well, when I went to our local library I had asked the librarian what was the most popular book checked out in the children's section and she said, "That would have to be The Diary of a Wimpy Kid!"

'Diary of a Wimpy Kid'

Unlike "Dragon," this film is more true to the plot of the original book, which follows Greg Heffley and his new life in middle school. In the movie, as Greg walks through his new school, he can't get over what it looks like: Half the kids are small and childlike, and half are "monsters who need to shave twice a day."
The movie, like Jeff Kinney's laugh-out-loud book, explores Greg's antics with his best friend, Rowley, and what happens when they fight and aren't friends anymore. Many of the characters are the same, too, including Fregley, Angie, and Rodrick. Even some of the dialogue is drawn directly from the book, which will make the movie especially enjoyable for fans who can't get enough of the "Wimpy Kid" series.
Kids will probably recognize a lot about their own lives in the film, said Alex Ferris, a 12-year-old actor from Canada who plays Collin. (You may remember that Collin competes with Greg to be Rowley's best friend.) There are so many characters that "remind me of so many people at my school," Alex said.
In fact, the whole movie, in theaters now, is so child-focused that making the film was different from any project he had done. "One day at lunch the producers went to Toys R Us, and they bought us all Nerf guns," he said. "It was so different. For getting into the character it was like, 'Let's have a Nerf gun fight!' "

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com

* About The Book:

Synopsis

Boys don't keep diaries-or do they?

The launch of an exciting and innovatively illustrated new series narrated by an unforgettable kid every family can relate to

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.

In book one of this debut series, Greg is happy to have Rowley, 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.

Author/illustrator Jeff Kinney recalls the growing pains of school life and introduces a new kind of hero who epitomizes the challenges of being a kid. As Greg says in his diary, "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.

Since its launch in May 2004 on Funbrain.com, the Web version of Diary of a Wimpy Kid has been viewed by 20 million unique online readers. This year, it is averaging 70,000 readers a day.

Product Details

Paperback
Publisher: Amulet Books (2007)
ISBN-10: 0810988933
ISBN-13: 978-0810988934

Biography

Jeff Kinney is an online game developer and designer and is the author of the New York Times bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. He spent his childhood in the Washington, D.C., area and moved to New England in 1995.

A funny book, indeed written about middle school days. The cover of the book caught my eye and I'm sure this book will get your kids reading once again! This book is #1 in the series. Did you like the book? What are your thoughts? With 2 grandsons and a son-in-law who teaches junior high this children's paperback book has been read by our family... it's just for fun! And a great idea with stick-like comic characters.

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