Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney

In taking the class CRIN R21: Diverse Children's Literature, I've been over the moon and excited about all of the possibilities for the books I'll be able to delve into within the next month of class time. I wasn't putting Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney in that listing of the books I couldn't wait to crack open, but after finishing it, I have to say - I'm pleasantly surprised.

As an avid reader as a child, I thrived on books that allowed me to peek into the world of someone who was completely different than me, yet, I could relate to. I was able to find books that met that love - books like the Harry Potter series with Hermione (who featured my inner nerd and need to succeed) or  Gone With the Wind with Scarlett (who featured my stubborn-naturedness and love of the South) or Number the Stars with Annemarie (who featured my vulnerability and desire for close friendship). Starting to read Diary of a Wimpy Kid, I was able to see how students who may not typically find pieces of themselves represented in typical books would find their voices represented by the characters that Jeff Kinney so beautiful brings to the surface of the novel.


Diary of a Wimpy Kid has so much potential to get children invested in reading who aren't typically enthralled by the thought of reading a book longer than 20 pages or by reading in general. Because this book is classified as a "graphic novel," there are comic strips integrated throughout the text, which makes reading a 217-page novel fly by and feel much more effortless than usual. And if it feels that way for a 22-year-old Master's in Elementary Education student, I can only imagine how much more effortless and enthralling it feels for a ten-year-old boy who hasn't found a book that he really loves yet. A boy who maybe gets picked on a little in school and doesn't feel like he's special. A boy who really is able to relate to Greg Heffley, the main character, who struggles with typical "Middle Child Syndrome" - always searching for approval from his parents and feeling like his older and younger brothers can do anything and never get in trouble. Greg also really emits the attitude of feeling as if the entire world is against him - which is clearly represented by the turn-around of his friendship with Rowley, his attempted friendship with Fregley, and the result of the "Cheese Touch."


I find myself more and more interested to see what happens to Greg in his middle school adventures as well as being more and more excited about the potential for sharing an interest with my future students in a book that will help them become more motivated to read. When they become motivated to read, they can become successful. And isn't that what a future teacher wants? Successful and motivated students? I think so.