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.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a satirical realistic fiction novel by Jeff Kinney. It is the first book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. The book is about a boy named Greg Heffley and his struggles in middle school.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid first appeared on FunBrain.com in 2004, where it was read 20 million times. The abridged hardcover adaptation was released on April 1, 2007. Diary of a Wimpy Kid was named New York Times bestseller among awards and praise. A film of the same name was released on March 19, 2010. The sequel to the film is Rodrick Rules, followed by Dog Days.
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.
Discussion questions from Multnomah County Library
Spoiler alert! Some of the questions contain key elements of the plot. Do not read if you don’t want to know what happens!
- This book has many humorous moments. Which part of the book did you find the funniest? Why?
- How do the illustrations add interest to the story?
- What do you think of Greg’s friendship with Rowley?
- If you could pick one adjective to describe Greg, what would it be?
- Do you think that Greg really is a wimpy kid? Why or why not?
- Describe Greg’s relationship with his brothers. How is your relationship with your siblings the same or different?
- How is popularity measured in your school? By the clothes you wear? How good you are at sports? How smart you are?
- How is your middle school experience similar to Greg’s? How is it different?
- Have you ever kept a journal? In what ways did it help you to write down events in your life?
- Predict Greg’s future! Imagine what Greg will be like when he’s 35. What kind of job will he have?
Teachers can also use the movie:
LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWWQ7JaRIro
A live-action adaptation of Jeff Kinney’s best-selling illustrated novel, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” chronicles the adventures of skinny “middle child” Greg Heffley over the course of a school year, as told through his diary and hand-drawn cartoons. Determined not to remain on the lowest rung of the social ladder during his first year of middle school, the hapless Greg takes several stabs at becoming popular – including betraying his seemingly uncool best friend – but when his efforts backfire spectacularly, he realizes that keeping a low profile may not be such a bad idea after all. As Greg says, “One day I’ll be rich and famous, but for now I’m stuck in middle school with a bunch of morons.” Zachary Gordon as Kinney’s wise-cracking hero, Greg Heffley. Rachael Harris and Steve Zahn play Greg’s quirky parents.
AND SEE:
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[PDF]A TEACHING GUIDE TO THE SERIES – Wimpy Kid
Diary of a Wimpy KidCommon. Core State Standards … and the. NCTE/IRA. English Language … for connecting the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series to related texts by embedding.
ALSO SEE:
Lesson Plan from State Library of Louisiana
Young People's Pavilion 