From the first sentence, Greg Heffley explains in Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Book One), "First of all, let me get this straight: This is a JOURNAL, not a diary" to his latest adventure in Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, where he starts out his diary (oops, I mean journal!) with "For me, summer vacation is basically a three-month guilt trip," author Jeff Kinney explores the life of Greg Heffley.
And here it is, the dog days of summer. Yes! No school, no homework, no worries. Or so Greg thought. A self-declared indoor person, who would rather be home with the curtains closed, playing video games, Greg finds himself pressed into the light to enjoy outdoor activities and a little family togetherness. But Greg grouses, "just because the weather's nice, everyone expects you to be outside all day ‘frolicking’ or whatever."
The Wimpy Kid series is nothing short of a phenomenon. Originally intended for adults, the cheeky Greg resonates with kids from third graders to early teenagers. The appeal? Perhaps it’s the real problems Greg confronts. Perhaps it’s his complete lack of moral compass. Perhaps it’s the silly cartoon-style drawings. Whatever the magic of these books, it is clear that, with the latest installment -- grabbed from my hands by my 8-year-old and read by him in one sitting -- Author Jeff Kinney has once again hit home with Dog Days.
- Joyce Shulman & Kathie Zaccaria -
