Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Kinney, Jeff. Diary of a wimpy kid:

Greg Heffley's journal. New York:

Amulet Books, 2007.

By Jeff Kinney

Copyright: 2007

Publisher:  Amulet Books

Reading Level:

• Lexile:  590L

• Grade level:  3-5

Genre:  Comic book and Graphic novel

Description:  Humor and sarcasm, Friends and friendships, Growing up, Trying to fit in

Suggested Delivery:  Independent reading

Summary:  Greg Heffley talks about the struggles of being new to middle school in this journal he writes in daily.  He also explains the annoyance of his older brother, Roderick, who makes it his job to pick on him, playing pranks on him and putting the blame on him in many situations.  His friend, Rowley, is Greg's sidekick and "partner in crime," however, when Rowley gains popularity in school, Greg grows jealous and their friendship is tested.  Greg's humor and 

Electronic Resources:

• Official Website:  the Wimpy Kid website includes links for each book in the series, fascinating information about the author, Jeff Kinney, and his journey to becoming a children's book author, as well as interactive videos, and fun activities for children to enjoy.

• Teaching Resources:  this website gives specific lesson plan ideas for teaching this book with different graphic organizer samples, questioning strategies, and pre- and post- reading activities.

Key Vocabulary:  blubbering, stashing, well-rounded, gimmick, exhibit, cronies, regimen, fabrication, red-handed

Teaching suggestions:

• Use this book to encourage students to write down their daily feelings and practice journal writing.
• Recommend this book to students as a free read that is entertaining and humorous, making them desire to read more often.

Comprehension Strategies:

• Before Reading:  
• Discuss one of the major themes of this story that they will be reading, which is the idea of feeling uncomfortable in a new school setting and dealing with the struggle to fit in.  Ask the students if they have ever had experiences like this or are uncertain about moving on to a new school in the higher grades.  Explain that these feelings are all a part of growing up and discovering yourself.  Students will be able to better connect with the narrator Greg from discussing these ideas beforehand.

• During Reading:  
• Students will be instructed to take careful note on each of the characters in the story and the different personality traits they possess.

• After Reading:  
• Students will be given a worksheet on differentiating between each of the characters in this story, using personality traits and demeanors of the individuals.  There will be a Word Bank containing a list of adjectives that could fit the description of the different characters (ex. irresponsible, respectful, compassionate, rebellious, lazy, etc.); the students will have to decide which words best fit each one, including evidence from the book to support their ideas.

Writing Activity:

Have the students begin to make their own daily journal entries similar to Greg's that include random thoughts, feelings, and drawings to express their ideas.  Students will be instructed to journal everyday for a week, but will be encouraged to continue writing in these journals during free time throughout the year or at home.