Diary of A Wimpy Kid No Brainer

Diary of A Wimpy Kid

No Brainer

by Jeff Kinney

Published by Puffin (Penguin)
ISBN 8780143778448

This super popular series which has sold 275 million copies internationally, now has an 18th book in the series for kids 8 years and over. If you have read the previous stories in the series you will know that middle school hasn't been a whole head of fun for Greg Heffley.

In this seriously humorous illustrated story, following the same format on lined paper, we find out that things are about to change and Greg's school could be closing down. Soon, but he doesn't really mind until he realises that this best friend Rowley Jefferson will be going to another school. That just won't do, how on earth will he manage without him?

So rather than let that happen, it's time to do something about it.

Greg Heffley has some pretty realistic views about life and school that had me agreeing with him and I'm an older adult - he's got this whole school and then work thing sussed perfectly.

There are some, rather many, funny moments together with a lot of things that frankly just make a lot of sense. Especially the not filling your brain with stuff that is of no use so there isn't any space left for all the good and fun things that are important.

Greg Heffley and his friend's idea for fundraising to try and keep the school from being shuttered are pretty smart and funny, very funny and do mimic what we see in real life, from a kid's perspective. His views on the advertising everywhere in the school are a good example. Then there's the Platinum Club which used to be earned for learning and being smart, but no longer.

He wonders why he is learning Latin, well he did for a few months, when all he can do with it is order burgers.

As part of the fundraising, Greg wins a prize to be the school principal for a day, so how does he deal with the naughty kids in the school that teachers send to the principal's office? Can he be tough on them, given that tomorrow he will be back as a regular student.

But there's more to this, wait until you read about his date and her father and the lessons he learns from their friendships with both. It is really interesting and good amusing reading with a purpose.

High recommended.

The author

Jeff Kinney is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and the Awesome Friendly Kid series. He is a six-time Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award winner for Favorite Book and has been named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World. He spent his childhood in the Washington, D.C., area and moved to New England, where he and his wife own a bookstore named An Unlikely Story.