Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book [Hardcover]

Jeff Kinney (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 1, 2008 | Age Range: 8 and up | Series: Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Now every kid can write like a Wimpy Kid! An exciting companion to the bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.

 

“First of all, let me get something straight: This is a journal, not a diary.”

 

This innovative interactive journal based on Greg Heffley’s own “diary” lets kids express themselves in an exciting new way. In Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book, kids will be asked: What was the best dream you ever had? The worst thing you ever ate? The best secret you ever heard? The most trouble you ever got in for something that wasn’t even your fault to begin with? This Do-It-Yourself Book features art throughout, along with ruled and blank pages for readers to create their own stories, keep their own diaries, and record their favorites and least faves. Includes a bonus full-color comics section featuring the collected cartoons of Greg Heffley and his best friend, Rowley.

 

Includes
16 pages of full-color comics!

 

 “Move over, Harry Potter. . . . There’s a new set of titles dominating the bestseller list for kids’ chapter books, and there’s nothing ‘fantasy’ about these.”—Andrea Yeats on NPR’s All Things Considered

 

“Perfectly pitched wit and believably self-centered hero . . .”—The New York Times

 

“Charming and hilarious from the get-go. . . . [Kinney has] an uncanny eye for the depredations and triumphs of middle school life.” —The Boston Globe

 

“The writing is sharp, and the artwork, though deceptively simple, is both entertaining and expressive . . . adding comic punch to these funny-because-they’re-true scenes . . .” —Bookpage

 

“Perfect for someone about to go to middle school, perfect for parents to help ease their child into this new phase. . . . Kinney has done a wonderful service for preteens by talking about all those awful, embarrassing, and good moments.” —The San Diego Union Tribune

 

F&P level: T

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jeff Kinney is an online game developer and designer, and the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules. He spent his childhood in the Washington, D.C., area and now lives in southern Massachusetts with his wife and their two sons.

Product Details

• Age Range: 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Amulet Books; 1 edition (October 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810979772
• ISBN-13: 978-0810979772
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (187 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,359 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jeff Kinney is an online game developer and designer, and a #1 New York Times bestselling author. In 2009, Jeff was 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 in 1995. Jeff lives in southern Massachusetts with his wife and their two sons.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 65 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars They love it! May 12, 2010

By Noname TOP 50 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

I have a kindergartener and a third grader who are gung ho over "Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book." My 8 year-old son, who never enjoyed writing, is writing every day in his own diary. The kids fought over it until my kindergartener went out and bought her own.

I asked my son what was so special about this diary. He said it asks him questions. I looked and half the book is filled with pages prompting things like "Five things nobody knows about you because they never bothered to ask" or "The worst nightmare you ever had." There are 16 pages of full color Zoo-Wee Mama comics followed by lined blank pages for the children to write freely.

This Do-It-Yourself Book is a hit. My kids have shown their books to all their friends and I've seen other kids toting them around, as well. It inspired my children to go on and buy their own private locked diaries after having gone through this one. If you have a "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" fan, this book is sure to delight.

44 of 49 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Recovering Wimpy Kid September 15, 2010

By T. Shane Couch

Format:Hardcover

I am 42 years old and bought this book, not for one of my kids, but for me! I am 42 years old and am almost COMPLETELY FINISHED with MY Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do It Yourself Book INCLUDING the journal portion in the back. I was a cartoonist as a kid, I am now a recovering wimpy kid, and I am an avid journaler, so this book rates very high in my world. And my kids love to pick it up and see what new thing Dad came up with. It has inspired their creativity and my 7 year old is dying for her own copy. Set the example, parents, do your own Do It Yourself Book and be your kids' hero! Loved the first two books before it, by the way. RECOVERING WIMPY KIDS UNITE!!

48 of 55 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This is NOT a diary...it's a journal! January 28, 2009

By Melissa Mularski

Format:Hardcover

About the book: Instead of a novel, about half of the book is a workbook/journal -- including survey pages (like: "Five things NOBODY knows about you"), themed drawing pages (like under the heading: "The WORST NIGHTMARE you ever had"), unfinished comic pages (in the typical Wimpy Kid style, where you finish the comic or add text to the balloons). The other half of the book is lined blank journal pages.

We bought this for my 9-year old son because it was a 'Wimpy Kid' title. Despite that, I wasn't expecting him to do more than page through it a couple times, because although he loves the Wimpy Kid series, he has never gone out of his way to write anything more than has been absolutely necessary for school.

To my surprise, my son loves this book. He's had this book about 8 months now and continues to come back to it. He's drawn his own cartoons, filled in many of the surveys, and has written numerous pages of journal entries. Before this Do-It-Yourself book he had no interest in writing; now he comes back to the book often to add to it.

This book has opened my son to the world of journaling. What's more, when he's grown it'll give him a snapshot of what a funny, goofy kid he was.

Update 4/15/2010

At 10 1/2, he still loves coming back to this book and adding to it!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally! April 21, 2010

By Hannah Samuel

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

We finally found the perfect series for our 10 year old son. This book is so disarming that he is doing creative writing and doesn't even know it! This is what learning should be for a 10 year old! This book follows the "Diary" series and allows kids to finish cartoons, write future predictions, and answer questions that every 10 year old boy wants to answer. Highly recommend.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it June 2, 2010

By C. Chaisson

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

my grandchildren loved this . They have devoted much time to trying to complete it.Much better than video games or tv.It requires some reading and thought and I certainly don't feel guilty about using it as a babysitter.Can't wait for them to read it five or ten years from now

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for a kid who hates writing! November 21, 2008

By S. Fields

Format:Hardcover

My 9-yo is a voracious reader and loved Kinney's two "Wimpy Kid" books. When he asked me for this at our school book-fair a few days ago, I was really against it because I figured he'd read what was there and that would be it. But for $5 for the paperback, even a slight chance he would write in it was worth it.

This is a boy who is almost done with the Harry Potter series - reading is not a problem. But getting him to WANT to put pencil to paper is a challenge, and that translates into a lot of painful school nights getting homework done.

Turns out the secret to getting a kid who hates to write to get some practice is a good running start and fart jokes. He's picked it up every day, and though he struggles with his penmanship and getting ideas out of his head, he has really used this! I don't think he'll be journaling regularly any time soon, but I think even the past few days of comic strip writing and other activities has been well worth the 5 bucks.

Kinney is a genius!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Journaling Away June 20, 2011

By Margaret

Format:Unknown Binding

My son has really enjoyed Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, but he LOVES this! He has been carrying it around and writing in daily in the month since we got it. It's the perfect combination of more cartoons to read, fill-in-the-blanks, and space to start his own journal (thanks for not calling it "diary", Mom).

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A winner!! June 2, 2011

By reader

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Bought this for a special needs student and he has thoroughly enjoyed it. It has provided ample opportunities for him to practice handwriting, sentence structure, thinking 'outside the box', and just plain fun. Heartily recommend.