Why a good book is a secret door

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A Book For Wimpy Readers

A Book For Wimpy Readers

Diary of a Wimpy KidOver the past week, I have been reading the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series books 4 and 5. I have heard a lot of good things about this series, but I never knew they would be this funny! My brother used to read these books all the time when we were younger and I could see why – they are very relatable to younger boys and I think they really play to that audience.

Since typically younger boys do not like to read, as it talks about in Book 4 “Dog Days”, I think this series is pure genius. It engages younger readers and it really does not feel like a typical book. Since it is laid out in diary form, it makes it seem a lot more like a short story than a novel. There are also small pictures that are typically very funny on each page, so it keeps the readers engaged.

The characters are another part of the book that works so well. Greg Heffley, the main character is the most relatable person they could’ve chosen to narrate this story. Throughout the books, we see him struggle with a lot of real-life issues that any young boy would go through. In Book 4 we see him dealing with the hardships of what to do over summer, dealing with tough responsibilities such as finding work to pay back a smoothie bill or even overcoming fights with his closest friend, Rowley. Having all of these hassles makes the books funny, meanwhile teaching the readers a lesson on how to overcome them.

They have since turned this book into a movie which is supposed to be just as funny. It is called, “The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary”. I have watched this movie with my younger brother and it was absolutely hilarious. If I were to have these books in my classroom, I would definitely get the movie to go along with it. I think it is such a great idea to have the students read a book and then show a movie after so that they can compare it to something and start to actually picture what the author wanted the characters to look like in real life. I remember when I was younger that I would always try to find out if the book I was reading had a movie as well and of it did, I would watch it and always have a clearer understanding of the book at the end. I know this is very common with larger series such as Harry Potter, The Hunger Games or Twilight.

I think this book would be the perfect asset for a classroom of fourth to fifth graders. I would definitely recommend them because they are very funny and targeted to the audience that does not typically enjoy reading. I would definitely also get the movie and include it in the classroom set in order for my students to be able to fully immerse themselves into the story and have a better idea of what the characters might look like and how they would interact in real life.

One Reply to “A Book For Wimpy Readers”

  1. I am reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid as well! I totally agree that this is a great book for the younger generation especially boys. I think they can relate to a lot of the things the boys get into in the books. Also I noticed that the main character has a very big imitation and I remember when I was a child I would imagine all types of things. I am very happy that I was not the only one who found the movie hilarious, I watched it with my younger cousins and at times I would notice I was laughing more than they were. This book is great for young students and I am happy to say I will for sure be recommending this book to all my students.

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