by ValerieW-17, 25 January 2010

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Just for the record, I would like to state that I have never been a fan of neither children nor children’s literature. I am known to cringe in the mere presence of kids---I’m sure you can imagine what happens when the inevitable screaming and/or crying begins. Reading The Little Prince for my French class last year was a painful experience due to its lack of resonance with me (I’m sure the fact hat it was written in French didn’t help either!) Despite all this, however, I still consider Diary of a Wimpy Kid one of my favourite book series.

I’m well aware that the target audience for these novels is significantly younger than my age group--wow, I can’t believe I’m old enough to say that!--but the G-rated humour in these books is simple enough to appeal all readers. The intrinsic lovableness of tweenage protagonist Greg Heffley and his misadventures is another reason to love these books, as they make for a highly entertaining read. Although Greg can be selfish and ignorant much of the time, his brief flashes of innocence more than compensate for this, not to mention the fact that this is just the way most kids are (okay, so maybe this is a little biased, but you gotta admit, it’s kinda true…).

Even more notable, however, would be the way the author manages to blend in a healthy dose of socio-political commentary. Make no mistake--the books are not a parable for the downfall of society or anything like that--but little gems such as “I’ve learned that people really aren’t afraid to use you, especially when a country club is involved” are what make the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series more than a cheap laugh. Whether you’re just looking for something to procrastinate with or something more substantial, Diary of a Wimpy Kid will scratch the itch.