Diary of a Wimpy Kid: A Novel in Cartoons (Diary of a Wimpy Kid 1) by Jeff Kinney

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"This is a journal, not a diary!" Boys don’t keep diaries...or do they?

The launch of an exciting and innovatively illustrated new series narrated by an unforgettable kid every family can relate to. It’s a new school year, and Greg Heffley finds himself thrust into middle school,... read more

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Summary edit see section history

As Greg Heffley is getting ready for middle school, he is teased by his older brother Rodrick because his mom, Susan bought him supplies for school, including a blank red diary,instead of his mom buying him a journal like he asked her to. He has a little brother, Manny who is "spoiled rotten" because he gets everything he wants and also gets away with everything he does wrong, unlike Greg, who gets in trouble for everything he does wrong. His father Frank does not encourage Greg's way of life - playing video games all day - rather than going outside and playing sports. Greg, during the first day of school, is immediately rejected and is forced to sit with another outcast who lives near Greg, Fregley, from whom Greg tries to keep "a safe distance". He is initially unsure of Rowley Jefferson being able to fit in, and tries to change Rowley, who Greg considers immature. Greg and Rowley decide to participate in wrestling at school, although Greg quits after losing a match against Fregley. On Halloween, Greg and Rowley go trick-or-treating, but are challenged by there of teens who they irritate and enrage and spray them with a fire extinguisher . The two friends barely escape to safety so they decide to go and stay in Gregs grandmother's house until the teens leave them alone.

After getting few presents for Christmas, Greg decides to play a game with Rowley in which Rowley must ride a Big Wheel while Greg tries to knock him off. On one of Greg's tries, the ball gets under the front wheel, which causes Rowley to fall off and break his arm. The next day, a bunch of girls crowd around Rowley so they could feed him. Greg and Rowley decide to enroll in the Safety program in which they walk younger kids to their homes. One day, as Greg is walking the kids by himself,he chases the young children, only after scaring them with a stick with worms on it. A neighbor contacts the school and tells them about Greg's unusual behavior. The principal suspects Rowley, as Greg was wearing Rowley's coat. Rowley is quickly fired. Greg initially wants to tell him it is his fault that he was fired, but doesn't, only to let the truth slip later. This leads to Rowley breaking off his friendship with Greg. Greg tries to befriend Fregley to make Rowley jealous, although he is uncomfortable around Fregley. Resorting to auditioning for the school play (based on The Wizard of Oz) Greg lands the role as a tree, while Patty is cast as Dorothy, the protagonist of the novel. During the show's opening performance, Rodrick unexpectedly brings a camera to film the play. Greg becomes too nervous to sing, confusing the other "trees" who also fail to sing. Patty gets frustrated and angers Greg, who then throws props at Patty, and then everyone gets in the fight, ending the play in chaos.

Rowley confronts Greg, which leads to a non-physical fight. The teens return and the younger kids scatter. The teens force Greg and Rowley to eat the "Cheese Touch," a moldy piece of cheese that had been left on the grounds of the school. Greg refuses, dishonestly claiming that he is allergic to cheese and will die if he eats it, thus leaving Rowley to eat it. The other students notice that the Cheese is gone, assuming that someone has destroyed it; however, Greg takes the blame instead of Rowley as he feels pity on him. He and Rowley again become friends and Greg begins to anticipate a relaxing summer of playing video games.

Characters edit see section history

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Gregory Heffley: Greg is starting his new school and finds it hard to fit in. Everyone thinks he is a dork. Greg likes to keep a diary of everything he does. His best friend is Rowley.
Rowley Jefferson: Rowley Jefferson is Greg's best friend. Greg treats Rowley more like a sidekick than a best friend, though.
Susan Heffley: Susan Heffley is Greg's mother who is described (by Greg) as almost nothing more than an annoying pain. She tries hard to be a good, loving, dedicated mother and wife, but she turns out to just be embarrassing.
Frank Heffley: Greg's dad. Like Susan, he also spoils Manny. Frank doesn't really like Greg's laziness and his hobby of playing video games.
Manny Heffley: Manny is Greg's younger brother and is even more spoiled than both Rodrick and Greg combined, is a tattletale and loves candy. Manny is extremely selfish, mean, bratty, greedy and phobic. And he calls Greg names (bubby) and does not get in trouble. His mom never yells at him and is immune to getting in trouble. And he is SCARED of the "Potty Monster".
Rodrick Heffley: Rodrick is Greg's older brother. Lazy, greedy, stupid, and a bit cruel. He likes to torture Greg, although he is smart enough to not to mess up with Manny. The drummer/leader of the band "Loded Diper".
Collin Lee: Rowley's substitute best friend!
Shane Snella: The first volunteer for Greg and Rowley's haunted house.
Bryce Anderson: The most popular kid in school at Greg's middle school.
Preston Mudd: The athlete of the month in Greg's Middle School, but gets teased by his name... Pee Mud because of the initial and the last name.
Chirag Gupta: One of the shortest kid in 6th grade. Easily teased, but he is stronger then a normal Indian nerd, so WATCH OUT!!!
Fregley: School nutter and immature dude. Weird kid that is the only kid in school that doesn't have a friend to hang out with. Greg hates him, but his mom thinks they make a perfect couple of friends.
Bill: Lead singer of Loded Diper. He still lives with his parents.

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Quotes edit see section history

“Everyone be sure to wish Greg a happy birthday!”They all start to hit him. He is glad he’s not on the swim team this year because he gets punched on his birthday. He couldn’t lift his arm because it was so sore. He was punched ten times that day by all of the team mates.”
“The muddy hand” It is off a scary movie the Greg and his friend had watched the one night. It was about a hand made of mud that was killing a lot of people. Him and his friend thought that they were next and they slept in the bathroom.”
“Then I slipped the bill up between the boards and waited for the first victim.” The borders are at the boardwalk on the beach. It was a trick his brother had taught him to do. He had a teenager do it and they all chased him and he got away. They did it again to a little kid and when tried the third time the little kid was too fast for them and got the dollar before they could pull it down.”
“My mom got this for me so I could write my feelings down." Greg's Mom got him this Diary so he could write how he feels in/about middle school. but Greg uses it to write what happens during his 1st year in middle school.”
“I'll be famous one day, but for now I'm stuck in middle school with a bunch of morons.”

Setting & Locations edit see section history

Gregory's house, The Middle School, The Video game store, etc

Home: Greg's house
the video game store: A place were you buy games.
Middle School: A school for kids in grades 6-8th
Rowley's house: Where Rowley lives

Organizations edit see section history

Loded Diper: Rodrick (Greg's brother)'s Band that plays rock

First Sentence edit see section history

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

Table of Contents edit see section history

There are no specified chapters. Only dates

Glossary edit see section history

Cheese Touch: Noun. A taboo of touching a horribly rancid cheese on the basketball court of your school, hence causing people to avoid you. You can pass on this cheese touch to another by simply touching that other person, and that person to another, and the cycle goes on. The only way to avoid receiving the cheese touch is to keep your fingers crossed as one attempts to pass it to you.
Twisted Wizard: A video game that Greg and Rowley play.
Zoo-Wee Mama: A word that Greg and Rowley made up for making the school comics. It is used when you are surprised, amazed or astonished.

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 1 of 8 in Diary of a Wimpy Kid. (standard series)

Followed by Rodrick Rules.

This is book 77 of 194 in Shelfari Most Popular (December 2010). (authoritative list)

This is book 136 of 195 in Shelfari Most Popular (June 2010). (authoritative list)

This book is in My favorite Books!. (community list)

This is book 63 of 195 in Shelfari Most Popular (June 2011). (authoritative list)

This is book 62 of 195 in Shelfari Most Popular (December 2011). (authoritative list)

This is book 2 of 216 in Whitcoulls Kids' Top 50 (2011). (authoritative list)

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

Jeff Kinney (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Amulet Books
Country: USA
Publication Date: April 1, 2007
ISBN: 978-0-1433-0383-1
Page Count: 218

Awards edit see section history

Whitcoulls Kids' Top 50 (2011) (2011, #18)
ALA Best Book for Young Adults (2008, #3)

Classification edit see section history

Library of Congress: 2006031847
Dewey: Add the Dewey Classification.

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Minor language, bullying, minor smoking reference.

Subjects edit see section history

Books › Children's Books › People & Places › Social Situations › Friendship
Books › Children's Books › Literature › Humorous

Links to Supplemental Material edit see section history

Movie Connections edit see section history

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (IMDb): 2010 It is not that good as the book but it is ok and you should watch Dairy of The Wimpy Kid 2.

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Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2007) (edit title/settings)

A Novel in Cartoons

by Jeff Kinney (Author) (edit contributors)