Wimpy Kid Wednesdays: Movie Diary (The Next Chapter)

 

Kinney, Jeff / May 15, 2017

The Long Haul book and movies are infamous for their hate. But, what about the book describing how the movie was made? The first three Wimpy Kid movies each got books dedicated to them about the production and history of them. And of course, the fourth book got this treatment too, just a month acter the film released. Here's what I think about it.

The first 3 diaries have a start about how the previous movie went and why they started production on a movie. But this one starts with a story about Kinney and his family on a road trip and how this impacted The Long Haul forty years later, which I feel is a pretty mediocre start. But, then again, if it had the same start as the first one, I’d just call it a cash grab.

While the book is quite informative, it’s not that funny. The first three editions had very informative and funny ways of telling what happened in the film, specifically with the drawings. But Kinney tries to make it like that by dissing on the characters’.. hairs? Anyways, it’s not funny.

I’d just watch behind the scenes clips instead of getting this book. Thank gosh for audiobooks.

Wimpy Kid Wednesdays: Double Down

 

Kinney, Jeff / November 1, 2016

What the heck was WRONG with me? Why the hell did I use to defend this book?! There is so much wrong with it and nothing remotely decent enough for me to include it in the review. This is one of the worst Wimpy Kid books I HAVE EVER EVER READ.

The plot is scattered all over the place and there’s not just ONE single focus, there are literally four of them! You can’t even explain what happens in the book properly because of the gosh-darn continuity. It’s so annoying!

What else is annoying is Greg throughout the book. Greg’s thoughts are super duper unrealistic. As he gets older he gets stupider and this book is an example of that, and in this book his character is supposed to be fifteen years old and he still thinks that the world revolves around him.. how stupid is this kid?  

Not to mention his thoughts about heaven. He thinks that he will be in heaven but it feels like he is Christian because he just wants to get everything his way, like he never does. IT IS SO STUPID!!

I guess that Greg throughout this book was supposed to be funny and it fails so badly it’s not even funny. The punchlines are distributed unrealistically and in no way funny AT ALL.

The book has references to Dr. Salazar who appears in book 5 and the cheese touch from book 1-2. These parts weren’t needed in the book at all and it just feels like an obvious attempts for longer fans of the series to have an excuse to like the book, but it’s not good at all.

How is Greg’s luck in this SO BAD!? How is it he joins the band but somehow he’s not on the side of his crush? Why is Greg tested so horribly? You’d think at least ONCE something happens his way, but no! This is so annoying!

I’m crapping on this book.. but just imagine how bad the Disney+ movie will be…

Wimpy Kid Wednesday: Old School

Kinney, Jeff / November 3, 2015

Old School is a book showing the struggles of students and kids aged 15 not using devices. Susan Heffley has managed to get 50 signatures for a petition to “log off to reconnect.” Jeff Kinney’s purpose of making Old School was rebooting the Wimpy Kid books in a new beginning, with many differences from past books. Like always, in almost every book, Jeff Kinney also tried making this as relatable as possible. 

Book 10 looked very interesting to me as a kindergartener. I did not care about how long the book was, but when I read it, it didn’t disappoint.

I enjoyed how Jeff Kinney tried changing up a little bit, as Book 9 The Long Haul was about a family trip. This one is about camping, no technology, stories and myths you find it hard to believe, and that’s not something you find in a Wimpy Kid book.

This book is very relatable for many people aged 9-15, and you can relate to the cover which features Greg confused on how to use a cassette player from the circa 90s-2000s.

BUT-BUT-BUT- yes, there is a butt. There were a few minor setbacks in this book.

After watching Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3: Dog Days, then reading this book, it makes me disappointed seeing Frank funny or social with his kids was only in the movies.

This book is mainly scattered all over the place, fun to read. At the same time if it wasn't for this book I wouldn’t be a fan of the Wimpy Kid universe. This book deserves a 4 star.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Old School is a great book for readers who like an adventure with a fresh hint of relatable humor. If you think you should read it, it’s your choice.

4 years later I would end up re-discovering the Wimpy Kid, and becoming a major fanatic.

Wimpy Kid Wednesdays: The Long Haul

Kinney, Jeff / November 5, 2014

I will be honest and completely honest. This book was a slightly bit boring so I didn’t have too much to say about it. But here is what I will say.

The whole plot with different languages was kind of funny, and it is sad to see it being recycled in No Brainer, which I will have reviewed soon and I think is the worst book in the series. Speaking of worst, I think Susan is the worst in this book. She forces the family to do everything she wants and only cares about the happiness of Manny. But I also think she is a bit of a good character in this one..

Ugh I cannot believe I said that.

In her desperate attempts to make this educational and fun, she is in deep just a sweet mom who cares about the happiness and learning of Greg and Rodrick.. at least in THIS book. She sucks in the rest, like always.. Anyways, her trying to make it educational is good, but she’s doing it in the wrong way.

My issues is that some of the scenes are unrealistic, specifically Manny and the pig. It’s weird to see a pig doing such humane things. So that is not the most relatable part. Not to mention running into The Beardos a GAZILLION times. This happens every time.. it’s like fate. In Rodrick Rules (the movie) Greg and Holly SOMEHOW go to the same church. In Dog Days (the movie) Greg and Patty SOMEHOW END UP AT THE SAME TENNIS COURT. HOW. WHY?! WHEN!

 

Anyways, this is a kinda-not-really relatable way of showing that not everything will go right spending time with family, especially on a road trip.

Wimpy Kid Wednesdays: Hard Luck

Kinney, Jeff / November 6, 2013

This has everything a classic Wimpy Kid book should have - Greg hating literally everything!

Hard Luck is a continuation of The Third Wheel, now with Rowley having a girlfriend and Greg being left out. Greg tries to do ANYTHING for better luck, and suddenly finds a Magic Eight Ball. In this book, The Heffley family lose a ring that had been in the family for generations and spend most of the book trying to find it.

What I like about this book is how overused it is. The plots in The Wimpy Kid series always feature Greg’s luck being nonexistent, while someone close to him [friend or family] has it all. This formula is used in most books and Jeff Kinney still manages to change it up. That’s what makes me love the Wimpy World. Same but different!

Did I say it was perfect, though? The plot with Meemaw’s ring is pointless as it doesn’t contribute to the Hard Luck part of the story. It just takes up half of the book and is a waste of the story. When someone says Hard Luck, I don’t think of finding a ring that’s been in your family for generations, I think of HARD LUCK.

Despite Abigail having to be part of this book, she’s a horrible character. She’s like Greg, just worse. She gets Rowley to carry her stuff, and doesn’t even let him have any opinions. Not only that, but at the end of the book she does something HORRIBLE.  She’s one of those 11 year old females who are completely against boys and their immature instincts, actions and likes. Which is ridiculous. Let someone be themselves. Jeff Kinney did a wonderful job at making me hate someone.

This book is a good use of your money but not one of the best. This is a  ‘read-when-bored’ or ‘buy-because-the-other-book-was-out of stock” publication.

This book deserves a 3 cheese rating.

Happy 10th anniversary to the book “Diary of a Wimpy Kid 8: Hard Luck”.

Wimpy Kid Wednesdays: Third Wheel

 Kinney, Jeff / November 14, 2012

Okay, so, as you might have guessed from me taking my time to design and set up a logo, a schedule and a whole blog dedicated to reviewing the entire Diary of a Wimpy Kid book and movie series, I am a big fan of the entire Diary of a Wimpy Kid book and movie series.. but I’m not so sure about The Third Wheel.

So my first issue with the book is that it is not very.. relatable. The target audience for Diary of a Wimpy Kid is.. let’s be honest. This book doesn’t appeal to 14 year olds. It appeals to 8-12 year olds. And I don’t think third graders will have an expierence with a middle school prom.. or middle school.. or a prom..

Secondly, there is no character development at all. There is nobody in this book who degrades or improves their character, they just stay the same horrible jerks or good characters they are. Speaking of characters, Greg is the worst one.

Valentine’s Day is about spending time with someone you LOVE. And Greg doesn’t LOVE any of the girls at his school. He just has a crush on them because they’re cute, but doesn’t actually know anything else about them. So he classifies himself as a good choice for most of the girls, but when one girl rejects him, he goes to another one. And this goes on for 5 percent of the book. Not to mention how he doesn’t think Rowley has a CHANCE of getting a Valentine, which is pretty stupid.. you will NOT believe the way Greg makes Abigail (who he eventually goes to the dance with) not become interested in him.

Nevertheless it is a funny unrelatable book. This definetly is not on my top 5.. but you do you, I guess.

Wimpy Kid Wednesdays: Movie Diary (Story of all 3 Movies)

Jeff Kinney / July 25, 2022

In 2022 I begged my parents for this book as a Christmas gift. They were thinking about getting me Diper Overlode instead, but luckily they got me this book. AND I LOVE IT SO MUCH!

This book is an informative and of course hilarious way of diving deep in the world of movie-making, and in this case it was the first 3 Wimpy Kid movies.

With new original drawings and things that the essential Wimpy Kid fan needs to know about the production about the film, this is the best book in the series, sure way better then Cabin Fever. My only problem is that the book has too much info on the first movie. In 2011 the book  was again re-published with new pages about the second film, which is the favourite addition to the film franchise of MANY of the Wimpy Kid fans. But the thing is, it feels like a scam because there were only 19 pages about the second movie. There is a lot more we do have to know about the second film and the book doesn’t cover much of it.

I thought about thinking of getting the 2011 edition for the Rodrick Rules section until I figured out it was only 19 pages longer. The 2012 edition is 254 pages, and the 2010 edition is 199.

Anyways, this is essential, okay? The best book I’ve ever read. EVER.