Diary of a Wimpy Kid:Rodrick Rulesby Jeff Kinney
Syndetic Solutions - [Book Review for 9780810994737] Book Review : School Library Journal
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Gr 4–8—Hapless and hilarious Greg Heffley returns with another diary full of the minor irritations, major disasters, and occasional triumphs of a wimpy boy's middle school life. Kinney combines hand-written text with comical cartoons to present a character who is self-centered, sneaky, and dishonest, but also occasionally insightful and always very funny. Older brother Rodrick is his primary nemesis this time, partly because he threatens to spill Greg's embarrassing secret to the whole world. A nerdy best friend, a little brother who gets away with everything, and a bunch of clueless adults add significantly to Greg's problems. Readers, of course, will note that most of the narrator's troubles are self-inflicted, as when he wraps himself in toilet paper to avoid hypothermia in the boys' bathroom, does a disastrous job of pet-sitting, or decides to "wing it" for his school report on "The Amazing Moose." He's a character that readers can laugh at and empathize with at the same time. The line drawings that appear on every page play a large part in bringing Greg's world to life, providing humorous characterizations and details not mentioned in words. They also extend the appeal of the book to readers who are still a few years away from middle school themselves. Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Abrams, 2007) has been wildly popular, and this sequel should be an equally big hit with reluctant readers, especially boys, and anyone looking for a funny book.—Steven Engelfried, Multnomah County Library, OR Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Syndetic Solutions - [Book Review for 0810994739] Book Review : BookList
: From BookList, February 1, 2008, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission. : Greg Heffley is back, and with him the trappings that made his first outing, Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2007), such a popular triumph. Once again diarist Greg chronicles a hilarious litany of problems, alternating between home and school, focusing this time on the particular punishments of his reprobate older brother, Rodrick. Whether Greg is suffering on the swim team or trying out for the Kû12 school talent show as Magician's Assistant to a First Grader, his escapades are united by his struggle to avoid embarrassment. As before, he peppers his journal entries with his own cartoons (in look and tone, a sort of hybrid of The Simpsons and the Timbertoes), using them as any 12-year-old would-to add insult to injury. But the real and deeper appeal of Greg's story is the unapologetic honesty of his adolescence; he comes across as a real kid, and his story is one that will appeal to all those real kids who feel just like him. Barthelmess, Thom. : | distributed by Syndetic Solutions, LLC.: |
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