Author of the Month -- Jeff Kinney - Chicago Public Library

For Kids

Get to Know Jeff Kinney

Photo courtesy of publisher

The course of true love never runs smoothly . . . and neither does anything else when you’re Greg Heffley. Jeff Kinney says that this seventh book in the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series "is fun because it deals with boy-girl politics and pre-adolescent romance. Good stuff for a comedy."

The Third Wheel
Abrams, 2012 (Ages 8-12)

Author Jeff Kinney talks about his writing process as part of the Writers Speak to Kids series by NBC.

Finished the book? Tell us what you think… submit your book review today.

Q & A with Jeff Kinney

Where did you get your idea for this book?

I got the idea for this book when I realized my dream of becoming a "real" cartoonist - a newspaper comic strip artist - were not going to come true. I knew that I couldn't draw at a professional level, so I decided to start drawing like a kid. That's how middle-schooler Greg Heffley was born.

What was your favorite book when you were growing up?

My favorite book was Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. Judy Blume created a character, Peter Hatcher, who seemed a lot like me. When I hit the fifth grade I read The Hobbit, which is still one of my favorites.

How old were you when you started writing?

I became a cartoonist in college, but I started writing my Wimpy Kid books when I was 27.

What is your favorite word?

My favorite word at this moment is "developmental." I think there are certain things you can only learn by living through them, and in many ways, my life is unfolding in developmental stages.

More to Explore

Games to Play

Challenge the wimpy kid in you with The Secret Word Game, The Name Tag Game, The Cheese Touch Game, and trivia questions based on the series.

Experiences to Share

Have you ever...

Had an imaginary friend?
Gotten lost in a corn maze?
Had a job as a babysitter?
Spent a day at their work with a member of your family?
Learned how to do ballroom dancing?
Had the chicken pox?

Things to Talk About

Have you seen any changes in Greg since the first “Wimpy Kid” book, such as his outlook on life or how he deals with frustration? How about the people around him?
How do you think the pictures in this series help with telling the story and getting to know Greg?
Do you have any relatives or friends who do confusing things the way Greg’s do?
What do you think Greg’s family members think of him?

From the Page to the Screen

The “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series has been made into three movies, including Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules.
Find out about how this process works in The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary: How Greg Heffley went Hollywood
Have any other of your favorite stories been made into movies? Which did you like better, the book or the film? Why?