Diary of a Wimpy Kid, books 1 - 4, by Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (book one)

If you haven’t heard about this series from your kids then I’ll assume it’s because you have none. Kinney’s series is hilarious and easily appreciated by adults as well as children. I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions. My husband would say, “Nothing can be that funny in a kids book. You can stop laughing now.” But Diary of a Wimpy Kid is so funny!

Greg Heffley is about twelve years old when he begins writing his journal – NOT to be confused with a diary. Greg documents many of the events that most middle school students experience or encounter: Halloween, the school musical, Christmas, running for student government, and the safety patrol. Throughout the text, Greg’s cartoons provide lots of laughter. Passages like the one below show Greg’s mischievous side and we are often left to wonder if he will ever learn from his blunders since he almost always gets caught.

“I finally figured out how to get some of my games past Rowley’s dad. I just put one of my discs in Manny’s ‘Discovering the Alphabet’ case, and that’s all it takes” (43).

Greg’s inability to see his faults, many of which we find in ourselves, draws readers to him. Greg is young and we expect him to make mistakes. But we know he’s good at heart.

Publisher: Amulet Books, 2007        Recommended Age: 9 and up
Source: Iowa City Public Library     Pages: 217
Rating: 4 stars

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (book 2)

Greg returns in Rodrick rules to continue entertaining kids and adults alike. In book two, Greg learns to get along with his older brother, Rodrick, which often means becoming an accomplice in his brother’s schemes. As usual, Greg tries to finagle events to his benefit. Greg even prepares contingency plans in case things go wrong. And when his plans backfire, reader laughter ensues. Laugh page after page while Greg tries desperately to keep Rodrick from telling the world his biggest most embarrassing secret. If you’ve ever had a bullying older brother or annoying younger sibling, then you’ll know just what Greg Heffley is going through.
Publisher: Amulet Books, 2008        Recommended Age: 9 and up
Rating: 4 Stars                                    Pages: 217

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw (book 3)

In The Last Straw, book three in the Wimpy Kid series, Greg pushes his luck as far as he can. His antics have finally caught his dad’s attention. So, Greg tries to impress his dad but always seems to fall a little short of expectations. As usual, the cartoons are just as important as the text. Both formats are meant to be read together. And together, the cartoons and text yield rolling laughter. Book three is another quick and fun read - something you can pick up when you've only got a few minutes to read here and there.
Publisher: Amulet Books, 2009     Recommended Age: 9 and up
Source: IC Public Library              Pages: 217
Rating: 4 Stars
 
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (book 4)

Dog Days is the fourth (and currently last) book of the Wimpy Kid series. Greg’s family can’t afford a regular vacation this summer so Greg must learn to occupy and entertain himself in his hometown. He and his best friend, Rowley, have a falling out and Greg ends up drifting in the public pool for a long time before they get back together. This separation was sad since Greg and Rowley’s antics were a central feature in the other books. I missed seeing their relationship. Also, Greg becomes slightly distant from his family in the fourth book and I missed seeing more of his brothers. Overall, Dog Days is still funny, but it didn’t have much new to offer and relied a lot on the previous books’ jokes to fill the gaps. I hope Kinney writes one more Wimpy Kid book to end on a slightly higher note.
Publisher: Amulet Books, 2009      Recommended Age: 9 and up           Source: IC Public Library
Rating: 3 Stars Pages: 217

Flight by Sherman Alexie

Put on your seatbelts, you’re in for a ride. Flight takes the reader through time and space on a journey of reflection. Prepare to be transported, living brief moments in the bodies of other people. Encounter the famous and forgotten of the past. Struggle with the choices you are faced with as the character is. While body-swapping, you’ll experience the memories and emotions of white men and Indian men – feeling their rage, grief, fears and loves. When thrown in the middle of a battle, how do you decide who the good guys are? What would you kill for? Flight offers pause in a world of Hollywood violence. None of this reflection, however, slows down the plot. It moves along swiftly with the humor I’ve come to expect from this author. Once again, Alexie makes me laugh and cry on the same page. I think you will too.
Rating: 4 stars                                        Recommended Age: 17 and up for language and sexual references
Publisher: Black Cat, copyright 2007     Pages: 181
Source: Iowa City Public Library            More on this author at: http://www.fallsapart.com/

My Writing Update

If you would like to follow my writing progress (slow though it is) check it out at http://www.scribophile.com/. You will need to be a member (free) to view my writing. It's a cool web site that allows writers to post creative work and have it critiqued by other writers. If only I had known about this during school! My pen name is M.J. Wright.

Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon

At once, Chabon’s prose transports you over a thousand years into the past to a world of swordsmen and swindlers. If the text seems verbose, that’s because it is and the prolific use of virtually unknown and archaic words may get you down (especially we younger folk). My advice, just go with it and stop reaching for the dictionary. By page forty, many of the terms became self-explanatory and I enjoyed the story without worrying about them. And as far as the story goes, it’s great – a true adventure tale that reminds me of The Hobbit without the fantastic dragon. Don’t get me wrong, Gentlemen is historical fiction and not fantasy. But two unlikely friends, on the road in search of glory and fortune, do remind me of hobbits and dwarfs in Tolkien’s story. I’ve read Chabon’s short story collection, Werewolves in Their Youth (which I didn’t care for), but Gentlemen is completely different. It’s got plenty of humor, fight scenes, elephants and a twist I didn’t see coming. Chabon’s style is elegant and his recreation of a lost era masterful.
Rating: 3 stars                          Pages: with afterword, 204
Publisher: Del Rey Books Trade Paperback Edition, copyright 2007
Source: Barnes and Noble     More on this author at: http://www.southwestern.edu/library/writers-voice/chabon.html

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

This is the second science fiction text I've read by Crichton and, as much as I like science, the technical, scientific explanations slow down the plot. For this reason, I often became bored even though dino DNA is all very interesting. However, at about page 180 (of 399 in my copy) the action picked up. So, if you can last that long, you'll be sucked in and want to finish. Watching the movie before reading the book no doubt skewed my perception of the characters. Hammond, the island owner, was certainly not what I expected and his textual character seemed unbelievable. On the other hand, Malcolm, the mathematician, was magnified in the text and his chaos theory ramblings were entertaining. The book has decent closure considering there is a sequel. The movie is a very good compact and compressed version of the book. Generally, if I don’t like a book by page 80 I quit. But my husband is an avid Crichton fan… Nonetheless, with such a slow beginning, my rating is low.
Rating: 2 stars

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

What I liked about Uglies, book one of a trilogy, is that it features a girl as the protagonist which is hard to come by in survival, adventure, and sci-fi genres. The appeal is all for young teens. What group of people frets more about their looks than young adults? The story was a little silly for me at times although I did enjoy this quick read overall. It was a unique plot that explored ways the trend toward equality might be taken to the extreme and at the cost of our humanity. In other words, it encourges young people to appreciate differences in each other instead of all trying to be the same. If I was ten years younger I would have greatly enjoyed it. As an adult, it was a little fluffy. Most disatisfying was the lack of conclusion at the end of the 425 page book. I like a good teaser ending but Uglies didn't offer any wrap-up to book one. Westerfeld wrote a female character very well. Tally is believable and easy to identify with. Despite the length this is a quick read. If you have time and want to read something strickly for fun Uglies may be your choice.
Rating: 2.5 stars

My Life as Fiction

I have begun writing. I'm calling it fiction even though I draw alot from memory. It's a short story about a young couple who take a road trip to California much like the one my husband and I took - so much so that instead of calling the characgters Jon and Michelle their names are Ron and Elle. Jon likes that. In his book "On Writing" Stephen King reports that real writers don't watch TV. They read and write then read some more. Much of what King says about teaching writing is bogus - all that about good writers never become great writers because either you have it or you don't. Whatever. But I figure, I hate TV anyways (I want to punch the Bachelor in the face) so I'll begin writing a story. I've started with memories, something I know - traveling to the west coast. It's easier for me. This is, after all, the first bit of fiction I've attempted since the 3rd grade. I'm always looking for story suggestions so if you have an idea let me know.

War Dances by Sherman Alexie

A collection of short stories and poems, War Dances regards serious subjects (like death, race, sex and marriage) in a humorous light. This is the second Alexie book I’ve read and I appreciate his clairvoyance and directness. He is not afraid to offend in jest or for real and I actually enjoy authors who don’t beat around the bush but lay things out in the open, even if I don’t agree with (what I think is) “the message.” In War Dances, Alexie captures the multifaceted culture of the U.S. like no author I've read so far. Alexie fans will like War Dances and if you’re new to Alexie jump in and read this. He's one of today's authors you need to try out.
Favorites: “The Limited,” Breaking and Entering, War Dances, “Roman Catholic Haiku.”
Disliked: The Senator’s Son and The Ballad of Paul Nonetheless
Rating: 4 stars                               Recommended Age: 17 and up for language and sexuality.
Publisher: Grove Press, 2009    Pages: 209
Other Alexie Reads: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian: 5 stars, YA Novel

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

This young adult novel caught my interest early and held it for the entire read. Every chapter ended in suspense. I enjoyed trying to solve the mystery with the characters as events unfolded. The character development is a little slim but how could there be much when the characters don't know who they are, only their names. So, really the characters developed as they learned more about who they are. I'm sure book two will offer more development about the Gladers. Thomas and the Gladers are up against an unusual force of evil and it takes all their abilities to solve the maze. The Maze Runner is a fun read that explores how friendship and trust complicate the survival of the fittest. I can't wait for book two!
Rating: 4 stars

The Gunslinger is a Slow Draw

After reaching page 120 I have given up on King's The Gunslinger. What a lousy book. The first page was deceptively awesome. It had a good story idea but became increasingly boring. The book takes itself too seriously. Perhaps with more humor it could have pulled some of the scenes off. Maybe in the future I'll give King's fiction another try. But The Gunslinger is a big pass for me.