Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney
University of Maryland alum Jeff Kinney may call himself a "failed cartoonist" (he drew a strip called Igdoof in college and had hoped to syndicate it), but he's on a heckuva ride with his “Wimpy Kid” franchise. "Dog Days," the fourth book about middle schooler Greg Heffley, goes on sale Oct. 12 (with a print run of four million), and the live-action movie “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” is scheduled for release in 2010. The Baltimore Sun's Mark Gross asked Kinney about his work. Here's an excerpt:
Q: What differences do you see between how children appreciate “Wimpy Kid” and how adults appreciate it?
Kinney: Younger kids read it at face value, and they’re shocked by Greg’s behavior. The kids in fourth and fifth grade get the irony, and they get that the humor comes from Greg’s flaws. Adults might see it as a nostalgia piece, which is what I intended.
Q: You’ve called Greg a middle school Larry David.
Kinney: I think that’s a pretty good analogy. He can be a miserable person at times and a crummy friend, but you are entertained by him and you stick with him. That’s the tightrope I walk when writing for Greg Heffley.
While she always preferred The Hardy Boys to Nancy Drew, 
Comments
woohoo
Posted by: keren | October 12, 2009 2:29 PM
i love wimpy kid
Posted by: loveya | October 12, 2009 4:51 PM
iT came out today i am getting it it is so exciting
Posted by: ben | October 12, 2009 7:34 PM
i hope dog days is as intersting as the othet books
Posted by: Anonymous | October 12, 2009 8:00 PM
I love diary of a wimpy kid jeff i hope u make lots more i have read diary of a wimpy kid,rodrick rules,last straw,i cant wait 4 dog days 2 come out!!!
Posted by: Hailee | October 12, 2009 11:25 PM
i just finished the book its sooooo good
Posted by: Andrew Clements | October 13, 2009 2:31 AM
I just read dog days it is awesome!
Posted by: nathan | October 13, 2009 9:37 PM
wmpy kid rocks
Posted by: cade | October 14, 2009 5:07 PM
Great book! Love it! When is the next one coming out?what book name will be on series five? And what color will it be?
Posted by: Abdoul Fofana | October 14, 2009 5:32 PM
i love diary of a wimpy kid it is my favrote boook
Posted by: nolan | October 15, 2009 3:59 PM
i have read them and have them all and im getting dog days today
Posted by: collin | October 15, 2009 6:15 PM
OMG!cant wait 2 go 2 barnes and noble 2 pick it up!!! ... lol
Posted by: Nelson8r | October 15, 2009 6:52 PM
geting it tomorrow hope it is good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: good book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | October 15, 2009 9:25 PM
I haven't read this book but I really want it
Posted by: Zachary Johnson | October 15, 2009 9:55 PM
CAN"T WAIT TO GET IT
Posted by: caM | October 15, 2009 10:15 PM
INEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED THAT BOOK!!!!
Posted by: Anonymous | October 16, 2009 8:54 PM
i have a q stion is the next book going to be about him going to high school and the whole thing is turned around and he is the coolest boy in school but rowly wont be his fried no more because he like the way he was so then the book ends like he got to be friends again with rowly,but greg finds a big ,huge ,and giant secrect of that greg and his older brother are ADOPTED and gregs little brothe isnt adopted.=)
Posted by: alesonic | October 17, 2009 7:18 PM
yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Anonymous | October 17, 2009 8:13 PM
the book is soooooooo cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was home sick one day and me and my mom went to barnes and nobel and I got all the books sat by the fire and read them all in one day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 Jeff Kinney you rock!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: shannon | October 19, 2009 8:01 PM
ALL OF THEM ARE SO TOTALLY AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(p.s.I hink greg is cool.)
Posted by: Anoymous | October 20, 2009 5:47 PM
diary of a wimpy kid is cool
i just got #5
Posted by: couron | October 23, 2009 7:24 PM
i love the book dog day well you send me book 2 and three at westchester ohio at highland green 6727
Posted by: angel | October 24, 2009 12:43 PM
DIARY OF A WIMPY KID IS RAD DOUD
Posted by: dodo | October 31, 2009 5:55 PM
man i love these books!I thought these books look like there for dorks,but i started to read my friends second one and i loved it!The second one is my favorite but the other ones are funny too!This dude cracks me up so much man!God bless Greg Heffley and Jeff Kinney lol just kidding but i really really really love these books!they are hilarious.♥ it!
Posted by: Salina | November 2, 2009 12:13 AM
I love!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this book check it out at book fair i think
greg is so cool
Posted by: azaria | November 9, 2009 6:29 PM
Man i wanna reed this the 11'th timmeeeeee! :)
Posted by: Sam | November 17, 2009 6:36 PM
Diary of a Wimpy Kid is the best book ever. I read every book
Posted by: Ibrahim | November 17, 2009 8:20 PM
I like theses books.
Posted by: ibrahim | November 17, 2009 8:22 PM