The Impact of Diary of a Wimpy Kid

The true ending of Diary of a Wimpy Kid is when you realize the “relatable” character you had been agreeing with was an asshole all along.

I feel like the bigger the nose, the more Greg hates the person

The cheese touch was so powerfully influential that it made it's way into my school and we didn't even have the cheese

the "you pissed me off" line from the regular show had me convinced as a kid that it was a show for like. teens or adults. it only blew my mind years later lmao

Hot take: Fregley's just a time-traveling Manny

Fun fact: the Swedish title of the book is even more narcissistic, it’s just called: Diary for all my fans

I'm a 2004 kid. This honestly explains so much. I grew up on diary of a wimpy kid, Calvin and Hobbes, the misadventure of flapjack, courage the cowardly dog, chowder, regular show, adventure time, and so on. It's kinda insane looking back and realizing that my generation actually has an explanation for our broken humor lol

"...and worst of all, he's a SIMP." Comedy gold

I literally had no idea, that in english the book is called "Diary of a wimpy kid". In german, it's just called "Gregs diary".

I don't get the whole "Greg is a sociopath thing" Sure, he might have sociopathic traits, but he's 13. To me he just seems like a misguided middle schooler more than anything. Now, the movies are a different story (Greg isn't a static character in them, but goes through change). Throughout most of the first movie Greg is almost a spitting image of his book-self. He is a terrible friend to Rowley. But in the movie universe these actions actually have consequences, and Rowley eventually figures out Greg's true nature and starts hanging out with another kid. Greg realizes what a good friend Rowley was, and how stupid it is to try to impress others or trying to become popular, and instead realizes that what really matters is a good friend. These actions actually carry onto the next two films where Greg is noticeabley a way better friend to Rowley than his original movie-self/book-self. The same applies with the other two movie story arcs with Greg and Roderick and Greg and Frank.

As a school librarian, circa 2008-2012 I had to keep our copies of these books behind the circulation desk and only check them out upon request. They were constantly being “jacked” as the kids would say back then. There was one 4th grade teacher about 8-10 years ago who banned her students from checked them out because they kept bullying one girl with “cheese touch.” It really was a cultural phenomenon for a little while. DoaWK is still popular but graphic novels, like Dog Man, are higher on the radar these days.

If it wasn't for Diary of a Wimpy Kid, then the literacy rate would've been low.

The fact that Greg doesn’t even complete a character arch by becoming a person is a bold move for a children’s book.

I was not the target audience for these books, my brothers owned them. But even though I was a girl and too old, I still found them entertaining. It was relieving to see a protagonist do and say what every kid is thinking.

i also loved how the font really mimicked a kids' writing. Its all these small things that makes it the best book ever

“He’s stupid, he’s a liar, and worst of all he’s a simp” That caught me so off guard now I have eggs everywhere

Ok can we all agree that Jeff Kinney looks like a bargain brand Nicolas cage.

I find it amusing how you drew in your books, because I actually drew inside of my Diary Of A Wimpy Kid books when I was growing up myself. But I was obsessed with giving all the characters super powers. I drew Greg to have flame powers, I drew Rodrick covered in spikes, I gave the dad stone skin, Manny had weird energy and laser eye powers, and the mom, for some reason lost to my child mind, had rope nose hairs.

Not only did I like the illustrations, but those were the books i could read in one day and get a 100% on the test in elementary school😭

I’m not gay, Greg. - Rowley Jefferson