Read Diary of a Wimpy Kid the Getaway

Hey everyone, and I'k dorsum with an interesting new post relating to Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Before you bound to conclusions and assume I'grand going to talk most everything that's happened with the serial since my concluding post, that is not what this is most. I know how critical I've been with the serial earlier on this blog, and despite that I felt I did the right thing and they take been the most popular posts on my web log, at that place is something well-nigh the posts that eventually got to me as a fan. Yes, I'm a fan of the series and explained my whole personal history with information technology before. Merely so I felt that I was criticizing it also much for a true fan, and I'm getting tired of it. Besides, everything has already been said, and even if there is ever more to say, I'm sure that whatever happens next with the series will explain itself at this point.

Unless something doesn't explicate itself and something totally unexpected happens, though, I might talk about information technology, just because at that place'due south that part of me that all the same cares for the well-existence of this property. But other than that, from here on in, any Diary of a Wimpy Kid-related posts will be in a more positive light, peculiarly if the series shows some signs of turning itself around.

And with that being said, I desire to requite my opinion on the reveal of the 13th book, The Meltdown. From what I see so far, I volition admit that I really kind of similar it. The cover analogy is great and the colour doesn't recycle The Terminal Straw's green, like The Getaway recycled Rodrick Rules' blue and Double Down recycled the first book'due south red. Non only that, just the royal has something of a slope to it, a first for the series, and the title font, which is the same as the "13" in the initial announcement affiche, is a cracking finishing touch on. Ironically enough, it may be my favorite book cover. Non merely that, but the premise admittedly sounds promising:

When a wintry blast closes Greg Heffley'southward heart school, information technology turns his neighborhood into a battleground, consummate with snow forts, alliances, betrayals, and epic snowball fights.

So…I might change my mind and go on getting these books on the release date, even if I don't end up liking The Getaway. The reason why I'chiliad nevertheless unsure is considering Double Downwardly'south premise was promising, too, and I don't really want to proceed encouraging this when Poptropica still needs Kinney'south assistance. Merely even Poptropica is marginally improving, so again…maybe.

Only instead of discussing what's happening with the serial now, it'south fourth dimension to get to what this post is about and await back on everything nigh the series that'southward peachy. Which is why I came upward with the perfect fashion to encompass this greatness past giving my own personal rank of the first x books in the series. Yes, I'm doing the beginning ten books, rather than the whole serial for obvious reasons. And of course, I'd like to give a heads up to some minor spoilers in the books before I begin.

Anyhow, on with the wimp-tastic countdown of greatness!

#10: Canis familiaris Days

There was e'er something about Dog Days that rubbed me off the wrong way later on I finished reading information technology, even as a kid. It was probably the first time I e'er considered the possibility that the series could turn down in quality. First of all, the volume took place during summer vacation, and the books that take place during the time school isn't in session are mostly considered to be the weaker entries in the series. Only that wasn't what fabricated Domestic dog Days non work for me. I personally believe that Kinney can go far piece of work, as The Long Booty was a better effort. But what made Dog Days not work for me, was that catastrophe. There wasn't a sense of a desirable certitude to information technology for me compared to the previous entries. At that place were interesting parts, but they didn't come together similar the previous iii books. Those books had compelling stories well-nigh conflicts between Greg and Rowley, Rodrick and Frank. This book could've tried something interesting with Susan, but it didn't. Just Greg and Frank agreeing on how bad a comic strip was, and an anthology Susan made that didn't actually have annihilation that Greg could reflect on and appreciate – in other words, reverberate on a adept ending. I go it if this volume is higher on your listing, and if anyone wants to tell me what it is about Canis familiaris Days that works, I'd dear to be enlightened. Although mainly due to incorporating elements of The Last Straw, the motion picture accommodation was way better.

#ix: Old Schoolhouse

The fact that this was the last book in the series before Double Down may play at least some gene in Quondam School's position on the list. It echoes Dog Days to an extent: Susan once again wants Greg to put downwardly his video games and get exterior. But what makes Old School better than Dog Days is that it really had a sense of a desirable finality to it, even if it could've been better. Susan is the focal point of the story, nevertheless the focus eventually leans towards Frank for some reason. And while it somewhen makes sense, it would've been great if it eventually went dorsum to Susan, and Greg at least partly won his engineering science feud with Susan. I would've loved to see both sides of the argument understanding each other through the events in the story, rather than just Greg somewhat agreement and Susan non seeing where Greg is coming from at all. The applied science themes could've too been emphasized better throughout. Even if this is what happened, when compared to other installments, the premise doesn't stand up too loftier upwardly with the other books. (Though I did the math as the series progressed, and Greg should've been in loftier school by this volume. He finally realizes he isn't growing up around the kickoff, which was hilarious.)

#eight: The Long Haul

Remember how I said that the books that take identify during the time school isn't in session are generally considered to exist the weaker entries in the series? Well, The Long Haul was 1 of those books, only I consider information technology to exist the all-time ane of these books in the series. (Though maybe The Getaway could trounce it in a full series list?) Again, it'southward better than Dog Days in how information technology depicts a faulty yet ultimately adept summer holiday; Canis familiaris Days only showed a faulty 1. It'south probably the whole road trip premise, which allows for a tighter and linear story, and it was absurd for the Heffleys to get a new, if unorthodox pet. And the whole Heffley-Beardo conflict was rather frightening, with true stakes that honestly fabricated me scared for the Heffleys every time they showed up, also as conflicts with Manny and the pet, which made for a pretty good read. At that place aren't conflicts betwixt the main characters or lessons to be learned that are too deep, and information technology doesn't end with Greg in the best scenario, just those things don't stop the other parts that make it a perfectly okay entry. Nosotros don't speak of the film adaption, though.

#7: The 3rd Wheel

This is pretty much the indicate in the list when the books in the series start to get really expert for me. Although some parts of The Tertiary Wheel had me scratching my head (the starting time reveals that Greg has some really skillful memory skills), it was generally a proficient enough entry. It takes total reward of its themes of honey, even if parents may consider love to be a questionable theme for children's storytelling. I'm personally fine with it as long equally the characters don't act similar adults, though the book doesn't entirely succeed in that aspect. The different ways in which Greg attempts to get a date for the school trip the light fantastic toe was pretty fun to read, though (although couldn't Holly Hills have returned aside from a love spider web Greg made?). Admittedly, it was somewhat unsettling to see Greg manipulating Rowley into getting him Abigail in i of those attempts, though both Rowley and Greg eventually become what they deserve. While the ending to Greg'due south arc felt rather underwhelming, the events toward the end were quite dramatic. And when you put it together with Hard Luck, it ends up working way ameliorate.

#6: Hard Luck

Speaking of Difficult Luck, I think the best part about information technology was that it'south basically the second part of a two-office story that begins with The Third Wheel. Unlike near of the books in the series, at that place is really a sense of continuity to it, directly exploring the ramifications of the previous entry as Greg deals with Rowley'due south relationship with Abigail. (And Rowley's view of that relationship is quite hilarious.) Fifty-fifty better, Abigail comes off equally an antagonist to Greg as a effect of the events in The Third Cycle, specifically trying to keep the 2 boys autonomously. I take to give kudos to Kinney for getting out of his condolement zone with Abigail's character:

She's a niggling bit hard to write as a character because she's meant to be a placeholder for a girlfriend rather than a fully developed character. It was a little tricky trying to figure out how to write for a character that inappreciably has any dialogue and not much of a personality. She's merely a stand-in for a threat to Greg's and Rowley's friendship.

There is also a pretty great side plot involving Greg's family, and the title actually fits the theme of the series as a whole. Of the three movies in the animated Diary of a Wimpy Kid film trilogy I proposed, if done right, the 2nd moving picture could easily exist the best entry.

#5: The Ugly Truth

As it turns out, the puberty themes of The Ugly Truth has its ain story backside it. Yous may remember when I stated how Kinney considered making The Ugly Truth the last book in the series, which would've actually seen Greg grow up. Of course, Kinney changed his listen and chose to subject Greg to the floating timeline. Nevertheless, the puberty themes of the volume remained, and Greg even so didn't cheat puberty without dealing with information technology in the aforementioned way equally everyone else. Forget love, though – puberty is an even harder theme to tread in children's storytelling, but Kinney pulls it off in the best way possible: through subtlety. But what makes The Ugly Truth really work is the challenge it brings to a fundamental aspect of Greg's character: his desire to grow up and be rich and famous. Though relatable to today'south kids at to the lowest degree, information technology's not the character's all-time trait, and Greg realizes this in this story. And I think stories similar this are of import for today's children, who ofttimes spend besides much time in the hereafter rather than the present.

#iv: Greg Heffley's Journal

From here on in, nostalgia plays into about of the entries on this listing, which seems pretty obvious hither. I had seriously considered giving the original book the number 1 spot, simply I figured that this would exist as well predictable. But honestly, why wouldn't I? Information technology'due south the book that started it all, the book that kickoff introduced the concept of the flawed, unlikely hero in children's literature, the book that spawned the adventures of many other fictional middle schoolers, the book that inspired this very listing amid many other things. It'southward a classic story of the relationship between two friends, and how ane imperfect child tries to navigate the perils of middle school in the means only he knows how, much like we all did. The film adaptation was pretty much how I expected it to exist, bated from the surprise of original character Angie Steadman, who served as something of a foil to Greg. The way she navigated school life with such ease and nonchalance fabricated her such a groovy character that it was about upsetting that she never showed up in the sequels, nor in the book series to this day. And of course, who could forget that iconic Cheese?

#3: Rodrick Rules

I'll e'er remember Rodrick Rules every bit a story about the evolution of a sibling rivalry. The whole book was about this one single stake – an embarrassing secret Rodrick had about Greg, and Kinney makes the wise decision to not tell united states what information technology is right away to keep us on our seat. It really shows simply how secretive Greg is about information technology, to the bespeak that he didn't even desire to write it down in his journal unless he actually had to. Again, it's only one pale, but information technology's really played up to the indicate that Kinney can get away with information technology. And when Greg'due south slip-ups finally push Rodrick over the edge and make him spill the secret, the craziest thing happens: the story gets distorted to the point that Greg gets popular. And Loded Diper gets famous, just not in the way Rodrick intended. Greg really gets sympathy for Rodrick, knowing total well Rodrick intended to hurt him for his mistake. Then he decides to assist him out with his scientific discipline project. And you actually begin to wonder why these two are withal feuding on. In my opinion, the film accommodation was even amend, and is my favorite entry in the original trilogy, due to smart changes to the source material that actually improve on the story. And that, in my eyes, is incredibly impressive.

#two: The Concluding Harbinger

There's something virtually The Final Straw that I always idea was but so great. It's near realizing who you are as a faulty, realistic human being versus facing the horror of being transformed into a person you lot don't fifty-fifty know anymore, and what your life will exist like from then on out. It's about not agreement the differences in others to the indicate of wanting them to change versus realizing the benefits of what makes that person unlike. It's a story about father and son that'due south relatable for many – that dad who'd beloved his boys to exist stiff, dedicated young men compared to that sensitive, imperfect boy who just wants to be left lonely. Frank, upset with Greg'southward nonsense, threatens to transport him to military schoolhouse in his endeavour to toughen him up. Greg tries to impress him at first, only to brand things worse to the point that he actually accepts his fate. The stakes become pretty tense, until Greg'due south mishaps end upwards helping Frank in the end.

There's also a side arc involving Greg impressing Holly Hills, the formal introduction of his well-nigh well-known beloved interest, and even though he fails with that every bit usual, the residuum of the story was so great that I didn't really mind too much. The ending was ane of the most solid endings in the series (quite literally), and the introduction of Trista was quite pleasing and promising. At least until Dog Days kicked her to the curb… 😦 Childhood dreams shattered aside, although the book never truly got a direct picture show accommodation, the book'southward plot was integrated into the Dog Days film, which, given what I said about Domestic dog Days earlier, was a actually smart move. Not merely that, but things between Greg and Holly ended up way amend.

#ane: Cabin Fever

There's a reason why Kinney won a Best Author Children's Pick Award from the Children's Book Council for Cabin Fever. At that place's a reason why the book was nominated for a 2012 Harvey Award for a Special Laurels for Humor in Comics. There's a reason why Kinney considered adapting the book for Greg'south first full-length animated venture. That'due south because Cabin Fever was merely that good. That's even more than impressive considering that its predecessor acted as a possible place to cease the series. For me, Cabin Fever even transcends the nostalgia factor I get from the first three books, merely because it does something with Greg that I think fifty-fifty those who are more critical of his character could capeesh: it makes him selfless.

In his attempt to become money, he accidentally commits a criminal offence with Rowley that he more than pays for, and fully takes responsibleness for it every bit he should take. He is fully aware that what he did was incorrect, and that he could get locked up for it. He actually considers the well-being of others for the holidays even as Manny freezes him in the house, even as he fears the cops communicable him on his mode to the Toy Drive. And on top of all that, the snow he shovels in his continuous attempt to get that money actually ends up feeding many people who are much less fortunate than even him. He however makes information technology clear that this wasn't his intent, simply he was more than happy to lend that helping hand. (Dang information technology, why wasn't that animated pic made once again? Kinney considers himself a cartoonist, correct? Information technology could've held a candle to a Peanuts special! Peanuts! But I digress.) 🙂

Well, that's my personal stance on the greater function of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. While I could say what was incorrect about Double Downward and The Getaway when I read it, I won't do information technology unless you're curious enough to the point that you really desire me to. But this is information technology for now, and who knows, I might brand a similar list like this for other children'southward book serial in the futurity.

But for at present, stay wimpy, folks. 😉

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Source: https://naimolichildrensbooksblog.wordpress.com/2018/05/02/the-first-ten-diary-of-a-wimpy-kid-books-ranked-from-worst-to-best/

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