What to Buy: For the Diary of a Wimpy Kid Fan

It’s been no secret around here that I am personally not a fan of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. (Want to know more about why?  Click here and here.)  But I can acknowledge that they are huge with kids and that clearly, a lot of adults are okay with having their kids read them.  So, what can you possibly get for the child that has already blown through the first five books in the series and already has the brand-new sixth safely tucked under the tree? Well, I’ve got a few recommendations, ones I actually did enjoy reading.  I’d still say wait until Grades 3 and up, but then again I wouldn’t really recommend Wimpy Kid for below Grade 3 either.

Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar has plenty of school humor, nice short self-contained chapters, plus it features girls as something beyond just objects of hatred and disgust.  What else is there to like?  Click here for the full review.  Think it’ll be a hit?  Go in for the box set.  It includes two follow ups: Wayside School is Falling Down and Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger.

Another fabulous choice, and I really can’t talk this up enough is:

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
Angleberger’s characters are dorks and outcasts too and the book features cool cartoony doodles just like Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  The difference?  Angleberger’s books are well-written and don’t rely purely on potty humor to get laughs.  The actual story is good enough to keep kids engaged and entertained without needing to write poop, pee or have someone get hit over the head with something.  Why all the Angleberger love?  Read more in my original review.

Bonus!  Angleberger has released a second book in the series:
Darth Paper Strikes Back.

I liked this sequel nearly as much as the original.  Angleberger takes the time to construct a whole new plot rather than just rely on  rehashing what happened in book one.  And again, all of the awkwardness and difficulty of middle school is shown in a humorous yet heartwarming way.  This book is also empowering because it shows kids again and again how they can take control and have a say at a time in their lives when they often feel powerless.  Just don’t tell them there’s a really good lesson in it.  Also, I would not have predicted the ending, which was great, it’s not too often I get surprised by children’s books.  My only minor complaint is that my old lady eyes had some trouble with the fact that much of the book is printed on gray, but kids really shouldn’t have any trouble with that.

Sex, Nudity, Dating – There’s talk of boyfriends, girlfriends.  A couple broke up.  A girl calls a boy hot stuff.  The squirrels who like nuts make a return appearance.  But don’t worry, Tom Angleberger himself responded to my original post about the squirrels and gave his word that they’re just acorns.  Let me know if that changes how hard you laugh at it.  One of the boys tries to help with a school government campaign and draws a picture of a girl, but as a finger puppet, so the picture is of a girl with a finger up her dress.
Profanity – “shove it, ” “shut up,” “stupid,” “jerk,” “suck,” “heck,” “idiot,” “pain in my butt,” “crap,””screwed up,” Someone’s grandmother curses with real swear words but they’re done all $#&# so you don’t read them.
Death, Violence and Gore – A kid got beat up at a correctional facility.  A kid has been suspended for fighting frequently.  A character says he’s going to kill someone, then says he was kidding. Someone gets popped in the eye with a chapstick lid.  Kids think about punching another kid. A reference to a Star Wars movie mentions a kid getting sliced by a light saber.  There’s a game that involves pretending to blow up ships.  Do paper light sabers count as a weapon?
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – None.
Frightening or Intense Things – None.