Review: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Rodrick Rules

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Rodrick Rules by Jeff Kinny.  Amulet Books.  2008.

Greg is back.  He filled up his last journal, so his mom bought him a new one.  As the title indicates, this book focuses more on the relationship between Greg and his brother Rodrick, or to put it bluntly, the reasons why Rodrick makes Greg's life miserable.

While the first Diary of a Wimpy Kid was more laugh out loud funny Rodrick Rules is funny in a more cringe worthy sort of way.  The way Rodrick and Greg treat one another is heartless, but realistic.  It's the way you treat someone you know is stuck with you for life no matter what.  The Invisible Chirag joke is especially painful to read about, it's so painful laughing is required.  The worst part is that that plot line in the book truly reminded me of middle school, especially the way the principal handles the entire situation toward the end of the story.

There are some laugh out loud moments in this installment of the series, too, like the exchange with the French pen pal, the glass eye and Greg getting locked in the basement during the one house party the Heffleys' will ever probably throw (the lack of girls at a sophomore boy's house party was an awesome touch).  Oh, and don't forget Dungeons and Dragons.  Mrs. Heffley takes it to a whole new level, and she's just getting started on ways to ruin her sons' lives.

Greg may not be the world's best role model, but who wants to read about a good role model anyway, didn't we all start reading voraciously as tweens to learn about characters who were the exact opposite?  Or maybe that was just me.

Appropriate for 4th to 7th graders.
ATOS Book Level: 5.2
AR Points: 3.0