Classics · Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: what age is it for?
4 min read3 sources
Greg Heffley's diary, full of drawings and disasters, has been read by children around the world since 2007. For many, it's the first book they read without being asked.
Here's what age Common Sense Media gives, what the books are about, and what parents often ask about Greg.
In brief
- Age 9+ for the first book, according to Common Sense Media.1
- First published in 2007 by Amulet Books in the United States; in the UK, the books come out with Puffin.
- Key Stage 2, says Puffin, without giving its own number.2 Key Stage 2 covers the last four years of primary school in England.
- Screen or paper? A meta-analysis found no difference in comprehension for stories between paper and screen.3
What the books are about
Greg is starting middle school, which in the US comes after primary. He's not popular, not brave and not particularly nice, and he writes it all down in a journal (he insists it's not a diary). His best friend Rowley is kinder than he is, and usually gets the credit.
The pages mix handwriting and cartoons. Each book covers a school year's worth of small disasters, mostly of Greg's own making.
Who Diary of a Wimpy Kid is for
From nine, alone. That's the age Common Sense Media gives, and it's when many children read the series on their own, one book after another.
For reluctant readers. Children who find a page of plain text daunting often read Greg without noticing they're reading.
About Greg. Greg is selfish and often unfair to Rowley. Some parents worry about that. Many children find him funny because they can see what he gets wrong, and talking about it together can make that clear.
Frequently asked questions
What age is Diary of a Wimpy Kid for?
Common Sense Media rates the first book “age 9+”. Puffin, the UK publisher, places the series in Key Stage 2 without giving a number.
Is Diary of a Wimpy Kid OK for a 7 year old?
Common Sense Media's age is nine. Some younger children enjoy it, especially the drawings; the humour about school life and friendships lands better a little later.
Is Greg a bad role model?
Greg is selfish and often unfair, and the books don't hide it. Many children laugh at him precisely because they can see what he gets wrong. Reading one together gives you a chance to talk about it.
When did Diary of a Wimpy Kid come out?
The first book was published in 2007 by Amulet Books in the United States. In the UK, the series is published by Puffin.
Sources
- 1.Common Sense Media: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 1.What it confirms: The rating “age 9+”.
- 2.Penguin Shop: Diary of a Wimpy Kid.What it confirms: The series placed in Key Stage 2, without an age of its own.
- 3.Delgado, Vargas, Ackerman and Salmerón (2018): Don't throw away your printed books, meta-analysis, Educational Research Review.What it confirms: Better comprehension on paper, especially under time pressure and for information texts; no difference for narrative texts; participants from primary school to adulthood.
A word about us
A book they'll read without being asked
Greg's diary works because it feels like a real child wrote it. Children love books that sound like them.
At Sagalino, your child becomes the hero of a story with their name, in one of our 21 illustration styles. You read the whole story for free, and only pay afterwards.
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