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Strong reading recommendations from the Wimpy Kid creator.
When Jeff Kinney first imagined his Diary of a Wimpy Kid, what had begun as a web comic with overtones of "It's funny because it's true" gave birth to a series of inventive and giggle-producing books for young readers. Middle-school student Greg Heffley is a charming, hapless everykid, and his adventures are brought to life through the winning stick-figure drawings which illustrate his tales of travail. We asked Wimpy Kid creator Jeff Kinney to share three of his favorite reads with us.
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
By Judy Blume
"My all-time favorite book as a kid. I think I did a book report on it every year I was in elementary school. Judy Blume takes ordinary ingredients and tells extraordinary stories. No special effects required."
By Shaun Tan
"A real modern masterpiece. It takes the graphic novel to a whole new level. And it's about immigration, of all things. I read it over and over because I can't figure out how Shaun Tan pulled it off."
By Piers Anthony
"The Xanth series is wonderful science fiction—fast-paced, funny, and fresh. Fantasy without all the weight that's common to other books in the genre."
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