Middle Grade Monday: Diper Överlöde (Diary of a Wimpy Kid #17) by Jeff Kinney

Image: Abrams Books

Diper Överlöde (Diary of a Wimpy Kid #17) by Jeff Kinney. 224 p. Amulet Books/ Abrams Books, October, 2022. 9781419762949. (Review of finished purchased copy.)

Happy Monday! Middle Grade Monday features Diper Överlöde (Diary of a Wimpy Kid #17) by Jeff Kinney. Roderick wants to make his band, Diper Överlöde big and he thinks that by winning the upcoming Battle of the Bands will do it as it also launched the career of his favorite band. Greg isn't all that interested in being Roderick's roadie, but on the off-chance he does become famous, Greg wants in. Fans of the series will not be disappointed. There's a wait list for it. 

#tbt: Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life by Rachel Renée Russell

Image: Simon & Schuster

Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life by Rachel Renée Russell. 352 p. Aladdin/ Simon & Schuster, June, 2009. 9781416980063.

#tbt features Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life by Rachel Renée Russell. This jaunty diary format book was first published in June of 2009 and is still going strong with fourteen books out. The fifteenth, as yet untitled, is due in October. The series has definite Wimp appeal and features fourteen-year-old Nikki Maxwell as she navigates being a scholarship student at a tony prep school. Her father is the school's exterminator and she lives in fear that her secret will be revealed. It doesn't help that the school's alpha mean girl's locker is right next to hers. 

Middle Grade Monday and Review: Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson's Journal by Jeff Kinney

Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson's Journal by Jeff Kinney. 218 p. Amulet/ Abrams, April, 2019. 97819740275. (Review of purchased finished copy.)

Middle Grade Monday features Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson's Journal by Jeff Kinney. Greg Hefley's long-suffering best friend gets his own book but not the spotlight because of course, Greg is mad and jealous. He tries to convince Rowley to make his journal a biography of Greg. Rowley tries. He naively relates stories of memorable times he had at the hands of with his best pal. Fans of the series already know how long-suffering Rowley is. They won't be disappointed with this spin-off.

I've always had mixed emotions about this series. I knew from book one, this would be a hit with my students and am thrilled that they love the books literally to pieces. I love that students who identify as non-readers are faithful fans. I think that Kinney really nails middle school drama. I also think Greg is a bit of a, um, jerk. (That wasn't my initial word of choice.) That said, there are jerks in middle school, so kudos to Kinney for depicting them. Greg also seemed to mature a tad as the series went on. In this book, he's back in jerk-mode. Instead of thinking it humorous, I found it somehow sort of sad and was sadder still at Rowley's naiveté. But, I'm an old fart and the kids won't notice. They are reading! A win.

The Popularity Papers 7: The less-than-hidden secrets and final revelations of Lydia Goldblatt & Julie Graham-Chang

The less-than-hidden secrets and final revelations of Lydia Goldblatt & Julie Graham-Chang by Amy Ignatow. Popularity Papers series #7. Amulet Books/ Abrams, September, 2014. 9781419712708. (Finished copy courtesy of publisher for review.)

As BFFs Lydia and Julie near the end of seventh grade, disasters of all shapes and sizes roll in. A nearby school has a fire and students from there need to attend Hamlin Junior High. With the student body nearly doubled, initial excitement gives way to resentment over crowds and locker sharing and body odor. Julie and Lydia organize a dance to try to unite the students but their journal goes missing and soon photocopied pages plaster the hallways causing everyone to get mad at them and endangering their plans for the dance and their popularity.

I'm so sorry to see this series end. While I haven't read each installment, I didn't need to as it is a popular series at my school. It rises above Wimpy kid and its knockoffs in quality both for the writing and illustrating. Ignatow has a keen ear for authentic dialogue and relatable middle school angst. Her cast of characters are diverse and endearing. She keeps things gentle, opting to avoid snarky cynicism. Her use of tons of color and a variety of fonts keep the eye engaged. The books really do look like notebooks created by two different girls.

I'm eager to see what's next for Ms. Ignatow.