Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Reviewed by BridgetRatings
Content Ratings based on a 0-5 scale where
0 = no objectionable content and
5 = an excessive or disturbing level of content
LANGUAGE
VIOLENCE
SEXUAL CONTENT
ADULT THEMES
Series: Diary of a Wimpy Kid – Book 1
Ratings Explanation
Language: One “Thank God”, Greg’s video game name, “Bad Fart Ahead”, Rodrick’s band is called, Loaded Diaper, only it’s spelled “Loded Diper”. Ricky Fisher pointed out that their robot shouldn’t be able to curse. Ricky then came up with twenty curse words no one had ever heard of before. School newspaper cartoons contain, “Moron”, “Doctor, could I have a new butt, my old one has a crack in it.” There is plenty of potty humor.
Violence: Greg is worried that some jerk will catch him carrying his journal and think that it is a diary, since it says diary on the cover. There is a cartoon picture of Greg being punched by a bully and the bully yells, “Sissy!” Greg tells his younger brother, Manny that he ate a spider, it was just a tiny ball of thread. Rowley and Greg are ambushed with snowballs.
Sexual Content: There are references to “hot girls”. Rodrick’s heavy metal magazine has a picture of a woman in a bikini, lying across a car. His mother asks, “Do you have anything you want to say to women for having owned this offensive magazine?” While wrestling in gym class, Greg’s singlet does not aptly cover him and he feels a breeze down below. He spends seventh period getting WAY more familiar (wrestling) with Fregley than he ever wanted to be.
Adult Themes: Bullying in middle school. racial undertone, “Grade levels should be based on height, not age. I guess that would mean kids like Chirag Gupta would still be in the first grade.” A kindergarten student poops his pants. Wacky Dawg cartoon pokes fun at Bryan Little’s betrayal. He kisses his girlfriend’s best friend.
Synopsis
Greg Heffley is an unlikely hero, as a weak specimen among men. He chronicles his middle school experiences through his “Journal”. Greg navigates his way through survival and the seemingly all important quest for popularity.
My fifth and second grade readers really enjoy this humorous series. (I hope they will remember the funny parts of middle school in a few short years.) The potty humor is pervasive.
©2010 The Literate Mother