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    The Children's Book Review

    Five Family Favorites with Jeff Kinney, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” Author

    Guest PostsBy Guest Posts4 Mins Read Ages 4-8 Ages 9-12 Best Kids Stories
    Jeff Kinney posing for the camera
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    The Children’s Book Review

    Jeff Kinney & Greg
    Jeff Kinney Greg

    As well as being the international bestselling author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney is also an online developer and designer. He is the creator of the children’s virtual world, Poptropica. Jeff has been named one of TIME magazine’s most influential people in the world. We know that you’ll be influenced by his five family favorites!

    Thanks to my parents, I grew up in a house full of books. My mother was an early-childhood educator and my father was a lifelong comics collector, so you could find everything from Dr. Seuss to the Classics Illustrated in the packed bookshelves of my youth. Add to that a dash of coming-of-age stories by Judy Blume (courtesy of my older sister) and I do believe we had everything covered.

    Most of my reading was, shamefully, of the bathroom variety. My choices were usually based on what looked appealing on my mad grab-and-dash to the bathroom, so the promise of a good cover usually sealed the deal. Over time, the books moved from the shelves to the kids’ bathroom, and I kept my own personal library in there. I’m half-surprised I didn’t develop a card catalog for my private collection.

    What always appealed to me was vivid storytelling and humor. Brevity was also important, as a reading session longer than twenty minutes could make your legs fall asleep and add unnecessary danger to the experience. My favorite books warranted repeated readings, and certain stories made an indelible impression on me. Naturally, these were the books that bubbled back up when I became a parent. Of course, reading is now done in the dignity of the bedroom rather than in the water closet, but if the pile of comics in my kids’ bathroom is any indication, I have a feeling the cycle is about to start anew.

    The-Sneetches-And-Other-StoriesThe Sneetches and Other Stories

    By Dr. Seuss

    The Cat in the Hat and its like might be the more obvious choice here, but the stories that make up this Seuss collection have a dark magic to them. Most of the tales in this four-story set are spooky if not downright scary, and have an air of danger that’s especially appealing to a young kid just learning to read. The Sneetches in particular is a parable with a punch.

    Ages 5-9 | Publisher: Random House | August 12, 1961 | ISBN-13: 978-0394800899

    Freckle-JuiceFreckle Juice 

    By Judy Blume

    Perfect in its length and emotional content, Freckle Juice is the tale of Andrew Marcus, a kid whose burning desire is to be covered in orange blotches (this was before iPads and other diversions). The tale of yearning and treachery is one that stands up today. There’s a lesson in there as well, but it’s so well-crafted that a kid might almost miss it.

    Ages 6-9 | Publisher: Yearling | July 15, 1978 | ISBN-13: 978-0440428138

    Donald-Duck-Lost-In-The-AndesDonald Duck, Lost in the Andes

    By Carl Barks

    … or any of the globetrotting tales written and illustrated by genius/master storyteller Carl Barks. My whole frame of reference for geography, mythology, and history comes from these comics. Publisher Fantagraphics is doing a great service by repackaging these masterpieced for a new generation. I’ve handed them to my sons, who have devoured them. I’m not telling them that the stories were written in the 1950s and 60s.

    Ages 6-9 | Publisher: Fantagraphics | December 5, 2011 (Reprint) | ISBN-13: 978-1606994740

    The-HobbitThe Hobbit

    By J.R.R. Tolkein

    A classic tale of a small hero in a big world, this was the book that broke things open for me. Like Bilbo Baggins, when I read this book in the fifth grade I was swept up in an adventure and realized the world was much bigger… and exciting… than I could’ve imagined.

    Ages 12 and up | Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt | September 18, 2012 (Reprint) | ISBN-13: 978-0547928227

    And to round things out, a modern tale that brings all of the above together in one nifty package:

    WhenYouReachMeMedalWhen You Reach Me

    By Rebecca Stead

    I’ve been waiting for my older son, who is now ten, to be ready for this one. A story that has the best of Judy Blume realistic coming-of-age stories, plus the promise of magic. It’s been a joy reading to my son each night and seeing his mind whirling with each new revelation.

    Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Yearling | December 28, 2010 (Reprint) | ISBN-13: 978-0375850868

    Find out more about Jeff Kinney, visit: wimpykid.com

    Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck, Book 8, Available Now!

    Diary-Of-A-Wimpy-Kid-8_3D

    What to Read Next:

    1. Random House Children’s Books’ Holiday Gift-Giving Guide! Lasting, memorable gifts for every age
    2. Best Books of 2008 So Far
    3. When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead | Book Spotlight
    4. September, 2011: Best Selling Kids’ Books, New Releases, and More …

    *Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links that share some commission. Rest assured that these will not affect the cost of any products and services promoted here. Our team always provides their authentic opinion in all content published on this site.

    Carl Barks Dr. Seuss J.R.R. Tolkein Jeff Kinney Judy Blume Rebecca Stead
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    The Children’s Book Review, named one of the ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) Great Web Sites for Kids, is a resource devoted to children’s literacy. We publish reviews and book lists of the best books for kids of all ages. We also produce author and illustrator interviews and share literacy based articles that help parents, grandparents, teachers and librarians to grow readers. This article was written and provided by a guest author.

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