kirkusreviews.com
The wimpy kid’s best friend tells
his side of the story.
After 13 volumes documenting events
from Greg Heffley’s perspective, Rowley Jefferson takes a turn. The result is
oddly refreshing: Greg’s unreliable narration gives readers plenty to chuckle
at, but Rowley’s brutal honesty supplies fans of the series an unblinking look
at their favorite protagonist. Greg’s jerk-y behavior that always lurked
beneath the surface emerges fully here, coming dangerously close to ruining the
character. Kinney uses this perspective shift to explore Greg’s behavior from
the outside but through the eyes of his best friend, and that distinction is
important. Rowley has cleareyed faith in his friend despite his father’s disapproval
and nudges to make a better one. This faith is tested during a difficult
sleepover and an exasperating study session but rewarded in the end. The Wimpy
Kid books have never been heavy on plot, instead emphasizing character and
gags. The gags in this volume are serviceable, but the character work is terrific.
The fact that Kinney can expose new facets of his characters this deep into the
series is a credit to the property. Underneath the marketing, the movies, the
bookmarks, and the merchandise, the Wimpy Kid books are about a couple of pals
figuring themselves out.
A pleasant twist on a sturdy
franchise. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 7-10)
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