Jeff Kinney
"YESSSS!" yelled my younger brother when I brought home the latest Diary of a Wimpy Kid book by Jeff Kinney, 38. When a new Diary comes out, you see kids reading it everywhere. At my school, there's always lively chatter about the latest troubles of Greg Heffley, the main character. Even my friends who say they hate to read can be heard recalling hilarious scenes. Each book resembles a real diary, with text and cartoons that look hand-drawn by a sixth-grader. We love these books because of Kinney's ability to vividly describe the life and problems of an average middle-schooler, with pictures and language that capture our sense of humor and perspective.
Simpson is a sixth-grader at Riverdale Country School in the Bronx, N.Y., and a TIME FOR KIDS reporter
Fast Fact: In Germany, Diary's title is translated as Greg's Journal: I'm Surrounded by Idiots!