  | Diary of a wimpy kid : Rodrick rules. #2 (Diary of a wimpy kid) Author: Kinney, Jeff | |
| Price: $20.98 | ||
Summary:
Greg attempts to navigate the hazards of middle school, impress the girls, steer clear of the school talent show, and most important, to keep his secret safe.
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| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 5.20 Points: 3.0 Quiz: 119441 | Reading Counts Information: Interest Level: 3-5 Reading Level: 5.30 Points: 8.0 Quiz: 42855 | |
Common Core Standards
Grade 3 → Reading → RL Literature → 3.RL Key Ideas & Details
Grade 3 → Reading → RL Literature → 3.RL Craft & Structure
Grade 3 → Reading → RL Literature → 3.RL Integration & Knowledge of Ideas
Grade 4 → Reading → RL Literature → 4.RL Key Ideas & Details
Grade 4 → Reading → RL Literature → 4.RL Range of Reading & Level of Text Complexity
Grade 4 → Reading → RL Literature → 4.RL Craft & Structure
Grade 4 → Reading → RL Literature → 4.RL Integration & Knowledge of Ideas
Grade 4 → Reading → RL Literature → Texts Illustrating the Complexity, Quality, & Rang
Grade 5 → Reading → RF Foundational Skills → 5.RF Fluency
Grade 5 → Reading → RL Literature → 5.RL Key Ideas & Details
Grade 5 → Reading → RL Literature → 5.RL Integration & Knowledge of Ideas
Grade 5 → Reading → RL Literature → 5.RL Range of Reading & Level of Text Complexity
Grade 5 → Reading → RL Literature → Texts Illustrating the Complexity, Quality, & Rang
Grade 6 → Reading → RL Literature → 6.RL Range of Reading & Level of Text Complexity
Grade 6 → Reading → CCR College & Career Readiness Anchor Standards fo
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (12/15/07)
School Library Journal (00/03/08)
Booklist (02/01/08)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (04/08)
The Hornbook (00/05/08)
Full Text Reviews:
Bulletin for the Center... - 04/01/2008 The sardonic, social misfit that is middle-schooler Greg, so ably sketched out in Diary of a Wimpy Kid (BCCB 6/07), returns in this second diary-format novel. As in the previous volume, Greg’s journal entries offer an obviously skewed but often witty perspective on his various woes: his bossy parents, a selfish older brother and tattling younger one, and an immature best friend whom Greg has decided is unworthy of his time. Of course, this leaves Greg, who seems to lack empathy or much warmth, with few things about which to be cheerful, though he does find supreme joy in the perceived failings of those around him, particularly his older brother, Rodrick, who knows a secret about Greg. It is this secret, which Rodrick threatens to out, that is the connective thread throughout this novel, though as in the first title, the stream-of-consciousness riffs on everything Greg sees seem ultimately more the point than the dramatic tension of the plot. Frequent comic strip–style illustrations are inserted into the diary entries: these deceptively simple drawings (there is little changing of expressions, and heavy reliance on speech bubbles) pair effectively with the authentic middle-school guy perspective. Greg is refreshingly not perfect, and, indeed, he is often rather unlikable (his cruelty to his best friend is particularly alarming in spots). However, he is clearly a boy driven by his insecurities and trapped in his longing to be someone worth noticing, and by subtly highlighting these weaknesses through Greg’s own narration, Kinney has created a character that inspires strong empathy and connection even though few readers might admit to being like him. The format of brief diary entries with interspersed illustrations will certainly attract reluctant readers; it could also serve as an inspiration in creative writing courses or as a model for journaling. AS - Copyright 2008 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.
School Library Journal - 03/01/2008 Gr 4-8-Hapless and hilarious Greg Heffley returns with another diary full of the minor irritations, major disasters, and occasional triumphs of a wimpy boy's middle school life. Kinney combines hand-written text with comical cartoons to present a character who is self-centered, sneaky, and dishonest, but also occasionally insightful and always very funny. Older brother Rodrick is his primary nemesis this time, partly because he threatens to spill Greg's embarrassing secret to the whole world. A nerdy best friend, a little brother who gets away with everything, and a bunch of clueless adults add significantly to Greg's problems. Readers, of course, will note that most of the narrator's troubles are self-inflicted, as when he wraps himself in toilet paper to avoid hypothermia in the boys' bathroom, does a disastrous job of pet-sitting, or decides to "wing it" for his school report on "The Amazing Moose." He's a character that readers can laugh at and empathize with at the same time. The line drawings that appear on every page play a large part in bringing Greg's world to life, providing humorous characterizations and details not mentioned in words. They also extend the appeal of the book to readers who are still a few years away from middle school themselves. Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Abrams, 2007) has been wildly popular, and this sequel should be an equally big hit with reluctant readers, especially boys, and anyone looking for a funny book.-Steven Engelfried, Multnomah County Library, OR Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information. - Copyright 2008 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Booklist - 02/01/2008 Greg Heffley is back, and with him the trappings that made his first outing, Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2007), such a popular triumph. Once again diarist Greg chronicles a hilarious litany of problems, alternating between home and school, focusing this time on the particular punishments of his reprobate older brother, Rodrick. Whether Greg is suffering on the swim team or trying out for the K–12 school talent show as Magician’s Assistant to a First Grader, his escapades are united by his struggle to avoid embarrassment. As before, he peppers his journal entries with his own cartoons (in look and tone, a sort of hybrid of The Simpsons and the Timbertoes), using them as any 12-year-old would—to add insult to injury. But the real and deeper appeal of Greg’s story is the unapologetic honesty of his adolescence; he comes across as a real kid, and his story is one that will appeal to all those real kids who feel just like him. - Copyright 2008 Booklist.
