Rolling with the Heffleys

In the 15th book of the international bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, author and cartoonist Jeff Kinney lets his characters step outside their comfort zone, like all of us during the pandemic

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've heard of A Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Since its print debut in 2007, its success has been anything but "wimpy"; the series has sold over 200 million copies worldwide in 56 languages, and has been adapted into four movies. Over the years, its protagonist, Greg Heffley, a middle school student, has dabbled in adventures ranging from choking on watercress salad (induced by his bully and brother Rodrick) to dealing with a snowball fight.

Now, in the recently-released 15th book titled The Deep End (Puffin), author and cartoonist Jeff Kinney brings the narrative closer to our pandemic-bound lives. Greg is stuck with his siblings and parents who are working from home — except that home is now grandma's basement. They need a vacation and decide to take off on a cross-country camping trip in Uncle Gary's camper van. So, even if you've been living under a rock, there's nothing you cannot possibly relate to — especially because, well, the Heffleys deal with many rocks along the way on the campsite. Over email, Kinney, in true Wimpy Kid fashion, tells us that all he wants is readers to laugh. "Life in 2020 has been tough. We're using the tagline, 'Finally, something fun!' Think kids can relate to that," he says. We agree.

Edited excerpts from the interview.

The Deep End subtly hints at the state of the world right now, without really making it about a virus. Was that a deliberate decision?

Yes! I was trying to figure out a way of writing about quarantine life, which we are all going through, without writing about the sad elements of COVID. So this book is COVID-adjacent, but isn't a COVID book.

The pandemic has also ravaged economies over the globe. And in the book, I found it interesting how Greg addresses his family's financial problems. It's often a topic that parents keep away from their children. How important is it for you, as a writer, to stay true to these difficult realities in a book for children?

It's an interesting topic. Growing up, I wasn't aware of my parents' financial circumstances. I felt secure, but there were times where I got a sense that bill-paying was stressful. I only recently discovered that there was a period of time where my father worked his day job, then came home and made calls to book appointments for a pest control company. I think that in these days, kids are much more attuned to their family's financial circumstances. A lot of families are living through difficult hardships, and kids are absorbing that. It's unavoidable.

Pic/Filip Wolak

You've mentioned that you wrote part of The Deep End at a cemetery. Does geography tend to influence your narrative?

I do most of my writing at the cemetery, because my whole family is home and I need a place to work. Geography doesn't really influence my narratives, but I'm thinking of writing a scary book, so perhaps this time it will.

This is book 15 of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Looking back, how has the series changed you as a writer and illustrator?

I think I've gotten better at both. I've certainly got better at telling structured stories. In the early days, I didn't have the skill and I didn't have the drive to work on the structure.

Assuming the pandemic is past us at some point, will we get to see a glimpse of how we got there in your future works?

Good question! I don't like to set my books in a time or place. So I think that COVID-19, and its vaccine, won't be a part of the Wimpy universe.

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