Diary of a Wimpy Kid author Jeff Kinney will to do anything but talk about his book on tour
Jeff Kinney poses with Greg Heffley, the series’ protagonist. / Photo by Filip Wolak
If you’re looking for a classy date night, a chill night at the theater, or a wholesome outing with the kids, look no further than the Fight or Flight book tour. Jeff Kinney, author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, will stop in Kansas City on October 26.
Instead of talking about his latest book in the series, he’ll settle scores with audience members.
Fight or Flight is the 21st installment in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, following Greg’s near-zoological study of bullies. He studies their hunting grounds, territories, and how they identify their prey; information Greg is hoping to use to stay out of their way. Yet, Greg is still targeted by the biggest bully in school, and he must use his research to choose between fight or flight.
Kinney won’t give much away about the event’s details, but he will share that he’ll be joined by the Wicked Witch of the West, Bigfoot Jr., and other characters as the night progresses. Sumo wrestling, sparring neighbors, and a tank of boiling nacho cheese are among the night’s bizarreness, and audience members will be able to join Kinney on stage.
While the event, hosted by Rainy Day Books, is geared up to be a night of tomfoolery designed to please every child raised by the Scholastic Book Fair, Kinney says he’s most looking forward to seeing his readers in person.
“I don’t get a chance to interact with my readers that often,” Kinney says. “This is my chance to see how they’re reacting to the book and hopefully see their excitement. That’s what motivates me to keep writing.”
Greg Heffley’s diaries first began publishing in 2004, with daily entries posted to Funbrain. The first book of the series landed in 2007, with feature-length films to follow beginning in 2010. After nearly two decades of publishing the series and over two decades of the Heffley family, Kinney somehow can’t run out of ideas for shenanigans for his main character to get into and promptly complain about.
Greg’s seen it all: an annoying older brother, the Worst Summer Ever, home renovations gone wrong, his school district trying to close his school, etc. The list goes on times 21. In a fifth-grade library somewhere, a kid curls up against a shelf, reading the series for the first time and trying to decide whether Greg is a hero or an antihero.
“I think childhood is a big universe and there’s always something undiscovered. There’s always an unexplored topic. There’s a lot of fertile ground,” Kinney says. “My own kids are grown, so it’s been a while since I’ve been around elementary or middle school kids. But I get the feeling that things that were funny when I first started writing are still landing with kids these days.”
He’s also looking forward to visiting his favorite local bar: Wichita’s Club Rodeo. Wait, no. It’s three hours away. Damn it. He’ll have to (unfortunately) hit PBR instead.
Tickets are on sale for the event now.
