Parents' Guide to

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days

By Debra Bogart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Sweet, funny summer vacation tale in 4th installment.

Book Jeff Kinney Humor 2009
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

age 9+

Based on 25 parent reviews

age 7+

everyone summer going great well nearly everyone summer

as the third favourite in the series this one a good read too not as great as cabin fever and long haul but still good all Greg was to do for summer is play video games but his mum has other ideas also the book teaches you that when you get a new dog never send the worst speller to get the name on the bowl
age 9+

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Dog Days

Parents need to know this book is a pretty good book for there children. This book shows the story in Greg's diary written as his own way. The story will take place in summer vacation. Find out why in the story Greg's mom struggles with Greg about playing video games all summer. Greg had a different idea from his mom. Greg gets a crush on a high school senior and follows her around and tries to help her to get her attention, but does he success in getting her? This book is overall funny and children will enjoy this book as they will laugh.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (25 ):
Kids say (107 ):

It's easy for even the stuffiest of adults to see why kids like the humor in this incredibly popular series. The drawings are innocuous, and although Greg recounts being a child model and only having one photo ever used (on a book called Your Child and Constipation), that's the extent of the potty humor -- overall far above the level of something like Captain Underpants. Once again, kids will see why it's better not to act the way Greg does even while they are laughing with him.

Greg has quite the teen attitude and self-centeredness going on for a middle schooler. He mouths off to his mom, but this is his diary, after all, so he gets to tell the story his way. Greg may remind parents of Calvin in the old comic Calvin and Hobbes. Greg's actions are often those of a younger boy, and he is still quite innocent and naive. Younger readers will relate easily to his first crush on an older girl, and his attempts to woo her simply by following her around and trying to "help her" -- and still being unnoticed by her.

Book Details

  • Author: Jeff Kinney
  • Illustrator: Jeff Kinney
  • Genre: Humor
  • Book type: Fiction
  • Publisher: Amulet Books
  • Publication date: October 12, 2009
  • Publisher's recommended age(s): 9 - 12
  • Number of pages: 224
  • Last updated: July 19, 2018

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