More movie tour... and the movie is out!

Hi everyone-

Here's a report of the second leg of the media tour, leading up to the grand finale.

March 13th: Robert Capron's family and mine joined forces and invited some family and friends to a special screening of the movie in New England. We had a great time, and it was great to see Robert get the praise he deserves for his portrayal of Rowley.

March 14th: Another special screening, this time for my family and friends in Virginia, near the area where I grew up. This was a special event for me, because my brother, Scott, has a song in the movie, and it was a lot of fun to be there for his song's big debut.

March 15th: Back on the road for the last week of our media tour! We started off the week in New York, where we did a "press junket." For the press junket, we sat down in front of the t.v. cameras and took interview after interview. Every five minutes or so, a new interviewer would walk in the room, sit down, and start asking questions. This went on for about six hours. It was fun, but exhausting. I don't know how movie stars do it! Zach and Robert handled their interviews like pros.

March 16th: We started our day bright and early on the Today Show. It was a blast. Al Roker immediately asked Zach about a scene in the movie where he pees on Rodrick. It was hysterical. After that, we did a few more t.v. and radio interviews. We were horsing around a lot when the cameras were on and got a talking-to from Zach's mom about "professionalism." We ended our night at a New York Rangers hockey game.

March 17th: We traveled to Stamford, Connecticut, to officially launch the Wimpy Kid Movie Diary, the book I wrote about the movie-making process. Thor Freudenthal, the talented director of the movie, came out to join us on stage and to sign posters afterwards.

March 18th: Just one day until the movie's release! We spent Thursday at Riverside Elementary in Fairfax, Viriginia. Riverside Elementary won the School Library Journal's contest and got to have a special premiere of the movie in their gym. It was a very cool Hollywood-type event, with a red carpet and everything. The school's safety patrols handled security, which I thought was genius.

March 19th: The end of the road. We all headed back home. I rode back on the plane and sat next to Robert. I knew it was the last day Zach and Robert would be anonymous. After the movie came out, they'd be stars. It was great sharing this experience with them. I'll never forget it!

March 20th: Success! The movie did really well at the box office over the weekend. Everyone is hoping this means we'll get to make a sequel. Thanks, everyone, for coming out to see the movie!

The movie comes out on March 19th!

These are exciting times in the Wimpy World... the feature film comes out on Friday, March 19th!

You might've seen billboards or television ads by now. Check out the movie website by clicking here. It's got tons of fun stuff to do, and you can see clips from the film.

Also, check out Cartoon Network's awesome Diary of a Wimpy Kid microsite, where you can see exclusive behind-the-scenes footage!

I've been on a media tour with the two stars, Zach Gordon (who plays Greg) and Robert Capron (who plays Rowley). These are two great kids and they are a load of fun to be around.

I'll be posting from the road in the next few days and telling you about our adventures on this tour. Here are the highlights of what we've done so far.

March 4th: We kicked off the tour in New York City with a special screening for 600 kids in New York. We got interviewed by new Children's Literature Ambassador Katherine Paterson, who wrote classics like Bridge to Terabithia. We got to walk the read carpet and meet fans of the books. It was a blast!

March 5th: We had our big television debut in Boston. We appeared on a few different stations and got to experience the excitement of live television. Then we headed back to the hotel where we sat down for a round of newspaper interviews. Then we visited a school, where the mayor declared it "Diary of a Wimpy Kid Day" in Boston. We started spotting movie posters on billboards and buses, which was really exciting. We started a contest to see who could spot the most ads. As of right now, Zach is winning with nine.

March 6th: We had a day off, which we spent together in my home town. All of our families had a lot of fun over a spaghetti dinner. It was awesome seeing my own kids interacting with these future movie stars. For the record, my four-year-old beat Zach in a game of Super Mario Kart.

March 7th: Back on the road, this time for a Philadelphia Flyers game. They showed the movie trailer on the JumboTron, and we got interviewed as well. Then we signed posters in the lobby. The highlight of the night was when two of the hockey players got in a fight, and one of them seemed more interested in fixing his hair than actually fighting. Zach has been mimicking the guy ever since.

March 8th: We had a round of television and print interviews in our hotel. It was very cool.... they set up a t.v. studio in a ballroom at the hotel, and that's where we did our interviews. Robert told us that he got interested in acting after he memorized lines from Thomas the Tank Engine. Afterwards, we went to the Philadelphia Free Library and met a few hundred enthusiastic fans. We had a great time there.

March 9th: Off to Atlanta. We had a big event at Kid Empowerment Day and played a giant game of Wimpy Kid Says. I have to admit I got tricked and dropped out of the game early. Zach and Robert made it to the bitter end.

March 10th: From Atlanta, we went to Chicago, the Windy City. We did a book signing for about 600 kids in a giant Borders store. It was great to share the signing table with Zach and Robert, who have become pros. The fans were great and we had an awesome time!

March 11th: We did press interviews in our hotel in Chicago, and then I headed back home to Boston. The boys stayed behind for some schooling (ha!). We're all excited to get back together in New York and do this for one more week! Check back in to see what we're up to!

Book 4 comes out on October 12th!

I'm excited about book 4: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days. It comes out on October 12th!

It was a lot of fun to write this book, because for the first time, I took Greg out of the school setting and put him smack in the middle of summer vacation.

I'm going to announce my summer tour schedule soon. Check WimpyKid.com to see if I'm coming to your town!

Book 3 comes out on January 13th!

Hi everyone-

Finally, Book 3 is almost here! I'm very excited that the "green book" is almost in bookstores.

Some stores are having "launch parties" to celebrate the release of the new book. I hope that there's a launch party near you! I made up a bunch of games and activities, and I hope people have fun at these events.

I'll be heading off on a nationwide tour starting February 7th. Hope I'm coming to a city near you!

Do-It-Yourself Book

Hi everyone-

In October, I've got a brand-new book coming out called the Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book.

This one is really hard to describe. It's kind of a part comic book, part activity book, part blank journal. The hardcover book has 16 pages of full-color comics in the middle.

Hope you'll check it out, and hope you like it!

Also - we're running a Do-It-Yourself contest, where you're invited to create your own comic. If you write the winning comic, you could win a visit from me to your school! Or, you could win the chance to have me "wimpify" your family... I'll draw your family in the Wimpy Kid style.

Check out the contest rules here!

Book 3 has a cover!

Hi everyone-

Book 3 has a cover... hope you like it!

In book 3, Greg's dad decides that the only way to shape up his son is to send him off to military school. So Greg has to use his wits to get out of a very sticky situation.

Book 3 comes out on January 13th of 2009 ... a long way from now, I know!

Book 2 launch parties!

Thanks to everyone who came out to see me at the Borders in Newark, Delaware, this weekend. It was a lot of fun and it was a great way to get Rodrick Rules rolling!

On January 31st, I'll be having a Book 2 launch party at the Wellesley Booksmith in Wellesley, MA. It's from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. If you live in the area, I hope to see you there!

For more Wimpy Kid tour dates, be sure to check my website!

I've heard from a few people who have found the books in bookstores. If you can't find it in your local bookstore, yoiu can buy it online here and here!

Book Two is now shipping!

Hi everyone-

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules has started shipping from my publisher's warehouse. That means it could start showing up on bookshelves soon!

If you see it in a store, let me know!

If you'd like to pre-order the book online, you can do that by clicking here.

Wimpy Kid is part of Scholastic Book Fairs!

Chances are, Diary of a Wimpy Kid is coming to your school as part of your Scholastic Book Fair. I'm so psyched that Scholastic picked my book!

Thank you for making Diary of a Wimpy Kid a #1 Bestseller!!!

Thanks to everyone who has bought the book or recommended it to a friend!

Book events this fall

Hi everyone-

Just wanted to let you know that I'll be in various cities around this country this fall. If I'm going to be in your area, I hope you'll stop by and say hello!

Here are some dates and times:

Saturday, September 29th, 5:30 p.m.
I'll be taking place in a discussion on comics at the Baltimore Book Festival.

Saturday, October 6th, 11:00 a.m.:
I'll be singing books at the Dedham Sidewalk Fair for the Blue Bunny bookstore in Dedham, Massachusetts.

Saturday-Sunday, October 12th (12:30 p.m.) and 13th (3:30 p.m.):
I'll be doing book signings at the Southern Book Festival in Nashville, Tennessee. On Saturday, I'll be speaking on a panel with the great Jack Gantos, author of the Rotten Ralph and Joey Pigza series.

Friday-Sunday, November 2nd-4th (I'll post times soon):
I'll be signing books at the Texas Book Festival in Austin, Texas.

Saturday-Sunday, November 10th-11th (I'll post times soon):
I'll be speaking and signing books at the Connecticut Children's Book Fair in Storrs, Connecticut.

Book Two is coming out January 15, 2008!

Just found out that my publisher, Abrams, is planning on releasing Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules on January 15, 2008!

I'm excited, because that's four months earlier than I thought it would be released.

I'm hard at work on the second book. The cover art could change, but I'm pretty sure this is what we're going with. Let me know what you think!

Book Two has a title

I've been busily working on book two, and I'm happy to say that it has a title....

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules.

The cover will be dark blue, and will feature a picture of Rodrick pushing Greg.

Let me know what you think!

The book will either be out at the end of this year (2007) or in January of 2008.

What does Greg Heffley have to do with Lindsay Lohan?

Nothing, really. But Diary of a Wimpy Kid is in this week's edition of People magazine (it's got Lindsay Lohan on the cover).

If you see a copy in the grocery store, flip to page 57. Diary of a Wimpy Kid is listed in the "Best Summer Reads" section!

Wimpy Kid is a "Noteworthy Children's Book"!

Barnes and Noble has decided to put Diary of a Wimpy Kid in its "Noteworthy Children's Books" section. That means it's on a special shelf at the front of the store, so it's very easy to find.

Thank you, Barnes and Noble!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a New York Times Bestseller!

Wow! I never could've imagined that this would happen!

Thanks to everyone who bought the book!

Get the book for your school library

I've noticed that a lot of libraries in Massachusetts have bought copies of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I think that's so cool! I never considered that this book might end up in a town's library.

If you'd like to get a copy for your school, just ask your librarian, and he or she will probably order it for you!

Book signing at Books of Wonder!

If you're in the New York area this weekend, I'll be signing books at Books of Wonder on Sunday, from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.


Books of Wonder is at 18 West 18th Street in Manhattan. It's a very cool store with its very own cupcake shop inside.

There will be five other authors there ... Siena Cherson Siegel, Mark Siegel, George O'Connor, Aaron Renier, Christine Norrie, and Dave Roman. So if you like graphic novels, Books of Wonder is the place to be this weekend! Hope to see you there!

OK, the book is DEFINITELY in stores now :)

I've been to a few Borders in Massachusetts, and I've seen the books with my own eyes!

Also, my brother said he's spotted it in Tampa, Florida.

Here's a crummy cell-phone picture of a bookshelf in Boston:


In Borders, it's on Shelf F in the kids' section, "Friendship and Humor."

If you can't find the book in your local bookstore, please ask at the front desk, and they'll order it for you!

P.S. For a lot of schools, next week is Spring Break. What better way to pass the time than with a copy of Diary of a Wimpy Kid? :)