Named one of Time magazine’s most influential people in the world, bestselling author Jeff Kinney has touched millions with The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, and his generous contributions that continually create goodness and inspire reading across the globe. 

In this exciting episode of Story Effect, Abigail talks to Jeff about the inspiration behind The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, and how the generic drawings of the Heffley family have connected with people around the world. Since the first Wimpy Kid book published in 2007, the series has printed more than 200 million copies of the series worldwide. It also has been a fixture on the USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists, and has remained on the New York Times bestseller lists since the publication of the first book, for more than 500 weeks total. The books are currently available in 76 editions in 64 languages–and continue to empower relationships between parents and children with their stories shared in books and on the screen. 

Additionally! Jeff’s upcoming animation series featuring The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series will premiere on Disney+ soon — only some of the exciting new stories we can expect from Jeff. 

Listen to this episode to learn about the tremendous value generic comics and characters have in their ability to connect with a diverse people, and why it’s important to find humor in every day life. Email Abigail at abigailkperry [AT] gmail [DOT] com to continue the conversation.

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Interested in some other topics discussed in this podcast? Explore these resources for your own creative journey. 

• Read The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series! Find all 15 books on Amazon, IndieBound, or Barnes and Noble. 
• Watch Diary of a Wimpy Kid on Disney+
• Wimpy Kid: Learn more about Jeff Kinney and his Wimpy Kid creations and inspirations on the Wimpy Kid website. 
• Intersted in learning more about comics? Check out Scott McCloud’s book Understanding Comics.
• If you’re ever in Plainville, MA, don’t forget to stop by Jeff Kinney’s bookstore, An Unlikely Story! It’s the best! 
• Jeff Kinney – Time magazine’s top 100 most influential people.
• Intro Music: “Open Those Bright Eyes” by Kevin MacLeod, edited for this podcast’s intro and closing. License: Creative Commons