Dear Dumb Diary: The Problem With Here is That It's Where I'm From. by Jim Benton. (2007). 120p. New York: Scholastic Press.
Awards and Honors: none
Review:
Jim Benton is an author of popular humor for tweens. His Dear Dumb Diary series is a hilarious look into the diary of Jamie Kelly, a sarcastic and sassy middle school student. In this installment, Jamie, who is bored with her school and her town, becomes obsessed with the idea of being "foreign" and "exotic". When the students of nearby Wodehouse Middle School are bussed into Mackerel Middle School because of a problem with their ventilation system, Jamie and her best friend Isabella are thrilled. Things get even better for Jamie and Isabella when they meet Colette, a beautiful Wodehouse student who challenges the social dominance of popular girl, Angeline. The book is a clever commentary on prettiness and popularity.
Jim Benton is an author of popular humor for tweens. His Dear Dumb Diary series is a hilarious look into the diary of Jamie Kelly, a sarcastic and sassy middle school student. In this installment, Jamie, who is bored with her school and her town, becomes obsessed with the idea of being "foreign" and "exotic". When the students of nearby Wodehouse Middle School are bussed into Mackerel Middle School because of a problem with their ventilation system, Jamie and her best friend Isabella are thrilled. Things get even better for Jamie and Isabella when they meet Colette, a beautiful Wodehouse student who challenges the social dominance of popular girl, Angeline. The book is a clever commentary on prettiness and popularity.
Opinion:
I expected to not enjoy this book, as I imagined it was just a hasty attempt to cash in on the sarcastic adolescent diary trend started by Jeff Kinney's Wimpy Kid series. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Dear Dumb Diary series is hilarious and even perceptive at times. The humor is intelligent and the stories also have a nice message without becoming didactic.
I expected to not enjoy this book, as I imagined it was just a hasty attempt to cash in on the sarcastic adolescent diary trend started by Jeff Kinney's Wimpy Kid series. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Dear Dumb Diary series is hilarious and even perceptive at times. The humor is intelligent and the stories also have a nice message without becoming didactic.
Ideas:
This series may inspire tweens to begin keeping their own journals.
This series may inspire tweens to begin keeping their own journals.
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