Greatful Moments Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days Book Review -

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I wanted to share one of the books Charlie and Bradley used to read when they were little Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days Book by Jeff Kinney. I don’t know about in your home but in my home books just become part of our family. One of those series was Diary of a Wimpy Kid books.

When Charlie was younger, we used these books for homeschooling, but they were also books we read simply because they were FUN. We couldn’t wait to walk into Walmart and see if there was a new Diary of a Wimpy Kid book on the shelf. The nice part was Charlie’s friends and David would read these books together.

And even though Charlie is 19 now, that hasn’t completely stopped me from looking. Whenever I see a new Wimpy Kid book, I still take a picture and send it to Charlie. We have kept all of his books from childhood, and some of them even have little reminders inside showing that Grandma Sherry bought them for him. One day, those books may be passed down to his own children, and I love that thought.

So when I picked up Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney, off the shelf I was cleaning I already knew this was going to bring back some memories. And then I started reading it. I need to tell you Greg Heffley reminded me of Charlie in more ways than one.

I wanted to let you know Dog Days is the fourth book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, and summer has arrived. The weather is beautiful, kids are outside having fun, and Greg Heffley would much rather be inside playing video games. Sound familiar? Because if I didn’t know better, I’d think Jeff Kinney had been watching Charlie during summer vacation!

When Charlie was younger, he spent plenty of time outside. But these days, he can relate much more to Greg’s idea of the perfect summer: staying inside, playing video games and avoiding all that sunshine. Charlie even has shades in his room, and yes, they are closed most of the time. Bear Bear, on the other hand, thinks those shades should be OPEN so he can see the sunshine!

That’s one reason I love reading books like this as a family. Sometimes you don’t just recognize the characters — you recognize the people sitting in your own house. Greg considers himself an indoor person, and he’s living his dream summer with no responsibilities and plenty of video games.

Unfortunately for Greg, his mom has a completely different idea of what summer should look like. Doesn’t this sound like me? His mom wants fresh air, outdoor activities and family togetherness. And you already know that I am Team #FamilyTogetherness! And what might surprise you is David is too.

Of course, our family was going to gravitate toward anything with the word dog in it and before you ask I’m not going to tell you if there is actual dog in the book. The book includes a new addition to the Heffley family, along with plenty of family chaos, sibling squabbles and the kind of ridiculous situations that make these books so much fun.

When you open the book it reminds me of a Comic Book — But Reads Like a Chapter Book which is one of the things I really like about Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days is the format. Then there is the yellow cover with the yellow and orange binding immediately catches your eye. Greg is pictured looking absolutely heartbroken, as though he has just dropped his ice cream on the ground. Honestly, I would be heartbroken too!

Inside, the illustrations make the book look almost like a comic book or graphic novel. There are drawings throughout the story, funny signs, little details and visual jokes that make you want to stop and look at the pages. But at the same time, it reads like a chapter book.

That combination is part of what made these books so appealing to Charlie when he was younger. There’s enough actual reading to make it a book, but the illustrations give readers another way to experience the story. One of the first pages I happened to open to was an advertisement for VIP Lawn Service.

The people in the picture immediately reminded me of David and Charlie! It made me think about the two of them and there own little C & D honey-do lawn-mowing service. Then I turned another page and found Greg playing basketball inside the house with a boombox playing.

Again, I had to laugh. Charlie has an indoor basketball goal, and we have a boombox, so I could absolutely picture him borrowing ours and doing something similar. That’s what happens when you have kept books from your child’s childhood for years. You start recognizing pieces of your own family in the illustrations and jokes.

Now before you ask if I would I recommend Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days? Absolutely. I especially like that the story is funny without requiring a reader to sit down with a huge block of text. The illustrations keep the pages moving, while the chapter-book format gives children plenty of reading practice.

And for families who already know the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Dog Days is another fun adventure with Greg Heffley. For our family, though, it became something more. It reminded me of Charlie sitting around with these books when he was younger. It reminded me of our homeschooling days. It reminded me of walking through Walmart looking for the newest book. And it reminded me that sometimes the books we buy for our children become the books we keep for the rest of our lives.

There’s a little moment in the book that made me smile: the Reading Is Fun Club is down to one member — Greg. Well, Greg, I think I’m going to join you! And maybe you should join us, too. Because reading really IS fun — especially when the book makes you laugh. That would count as our 10 minutes of reading earning us a ticket in our 10 Minute Reading Challenge.

Have you or your children read Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days? Which Wimpy Kid book is your favorite?

Summer’s here, the weather is great―and Greg Heffley is staying inside. In Dog Days, the fourth book in Jeff Kinney’s #1 international bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Greg is living his dream summer: no responsibilities, no rules, and endless video games.

But his mom has other plans―ones that involve fresh air, family bonding, and zero screen time. Will Greg survive the Summer? Or will a new addition to the Heffley family change everything?

With hilarious twists, sibling squabbles, a brand-new dog, and plenty of summer surprises, this book is perfect for readers ages 8–12.

See the Wimpy Kid World in a whole new way with the #1 bestselling Awesome Friendly books, told from the perspective of Greg Heffley’s best friend Rowley Jefferson: Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson’s Journal | Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Adventure | Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories

Note: This review is based on our family’s experience with the book and our long history of reading the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.

About the Book; Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days Book #4 in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series
Written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney
Published by Amulet Books, an imprint of Abrams
Recommended for readers ages 8–12

Meet the Author: Jeff Kinney

Jeff Kinney is a #1 New York Times Bestselling author of the ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ and ‘Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid’ series. He is a six-time Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award winner for ‘Favorite Book’ and has been named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. He is also the creator of Poptropica, which was named one of Time’s 50 Best Websites. He spent his childhood in the Washington, D.C., area and later moved to New England where he and his wife own a bookstore, ‘An Unlikely Story’.

ENJOY THE LATEST SERVING:: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hot Mess (book 19) is available now.

YOU’RE INVITED! Get ready for the brand-new Wimpy Kid book!

‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Partypooper (book 20) is out on October 21st 2025. Be the first to join the party. Pre-order today!

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID CREATES READERS: “Parents and educators applaud it as a visually friendly gateway for unwilling readers.”

NEW YORK TIMES. “Sure to please [a] budding reader.”

FORBES. “Laugh-out-loud funny.” NPR.

“These diaries continue to be solid stepping stones into the literary world for any reluctant reader.” KIRKUS.

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates