Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever

Jeff Kinney has been working magic with this series. He's turned kids who are reluctant to read, into kids who are like machines devouring paper and ink at a breakneck pace. That's not the easiest task in the world, yet he does it. I don't know of a great number of authors who have done this, although I could name a few off the top of my head. Kinney...and Mary Pope Osbourne. But let's save the lovely Mrs. Osbourne for later shall we? I've also actively been reading the Magic Tree House series. Once I am rather caught up with those, I might put up a review that looks over the whole series in general and its success, etc. But for now, the focus is on Diary of a Wimpy Kid so let's stick to that.

I've never been much of a reluctant reader, show more so I can't testify to that. My sister grew out of most of her reluctance when she discovered the Magic Tree House.....so again, I don't know how much of a difference this book actually makes. However, I can say that it is definitely oodles of fun.

Like I've said in the reviews for the past books in the series, its funny, its relatable....its for kids. Or is it? I'm sure lots of people would get a kick out of these books, even if they are intended for a younger set of minds. I'm having a blast reading them, and I don't think its because I'm a kid at heart. I think it's just good storytelling. As usual, the book is in a diary kind of format. The font is bold and easy to read. There isn't a whole bunch of wording on one given page. There are cartoonist-style illustrations on every page. I think I could even make that a guarantee. I've never found a single page of boredom in any of these books.

I used this book as a way to take a break from my serious college reading. I was reading textbooks for Latin and Government and thats great stuff to learn...but it can't hold my attention and invigorate me for hours at a time. Enter Diary of A Wimpy Kid. I'm naturally a pretty fast reader. I love to read, its something I do a lot of. The Wimpy Kid books take me no more than an hour usually. They go by way too quick. So this book, is the perfect book for study breaks.

But I think the question on everyone's mind is: what's within the pages? What do we have in store this time around?

Let me tell you. In Cabin Fever we have Greg Heffley, child extraordinaire.....running from the law. That's not all! We have inclement weather, bad parenting, a younger sibling who has a nose for trouble and Alfrendo the baby doll. Not sold yet? How about a flooded basement, new car and the Presidential Fitness Test (which I actually did have to take in school). There's also the Santa Scout, who could forget about him? So many more laughs.

Greg's mom is definitely not a role model. I would just like to toss it out that she is a time waster and just....not to be rude or mean....a bit of an airhead. You'd think she'd be better prepared for things than she is. We can't all expect our parents to be geniuses though.

Manny......that kid is an absolutely evil genius. Looking back on all this reading, he's just a kid who always has something up his sleeve to stir up some trouble. I didn't catch on at first until after reading this book. Sure, there have been some instances where I questioned things but never have I seen such maniacal tendencies like this in a young child (besides in YOU Alexandria, this is all right up your alley). This is the character that I would say is the smartest of all. The little sibling has some dastardly plots and nobody is seeming to really catch on. The mom certainly isn't and Greg is too busy with his own financial issues. Rodrick is just too busy sleeping.

Overall, this series just never stops bringing the laughs and the good times. There are a few things I question sometimes (EX: How did the basement flood in the first place? & Shouldn't that hose have frozen and proven unusable, thereby not allowing Greg to move the snow and turn that sidewalk into an icy Slip' N Slide? ), but its always lots of fun regardless of those technicalities. show less

“I know I need to eat healthier, but if you take fast food out of my diet I'm in big trouble, because I'm probably something like 95% chicken nugget.”
-Jeff Kinney in Cabin Fever.

Cabin Fever is the sixth installment of the Diary Of A Wimpy Kid book series following Greg Heffley navigating middle school mishaps, being snowed in, and a run-in with the law. Deeply relatable and the main character is tolerable in this installment.

I wasn't allowed to read Diary Of A Wimpy Kid as a kid so now I'm reading it as an adult. I certainly wouldn't give this to a kid due to Greg Heffley being a terrible role model but Cabin Fever brought in a wave of nostalgia for my childhood and added to the whimsy that makes Diary Of A Wimpy Kid such a beloved show more franchise. The wedding was hilarious and the thought process Greg had about his mistakes showed growth and relatability I didn't expect!

The way Greg Heffley talks about the people is still deplorable and it doesn't feel like a cohesive book until they get snowed in but so far Cabin Fever has been one of my favorite installments! show less

Now THIS one is as funny as the early ones. I kept laughing out loud on several occasions. Unlike The Third wheel it jumps around to different events and things happening, which is when I think these books succeed so well. Manny is becoming a little holy terror, isn't he?

Greg is falsely accused of vandalism just as a surprise winter storm traps him and his family inside for the holidays. Kinney’s trademark humor turns cabin fever into comedic gold, delivering laugh-out-loud moments and heart-warming family dynamics. With clever illustrations and relatable teenage angst, it’s a perfect blend of holiday hijinks and kid-centric fun.

Reviewed by Preethan, Grade 10

The story follows Greg Heffley, a teenage boy who is in middle school. Right now, he is in the holiday season. Greg has to overcome and deal with family issues, school pressure, and other obstacles. Everything spirals when he causes property damage at his school and he is worried about getting in trouble. By a great stroke of luck, a snowstorm traps the family in their house, causing his paranoia to grow and for the story to focus more on a holiday theme. I liked this book because it shows Greg’s fear of getting caught for something he did accidentally. In most of the books, Greg is portrayed as someone who doesn’t have many drawbacks. In this story, it takes a different approach where Greg is afraid show more and worried for the first time. I also liked how the story takes place in a holiday setting. Furthermore, I really appreciated the maturity and character development Greg went through while dealing with the consequences of his actions in this book. I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars. The subplots like the holiday decoration and Rowley’s absence help paint the picture better. I liked the unusual amount of character development in this book as well. Greg took action and did what was right. I would recommend this book to readers between the ages 10 - 13. These ages would be best to relate to middle school life and being able to understand the changes Greg is going through. I think that this book could have received a higher rating if there was a stronger resolution to the main conflict in this book. I think that the ending for the main conflict was a bit abrupt and rushed. show less

"I've seen a lot of movies where a kid my age finds out he's got magical powers and then gets invited to go away to some special school. Well, if I've got an invitation coming, now would be the PERFECT time to get it."

A big snowstorm has Mrs. Heffley and the boys snowed in. Greg is fearful that the police will be coming for him at any minute (it wasn't really vandalism - it just looks that way), Manny's reprogrammed the parental controls so that no one can watch any programs except his favorites, the basement's flooded and Rodrick moves into Greg's room, Greg has to care for Manny since Mom's glasses are broken (oops!), Dad's stuck in a hotel (cue the bubble bath, robe, slippers, and cable TV), and the power's out. Just a typical month show more in Greg Heffley's diary.

Amidst the laughter, Jeff Kinney coaxes out a spirit of community, of giving, of Christmas, and family togetherness - whether Greg Heffley likes it or not.

Another great addition to the Wimpy Kid series!
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Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney

Summary:

Greg Heffley is in big trouble. School property has been damaged, and Greg is the prime suspect. But the crazy thing is, he’s innocent. Or at least sort of.

The authorities are closing in, but when a surprise blizzard hits, the Heffley family is trapped indoors. Greg knows that when the snow melts he’s going to have to face the music, but could any punishment be worse than being stuck inside with your family for the holidays?

I had just about given up on this series. I loved books one and two. Book three was ok, but books four and five just didn't live up to the first two. It was almost as though Kinney was writing the books only so as not to disappoint his millions of young show more fans. I had also read somewhere that book five was to be the last in the series, so I was rather surprised when the announcement came about book six. Fortunately for me, I am a school librarian and my students love this series. Therefore I had to read Cabin Fever in order to stay current with my students. I'm glad I did, because this book reignited my love for the series.

What I liked about the book: Greg is less whiny in this book. Oh, sure - he's still the King of Bad Choices, but he actually seems to grow a little, in spite of himself. That was my problem with books four and five - Greg seemed rather stagnant. I like that the book is a quick, easy and entertaining read. Kinney certainly knows his audience and does a great job of meeting their expectations.

What I didn't like about the book: Can't think of anything I didn't like.

As I mentioned my students (3rd - 5th grade) are crazy about this series. Our pre-winter break library lesson involved a book talk about Cabin Fever and then they had an indoor snowball fight. They each wrote an adjective about snow on three slips of paper, balled them up and spent 60 seconds having a snowball fight. At the end of the fight they took three "snowballs" that had landed near them and used the three words to write a poem about snow on their blog. They had a great time. I'm not sure which they enjoyed more - the excerpt I read from the book or the snowball fight.

AR Reading level: 5.8

Recommended for 3rd grade and up.

Mrs. Archer's rating: 5 of 5! show less