Diary of a Wimpy Kid author Jeff Kinney, whose Diary of a Wimpy Kid books have achieved global sales of more than 75 million, launched Cardiff’s first Children’s Literature Festival at a special event today.
Cardiff Children’s Literature Festival will run from March 20-24 2013, with award-winning author Jacqueline Wilson confirming earlier this year that she would be on the bill.
The launch event at Cardiff’s City Hall was Kinney’s only Welsh appearance to talk about The Third Wheel – the seventh and latest book in his best-selling series.
The Cardiff Children’s Literature Festival is being organised by the council, Literature Wales, Cardiff University and the National Museum of Wales, with the aim of bringing together some of the finest local and national children’s writers and illustrators. Authors will appear over four days in venues across Cardiff, with confirmed writers already on the bill including Anthony Browne, Jeremy Strong, Catherine Fisher, Eurig Salisbury and Malachy Doyle.
We caught up with Jeff Kinney for a Q&A ahead of his visit to Cardiff to see what he thought the city’s first Children’s Literature Festival will bring to the capital…
Q. You are in Cardiff to launch Cardiff Children’s Literature Festival, which will see a whole host of great authors lined up for kids (and parents!) to go along and listen to. Who are your favourite children’s authors, and why?
A. When I was a kid, I read everything I could get my hands on. Thanks to my mother being an educator and my father being a fan of comics, my house was well-stocked with novels and comic books. My favourite author as a child was Judy Blume, who wrote humorous books about ordinary situations. As I grew up, I started to read fantasy books, and Piers Anthony was my favourite. But my favourite all-time writer was Carl Barks, who wrote the great Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge stories in the 1950s and 60s. He had a way of telling adventurous tales that were packed with humor, all in cartoon format.
Q. Your books are often praised for getting even “reluctant” readers into books. What would you say to a child who is not interested in reading to convince him or her to pick up a book, and what advice would you give to parents who would like their children to read more?
I’d encourage kids to read about what interests them. If a kid loves LEGO, they should read about LEGO. If a parent gives a kid material that pertains to their interests, they’re much more likely to read. And once a kid starts reading, they begin to branch out. My son read Captain Underpants in the second grade, and by the end of the school year, he was reading Harry Potter. Reading is addictive.
Q. You’re now on the seventh Diary of a Wimpy Kid book. Where do you find the inspiration to keep coming up with new ideas for star of the books, Greg Heffley?
A. It’s difficult to keep coming up with ideas that feel fresh. But my books are ordinary stories, and there’s a lot that goes on in the course of an ordinary life. I don’t feel like I have to keep raising the stakes. Real life is funny.
Q. As Greg grows up, what challenges will he face next, and how many more Wimpy Kid books would you like to write?
A. I don’t think Greg will grow up. He’ll be a pre-adolescent forever.
Q. Will this be your first visit to Cardiff and/or Wales? What do you enjoy most about going on tour?
A. This will be my first visit to Cardiff, but about 15 years ago, I visited several castles in Wales, and I’ve always wanted to come back. My favourite part about going on tour is meeting the kids who like my books. When I wrote the books, I thought they were too specifically American to work in other countries. I’ve been amazed at the reception in countries outside of the U.S., and going on tour gives me a chance to express my gratitude.
For more on Greg’s adventures, visit the Wimpy Kid club website
. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel, published by Puffin, is available as £12.99 harback or as a Wimp-ebook. It is also available on CD, for £6.99, from Puffin Audiobooks. Diary of a Wimpy Kid Dog Days is available on Blue-Ray Triple Play and DVD from November 26.
