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Diary of a Wimpy Kid #20
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Partypooper
International bestselling author Jeff Kinney serves up heaps of laughs in Partypooper, the 20th book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series
You’re Invited—RSVP for Fun!
Over the years, Greg Heffley has chronicled his mishaps and misadventures in a series of diaries—make that journals—but book 20 of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Partypooper, really takes the cake!
Expect gobs of fun and over-the-top antics as Greg throws an epic birthday party for none other than himself. So come celebrate and laugh alongside Greg, his family, and the entire world of Wimpy Kid fans.
Collect all the books in the #1 bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid Diary of a Wimpy Kid (#1) | Rodrick Rules (#2) | The Last Straw (#3) | Dog Days (#4) | The Ugly Truth (#5) | Cabin Fever (#6) | The Third Wheel (#7) | Hard Luck (#8) | The Long Haul (#9) | Old School (#10) | Double Down (#11) | The Getaway (#12) | The Meltdown (#13) | Wrecking Ball (#14) | The Deep End (#15) | Big Shot (#16) | Diper Överlöde (#17) | No Brainer (#18) | Hot Mess (#19) | Partypooper (#20)
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 Diary of an Awesome Friendly Rowley Jefferson’s Journal | Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Adventure | Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories
You’re Invited—RSVP for Fun!
Over the years, Greg Heffley has chronicled his mishaps and misadventures in a series of diaries—make that journals—but book 20 of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Partypooper, really takes the cake!
Expect gobs of fun and over-the-top antics as Greg throws an epic birthday party for none other than himself. So come celebrate and laugh alongside Greg, his family, and the entire world of Wimpy Kid fans.
Collect all the books in the #1 bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid Diary of a Wimpy Kid (#1) | Rodrick Rules (#2) | The Last Straw (#3) | Dog Days (#4) | The Ugly Truth (#5) | Cabin Fever (#6) | The Third Wheel (#7) | Hard Luck (#8) | The Long Haul (#9) | Old School (#10) | Double Down (#11) | The Getaway (#12) | The Meltdown (#13) | Wrecking Ball (#14) | The Deep End (#15) | Big Shot (#16) | Diper Överlöde (#17) | No Brainer (#18) | Hot Mess (#19) | Partypooper (#20)
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 Diary of an Awesome Friendly Rowley Jefferson’s Journal | Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Adventure | Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories
226 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 21, 2025
2004 people are currently reading
1179 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Kinney
501 books17.9k followersJeff Kinney is an author of children's books including Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series. Jeff was born in College Park, Maryland, in 1971 where he created a comic strip called "Igdoof."He also created the children's website 'Poptropica'.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 245 reviews
October 29, 2025
haha this one was good, i really like the plot and how you think he wins at the end but of course he doesn’t.
he never does
he never does
October 14, 2025
Happy 18th birthday greg heffley 🎉
October 21, 2025
I'm the 3rd review of this book (guessing Goodreads just hasn't updated, lol)!! I saw that Jeff Kinney is coming to a location near-ish me for his tour, but I'm a Children's Librarian and we have Juvenile Book Club (a group where we've read multiple DOAWK books and watched the movies) that day!
I must say, I really convinced myself that Greg would actually age in this one! It would've been the perfect moment, with it being the 20th book and, of course, the whole birthday plot. I think the plot was pretty unique to the series, and the last 50-100 pages were the most engaging. Susan's attempt to save face with the mayonnaise cake was my favorite. You could say that scene really takes the cake... I can't wait to see what's in store for him since the author has hit this exciting milestone.
Greg is kinda a jerk but he will always have a special place in my heart as one of the most iconic childhood characters and the only character I own memorabilia for (t-shirt, hat, Clue game, etc.) I have fond memories of reading the books with family members, working on the two Do-It-Yourself journals I still have, and seeing the movies in the theaters. I was only five when the very first book came out, but I probably started reading them within a year or two after that until middle school, and I got back into them in recent years. I love seeing the excitement kids still have for the series. A couple kids at the library yesterday were so surprised seeing it in my hands since it hadn't come out yet. Long live Greg Heffley!
I must say, I really convinced myself that Greg would actually age in this one! It would've been the perfect moment, with it being the 20th book and, of course, the whole birthday plot. I think the plot was pretty unique to the series, and the last 50-100 pages were the most engaging. Susan's attempt to save face with the mayonnaise cake was my favorite. You could say that scene really takes the cake... I can't wait to see what's in store for him since the author has hit this exciting milestone.
Greg is kinda a jerk but he will always have a special place in my heart as one of the most iconic childhood characters and the only character I own memorabilia for (t-shirt, hat, Clue game, etc.) I have fond memories of reading the books with family members, working on the two Do-It-Yourself journals I still have, and seeing the movies in the theaters. I was only five when the very first book came out, but I probably started reading them within a year or two after that until middle school, and I got back into them in recent years. I love seeing the excitement kids still have for the series. A couple kids at the library yesterday were so surprised seeing it in my hands since it hadn't come out yet. Long live Greg Heffley!
October 26, 2025
What can I say? Quick, easy, fun read which is why this 79 year old has enjoyed the entire series. Middle school was (is) tough but interesting to revisit those days. This one is way over "Greg focused", I usually enjoy more interaction with family members and friends. This may be to zero in on exactly how self centered he is. If so, it works.
Amusing tale with interesting twists. Interesting side eye from someone like me who hates junk fees and watches with some amusement as Greg comes up with a bunch of them - all in search of a collectible card.
Fun time, as usual. Enjoy.
Amusing tale with interesting twists. Interesting side eye from someone like me who hates junk fees and watches with some amusement as Greg comes up with a bunch of them - all in search of a collectible card.
Fun time, as usual. Enjoy.
October 22, 2025
I read these every year for the nostalgia and nothing else.
October 21, 2025
Another good read! I loved how Greg was able to turn his birthday disaster into a lucrative business.
November 5, 2025
3.5 stars.
October 22, 2025
I feel like this book brought the series back to its original roots, which was so refreshing. I would've liked to see more from the other characters (Rowley, Rodrick, Manny, etc.) but I think everyone got a good little feature amidst Greg's typical self-centered adventure. It's good to see the series back in action. Happy birthday Greg!
November 3, 2025
“Negative nancy” Greg gets a do-over birthday party from his mom after the family embarrassingly forget his birthday and, of course, both he and his mom each have different ideas. It’s a real surprise of a party as Greg’s story has plenty of disastrous results involving collectible cards, a wild deer and surprise guests.
Greg sure is more of a downer than he usually is while is mom is just as unhelpful, yet it’s still a funny story that still has a upside in the end. I mean we’ve all have had dud birthdays too. B+ (83%/Very Good)
Greg sure is more of a downer than he usually is while is mom is just as unhelpful, yet it’s still a funny story that still has a upside in the end. I mean we’ve all have had dud birthdays too. B+ (83%/Very Good)
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October 30, 2025i used to read real books
October 28, 2025
Not sure why I have a soft spot for this series, Greg Heffley's narcissism annoys me to no end.
November 14, 2025
Absolutely love the series! I love how Greg and his mom plan his laye birthday party. Would like to do that for me cone April. Can't wait for the 21st to drop! Keep up the good work Jeff Kinney!
November 8, 2025
This book proves that Jeff Kinney’s still got it! This book felt very well executed compared to the others. We got a bunch of (relatable) birthday jokes up until about page 50. This is where the plot took place, which felt absolutely perfect! Some Wimpy Kid Books lack a plot entirely, and others don’t take place until the very end. This book did not fall into those categories and was an absolute blast to read!
Check out my review on YouTube!!
https://youtu.be/d9clsFhqd0c?si=_Y2_u...
Check out my review on YouTube!!
https://youtu.be/d9clsFhqd0c?si=_Y2_u...
November 1, 2025
This book was absolutely hilarious!! I've read every single one and i must say its one of the funniest books in the series!! i couldn't help but laugh. Anyone who's a fan knows Greg's hard luck and how it always plays out in the end but even after knowing that i loveeedd the ending haha. Things always turn out for the worst for him somehow and that's the funniest part.😂😂
October 28, 2025
Received my annual dose of wimpy kid😅👌🩷
October 21, 2025
This one really highlights the inherent narcissism of Greg Heffley which I appreciated because I’ve BEEN saying that
November 24, 2025
Reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid at an older age made me realize that the series can go in a surprisingly problematic direction. I read many of the earlier books when I was younger, and my English wasn’t strong enough then to understand the implications behind certain scenes. But with this newly released book, the issues became very obvious, and honestly a bit concerning, especially since the books are targeted toward children.
Troubling Message About Body Image
At the beginning of the book, there is a scene that felt deeply uncomfortable. Greg says:
“Mom said she didn’t feel comfortable with me playing with toys that have unrealistic body types because they make kids feel bad about themselves. The thing is, I never felt bad about my body until she said that, and I haven’t looked in the mirror the same way ever since.”
This refers to Greg playing with action figures — big, muscular, exaggerated male bodies. And Greg himself explains he never felt insecure until his mother pointed it out.
This is troubling because:
• Children do not naturally think about body insecurities in the way adults do.
• They don’t compare themselves to toys unless someone explicitly tells them to.
• By introducing the idea early, the adult creates insecurity instead of protecting against it.
• The scene unintentionally shows how adult interference can give a child a complex they otherwise wouldn’t have had.
It highlights that sometimes adults project their fears onto kids, and those comments can influence a child’s self-perception long before they are developmentally ready to think about body image. The book plays this for humor, but the underlying message is strangely insensitive and uncomfortable for a children’s story.
Greg’s Treatment of Rowley
One of the biggest issues is the portrayal of Greg and Rowley’s friendship. In this book, Rowley barely speaks and doesn’t get to do much, but whenever he appears, Greg’s attitude towards him is mean, dismissive, and borderline abusive. Their friendship constantly flips between “we’re friends” and “we’re not,” but it becomes clear that Greg mainly sees Rowley as someone he can use when he needs something.
Example: The Bouncy House Scene
Near the end of the book, there is a moment when there is no pump to fill a bouncy house and says:
“Luckily, Rowley arrived to help us set up, so I put him on bouncy house blow-up duty while I took care of more important things.”
This is:
• unrealistic (no child can literally blow up an entire bouncy house),
• irresponsible (where are the adults preventing this?), and
• harmful in its message (Greg prioritizes himself and treats Rowley like labor, not a friend).
It feels damaging because kids reading this may think this behavior is funny or acceptable.
This isn’t even a new issue — it reflects a long-standing pattern. I’m reminded of the earlier movie/book where:
• Rowley breaks his arm and gets attention,
• Greg becomes jealous, especially when his crush signs Rowley’s cast,
• Greg ends up breaking his own arm but gets no attention at all.
This jealousy and unhealthy competitiveness are portrayed as normal middle school behavior — which is true to some extent — but in these books it’s taken so far that it becomes problematic, especially when young readers don’t fully understand the underlying toxicity.
Children’s literature doesn’t need to be moral lessons all the time, but it also shouldn’t be careless in the messages it gives, especially when the target audience is so young and impressionable.
While I understand that Diary of a Wimpy Kid is meant to be silly and exaggerated, this new installment made me realize how easily it can reinforce toxic behaviors as “comedy.” As an adult reader, I can now see that some parts are not just harmless fun but actually reflect unhealthy relationships, especially in how Greg treats Rowley. This has made me reconsider letting my siblings continue the series without guidance or discussion.
Troubling Message About Body Image
At the beginning of the book, there is a scene that felt deeply uncomfortable. Greg says:
“Mom said she didn’t feel comfortable with me playing with toys that have unrealistic body types because they make kids feel bad about themselves. The thing is, I never felt bad about my body until she said that, and I haven’t looked in the mirror the same way ever since.”
This refers to Greg playing with action figures — big, muscular, exaggerated male bodies. And Greg himself explains he never felt insecure until his mother pointed it out.
This is troubling because:
• Children do not naturally think about body insecurities in the way adults do.
• They don’t compare themselves to toys unless someone explicitly tells them to.
• By introducing the idea early, the adult creates insecurity instead of protecting against it.
• The scene unintentionally shows how adult interference can give a child a complex they otherwise wouldn’t have had.
It highlights that sometimes adults project their fears onto kids, and those comments can influence a child’s self-perception long before they are developmentally ready to think about body image. The book plays this for humor, but the underlying message is strangely insensitive and uncomfortable for a children’s story.
Greg’s Treatment of Rowley
One of the biggest issues is the portrayal of Greg and Rowley’s friendship. In this book, Rowley barely speaks and doesn’t get to do much, but whenever he appears, Greg’s attitude towards him is mean, dismissive, and borderline abusive. Their friendship constantly flips between “we’re friends” and “we’re not,” but it becomes clear that Greg mainly sees Rowley as someone he can use when he needs something.
Example: The Bouncy House Scene
Near the end of the book, there is a moment when there is no pump to fill a bouncy house and says:
“Luckily, Rowley arrived to help us set up, so I put him on bouncy house blow-up duty while I took care of more important things.”
This is:
• unrealistic (no child can literally blow up an entire bouncy house),
• irresponsible (where are the adults preventing this?), and
• harmful in its message (Greg prioritizes himself and treats Rowley like labor, not a friend).
It feels damaging because kids reading this may think this behavior is funny or acceptable.
This isn’t even a new issue — it reflects a long-standing pattern. I’m reminded of the earlier movie/book where:
• Rowley breaks his arm and gets attention,
• Greg becomes jealous, especially when his crush signs Rowley’s cast,
• Greg ends up breaking his own arm but gets no attention at all.
This jealousy and unhealthy competitiveness are portrayed as normal middle school behavior — which is true to some extent — but in these books it’s taken so far that it becomes problematic, especially when young readers don’t fully understand the underlying toxicity.
Children’s literature doesn’t need to be moral lessons all the time, but it also shouldn’t be careless in the messages it gives, especially when the target audience is so young and impressionable.
While I understand that Diary of a Wimpy Kid is meant to be silly and exaggerated, this new installment made me realize how easily it can reinforce toxic behaviors as “comedy.” As an adult reader, I can now see that some parts are not just harmless fun but actually reflect unhealthy relationships, especially in how Greg treats Rowley. This has made me reconsider letting my siblings continue the series without guidance or discussion.
November 16, 2025
Hilarious and awesome, this book will be ready for years.
December 8, 2025
This book cracked me up! And I really enjoyed the illustrations. It's the first book I've read in the series, but I will definitely read more of them!
2025 Pippi Post Reader Roulette - Pick a Book That "Everyone" Has Read (#1 on USA Today's Best Selling Booklist for this week; Over 300 Million Books Sold)
2025 Pippi Post Reader Roulette - Pick a Book That "Everyone" Has Read (#1 on USA Today's Best Selling Booklist for this week; Over 300 Million Books Sold)
October 30, 2025
Who knew that an installment of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series could make me feel so warm and fuzzy? Happy birthday Greg!
November 13, 2025
Der neue Greg ist da – und es ist ein Jubiläumsband, der 20. Band der Reihe, unglaublich! Als Fan der ersten Stunde musste ich natürlich den neuen Greg sofort lesen – und ich war wie immer begeistert.
Das Cover ist diesmal pink/rot gehalten und passt mit seinem Design sehr zum Jubiläum. Das Thema ist diesmal – Gregs nahender Geburtstag! Sein Alter erfahren wir nicht, aber wir wissen nun, er hat im Juni Geburtstag. Die Tagebucheinträge zu seinem Geburtstag sind so rasant und komisch wie ich es von der Reihe kenne, liebe und ja, auch erwarte. Ich musste mehrmals laut auflachen! Ob Greg darüber sinniert, dass es ja nur eine begrenzte Zeit gibt, in der Geburtstage wirklich gut sind, bevor man dann Körperpflegeprodukte und Oberhemden geschenkt bekommt, die pädagogisch wertvollen „Action“-Figuren mit Namen wie Gabriel Gewöhnlich oder Adam Alltag, die man waschen muss, damit sie nicht stinken, seine Gedanken zu Dankeskarten und natürlich seine Party – der neue Greg ist wie immer ein Feuerwerk des Humors und der skurril-komischen Einfälle, genial abgerundet durch die typischen Kritzelzeichnungen.
Ein Highlight war für mich, dass vor allem Gregs Mutter, meine Lieblingsfigur, viel Raum in Greg 20 bekommt. Und ich fühle mich sehr gut, weil ICH noch nie einen Geburtstag einer meiner drei Kinder vergessen habe…
Mit Lachtränen in den Augen empfehle ich den neuen Greg uneingeschränkt an alle Fans der Reihe weiter, sowie alle Lesemuffel, die nur für Greg eine Ausnahme machen und ganz klar allen Erwachsenen wie mir, die in Greg so viel Wahres finden und so viel Lustiges!
Viel Spaß beim Lesen!!!!
Das Cover ist diesmal pink/rot gehalten und passt mit seinem Design sehr zum Jubiläum. Das Thema ist diesmal – Gregs nahender Geburtstag! Sein Alter erfahren wir nicht, aber wir wissen nun, er hat im Juni Geburtstag. Die Tagebucheinträge zu seinem Geburtstag sind so rasant und komisch wie ich es von der Reihe kenne, liebe und ja, auch erwarte. Ich musste mehrmals laut auflachen! Ob Greg darüber sinniert, dass es ja nur eine begrenzte Zeit gibt, in der Geburtstage wirklich gut sind, bevor man dann Körperpflegeprodukte und Oberhemden geschenkt bekommt, die pädagogisch wertvollen „Action“-Figuren mit Namen wie Gabriel Gewöhnlich oder Adam Alltag, die man waschen muss, damit sie nicht stinken, seine Gedanken zu Dankeskarten und natürlich seine Party – der neue Greg ist wie immer ein Feuerwerk des Humors und der skurril-komischen Einfälle, genial abgerundet durch die typischen Kritzelzeichnungen.
Ein Highlight war für mich, dass vor allem Gregs Mutter, meine Lieblingsfigur, viel Raum in Greg 20 bekommt. Und ich fühle mich sehr gut, weil ICH noch nie einen Geburtstag einer meiner drei Kinder vergessen habe…
Mit Lachtränen in den Augen empfehle ich den neuen Greg uneingeschränkt an alle Fans der Reihe weiter, sowie alle Lesemuffel, die nur für Greg eine Ausnahme machen und ganz klar allen Erwachsenen wie mir, die in Greg so viel Wahres finden und so viel Lustiges!
Viel Spaß beim Lesen!!!!
October 29, 2025
happy birthday greg heffley i also threw my own birthday party except mine was awesome
November 20, 2025
this book was mediocre and boring to sit through
greg basically just gets into his usual nonsense of wanting to become a middle school entrepreneur and not caring about anything else but himself and money
BUT OF COURSE everything goes wrong as per usual
the only parts of this book I liked were the lord of the rings reference on page 207 and that greg actually gets a good ending for once when he gets to plan birthday parties for other kids in the neighbourhood at the end in the last four pages
overall, it wasn't enjoyable and had almost no good aspects
don't plan on reading again, can't believe I wasted eight pounds on this
Jeff kinney needs to stop milking these books, they're just boring formulaic junk at this point
(sorry this is such a long rant lol)
greg basically just gets into his usual nonsense of wanting to become a middle school entrepreneur and not caring about anything else but himself and money
BUT OF COURSE everything goes wrong as per usual
the only parts of this book I liked were the lord of the rings reference on page 207 and that greg actually gets a good ending for once when he gets to plan birthday parties for other kids in the neighbourhood at the end in the last four pages
overall, it wasn't enjoyable and had almost no good aspects
don't plan on reading again, can't believe I wasted eight pounds on this
Jeff kinney needs to stop milking these books, they're just boring formulaic junk at this point
(sorry this is such a long rant lol)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2025
Don’t judge my reading choices; I’m sick.
October 25, 2025
This book was just as hilarious as the past nineteen. A birthday and a party gone wrong for Greg.
December 4, 2025
Kinda annoyed me at one point, but apparently we're after the phase when Greg can never win anything
October 23, 2025
Kinney knocks it out the park every single time. Each new book I think "surely these will no longer hold my adult attention" and each new book is a page turner. This story was very Greg-focused, but I liked that. Kinney finds a new storyline and brilliantly uses it with every book, and this birthday-themed misadventure is sure to be intriguing for Wimpy fans old and new alike.
November 15, 2025
clever and hard-hitting
Read
November 18, 2025had to read the newest one LOL
October 22, 2025
I've loved the wimpy kid series for a decade now and I've loved all the books and read all of them at least 8 times each but this book didn't reach expectation it was supposed to be very good and be the best book but it is very annoying because I was waiting for this book and was very hyped for the past year and when I read it and it wasn't good just boring.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 245 reviews