Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Wrecking Ball by Jeff Kinney

Greg Heffley’s Aunt Reba passes away and leaves his family with an inheritance. Greg’s mom decides she wants to put an addition on the kitchen to make it larger. Once the workers have the house torn apart, they find many issues: mice, wasps, and mold. There was also a mistake made by the construction company and they are too close to their neighbor’s house, so they have to tear the addition down. There is no more money left except to repair what has been ruined.

Greg’s mom decides she wants to look at nicer houses and so the family finds an amazing house they all want. They need to sell their other house first but with all the issues no one is interested. Finally, a family loves it and makes them an offer. The inspector finds a few things wrong with the house that must be changed before they move.

While trying to move the hottub, a crane operator accidentally runs over the Heffley’s couch and drops the hot tub through their roof. Because of all the damage, the buyers back out and the Heffleys are back where they started.

This “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” isn’t as offensive as the first, but that doesn’t make it a winner. While the list below is shorter, it certainly should give you pause before handing this to your child. If you have an older reader, 10-12, they might be able to navigate these things more easily but I would not recommend giving it to a child under 8. Some may say I’m too conservative and that’s fine! I also don’t like how Greg has such a negative, selfish demeanor especially around his “best friend.” You can decide what’s right for your family from the list below. I was on the cusp, but I decided not to give this one a Mom Stop.

Sexual Content:
Greg likes Becky and gets the nerve to tell her to her face.

Language:
Uses stupid, dumb, poop, and “not going number one.”

Questionable Behaviors:
Greg imagines a couch with a toilet built into it.
Greg is excited he has something to brag about.
Picture of a zombie invasion.
Picture of a plumber with “plumber’s crack” that Greg’s little brother puts a credit card into.
A construction worker has his name tattooed on his face.
A puppy peeing all over the place.

Also, Be Aware:
Greg refers to the Egyptian afterlife.
His brother tells him to hold his breath in a cemetery so he doesn’t swallow a ghost.
Greg has questions about the afterlife: What do you look like and are you wearing the clothes you died in forever?
He refers to world religions and how some believe you are reborn as something else after you die.
Greg doesn’t want to be a dung beetle in his next life.

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