In 1998, Jeff Kinney began writing down jokes and illustrations in a series of journals for what would later become Diary of a Wimpy Kid. After six years of working on this content, Jeff released the first of many daily installments on Funbrain.com in May 2014.
After receiving millions of views of this content on Funbrain, Jeff brought a printed sample of his manuscript to New York ComicCon in 2006. Shortly thereafter, he signed a multi-book deal with Abrams to turn the writing and illustrations into a book series.
Loosely based on Jeff’s own childhood, the series follows middle school weakling, Greg Heffley, as he journals the trials, tribulations and humor of dealing with family, friends and surviving middle school.
The first book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series was published in 2007 and gained instant success. Today, there are 18 books in the series in 84 editions and 69 languages. The books have sold more than 290 million copies globally.
In addition to the book series, Jeff has written and illustrated three spin-off titles in the Awesome Friendly Kid series, written from the perspective of Greg’s best friend, Rowley Jefferson.
Beyond the books, the Wimpy Kid series has been adapted into four live action movies, three animated films on Disney+ and a Musical. Greg Heffley also lives outside the book pages in the form of a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon, emojis and licensed products.