‘Wimpy Kid’ #21 Is Here: Hear What Massachusetts Author Jeff Kinney Told Us [AUDIO]

Young readers on the SouthCoast are pretty happy as the 21st book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series has arrived. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Fight or Flight is the latest book by Plainville, Massachusetts author Jeff Kinney.

My son and I recently attended one of his interactive events at King Philip High School where Kinney kicked off his book tour by connecting with fans, bringing back familiar faces and sitting down to answer a few questions.

If you have a school-age kid who loves the books as my son does, read on to hear more from the Wimpy Kid author about his brand new book.

Tackling Bullying with 'Wimpy Kid' Humor

"This book is actually about bullying, and I wanted to make it funny so I couldn't take it too seriously," Kinney said. "So I have this situation where Greg says at the beginning of the book he's a coward, he comes from a long line of cowards, he's proud of being a coward or a chicken, and then he catches the attention of the worst bully at the school, and so he has to choose between fight or flight, which is the title of the book."

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Fight or Flight explores the topic of bullying in a lighthearted, more approachable way, adding humor as he does in all of his books. "It's sort of meant to be abstract, it's not meant to be realistic, it's meant to be sort of like a little bit silly and over the top, but this time I wanted to really dive in and explore the topic fulsomely," Kinney said.

From Fenway Park to Disney+: The Global Rise of Greg Heffley

The first Diary of a Wimpy Kid book was published in April 2007 and since then, they've really taken off. At the event, we even got a sneak peek at the new animated film coming to Disney+, Diary Of A Wimpy Kid Christmas: The Getaway.

The success of the series, from books to movies, has allowed Kinney to have some incredible experiences. "I've been to the White House a number of times, I've gotten to throw out the first pitch at Fenway Park, a lot of different, very special things," Kinney said.

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He's been able to visit young readers around the world too. However, there are still a few places he'd like to visit. "I've never been to Thailand, I've never been to Slovakia, I'm going to Bosnia for the first time soon, so I'm getting around for sure," Kinney added.

Why Plainville’s 'An Unlikely Story' Is a Must-Visit for SouthCoast Families

The Plainville event was a blast for families, and Kinney's local bookstore, An Unlikely Story is so charming. They're always getting new books and souvenirs and adding more events to their calendar. Take it from a local mom, it's definitely worth the drive.