I know I haven't updated in ages, but I found a very charming book that has to do with child development and after reading a good bit of it, I just had to post about it. The book is called "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney. The book follows the 6th grade year of a student named Greg and the pressures in his life (at home and school) from transitioning from his early childhood years to his adolescent years. Granted the book's reading level is aimed at 9 - 12 year olds (the prime middle school years) and its quite a simple book with plenty of (quite entertaining) illustrations throughout, however the book addresses many of the issues that the average middle school student faces. Their changing appearance, handling their new maturity and the responsibilities that come with age, and how when growing up you do lose a lot of things you enjoyed as a younger child, however you do gain more power and control socially in your life (gaining more credibility from adults and more personal freedoms and responsibilities).

I realize that the subject matter in the book is a ways outside the realm of specifically early childhood (even as far as 2nd grade) the book is very charming and down to earth (realistic fiction) and a much more mondern take on growing up and school life, than, say, the "Fudge" or "Junie B. Jones" books series we had growing up. Even though its been more than 10 years since I, myself, was a middle schooler, this book really captured the essence of those years in growing up very well and accurately. A very good book to flip through and check out.


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