Imagine a game show where kids and librarians are the big winners — and instead of lifetime supplies of Turtle Wax, they can score free books and support for local libraries.
“Diary of a Wimpy Kid” author Jeff Kinney is celebrating the publication of “No Brainer,” his 18th book in the series, with a traveling game show that will visit 13 bookstores along the West Coast and provide books, financial support and some getaways for lucky librarians. The tour kicks off Oct. 23 in San Diego.
Kinney is personally donating $100,000 and dividing it among local libraries along his tour. He’ll also be driving a customized “No Brainer”-wrapped van dubbed “The Wimpy Wagon.”
“It’s a wrapped, customized Sprinter van that feels like a party bus inside,” Kinney said, in a recent interview. “Getting honks and waves from people in passing vehicles always adds a lot of excitement and energy to the tour.”
After starting off Oct. 23 at Mission Bay High School in San Diego, Kinney will appear on the book’s publication day, Oct. 24, at the El Segundo Performing Arts Center. He’ll eventually finish up the tour on Washington state’s Bainbridge Island at Eagle Harbor Book Co.
Author Jeff Kinney with the book jacket for his latest “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” book, “No Brainer.”
(Photo by Filip Wollak / Courtes)
“Kids are going to have a chance to win money for their school library or their community library. At each tour stop, we’re going to be spotlighting a beloved local librarian,” says Kinney, who asked 10 publishers to donate a range of diverse books, and they all agreed.
“We’ve got hundreds of books to give away,” he said.
The whole extravaganza came out of Kinney’s desire to support the work of some of the book world’s most important people.
“Libraries are really suffering and librarians are at the frontline of the culture wars, and so we thought it would be a good idea to celebrate libraries and librarians on this tour,” he said.
Kinney has sold an estimated 275 million books worldwide. He said that some of his books have occasionally been challenged, but he’s much more concerned that books by people of color and the LGBTQ community are being targeted.
“My books have been banned here and there but it’s not that prevalent. What I’m really worried about are underrepresented authors whose works are being banned,” he says.
“It’s just so important that everybody’s voices are heard. We’re living in a time where empathy is really in short supply, and books are really unique in that they can provide a window into another person’s mind — and so I think book banning is a form of erasure. Part of my goal on this tour is to make sure we’re getting books into the hands of kids who really need to discover those books.”
Kenny and his wife own a bookstore in Plainville, Mass. They also host a diverse roster of author events and he has an international tour planned that will take him to Germany, the U.K. and India, where he’s also popular. His work has been translated into 69 languages.
“It’s really cool, because it suggests to me that there’s a common thread between us, which is our shared childhood experiences. I think I’ve been to 35 countries now,’ he says with recent trips to Sweden, Peru and Columbia.
“Diary of a Wimpy Kid #18: No Brainer” by Jeff Kinney (Amulet Books, 2023; 224 pages)
Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore presents Jeff Kinney and ‘The No Brainer Show’
When: 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 23
Where: Mission Bay High School auditorium, 2475 Grand Ave., San Diego
Tickets: $16.99 (includes one signed copy of “No Brainer” and admission for two (proceeds benefit local libraries)
Online: mystgalaxy.com/102323
Pedersen writes for the Southern California News Group.