‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ author Jeff Kinney shares his love of reading with his kids

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A split of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" author Jeff Kinney and his favorite books. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" author Jeff Kinney shares his favorite books. Tom Struzziero; Amazon

Ever wonder what your favorite celebrities are reading — whether it’s a timeless classic or the buzzy bestseller they can’t put down? Welcome to Page-Turners, where stars reveal the books that keep them hooked, inspired and up all night. Warning: your TBR pile is about to get a lot longer.

“Diary of a Wimpy Kid” author Jeff Kinney spent years building up his family library with books his children would love.

“When my kids were young, our family didn’t have a lot of money. But my wife and I told our sons that if they ever wanted a book, the answer would be ‘yes,'” the author — whose “Diary of a Wimpy Kid #20: Partypooper” is on sale now — tells Page Six.

 Partypooper, showing Greg Heffley in a party hat on top of a birthday cake, with another character looking at a piece of cake on the ground.

The result, according to Kinney, was a big collection of “high-quality” books his two sons could “come back to again and again.”

“These days, my boys are avid readers, which makes me feel like our investment in those early days paid off,” Kinney — who runs an indie bookstore in Massachusetts — tells us.

See below for Kinney’s must-read book recommendations.

“The Arrival” by Shaun Tan

Illustration of the book cover for "The Arrival" by Shaun Tan, showing a man with a suitcase looking at a small, fantastical creature.

“A visual and narrative (but wordless) masterpiece that tells the tale of an immigrant’s experience in a strange world that has to decode, then master. Books are empathy machines, and this graphic novel helps you to step into someone else’s shoes.”


“The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777” by Rick Atkinson

Book cover for "The British Are Coming" by Rick Atkinson, featuring an illustration of a battle scene from the American Revolutionary War.

“A compelling, and somehow fresh and surprising, take on the Revolutionary War. A great companion piece for Ken Burns’ documentary, ‘The American Revolution.'”


“The Creative Act: A Way of Being” by Rick Rubin

 A Way of Being" by Rick Rubin, featuring a black circle with a black dot in the center on a light gray background.

“Legendary music producer Rick Rubin is known for connecting artists of every time to their creative wellspring, which leads to art in its purest form. In ‘The Creative Act,’ Rubin helps the readers to get in touch with their own potential as artists and as human beings.”


“Picture This: How Pictures Work” by Molly Bang

 How Pictures Work" by Molly Bang, showing abstract black rectangles and a red triangle on a white background.

“A simple and arresting book that uses stark, abstract drawings to explain principals of visual perception and the impact images can have. A must-have for designers and illustrators, or for anyone who’s curious about why some pictures are so impactful.”


“Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World” by David Epstein

 Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World" by David Epstein, featuring a cluster of keys on a keyring.

“The rare book that I’ve read more than once. Epstein examines the lives of some of the world’s most successful athletes, artists, and inventors and discovers that early specialization is not often a part of their journey — which upends conventional wisdom. A great book for someone in their 20s and 30s who’s trying to chart their own path forward.”


“The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid” by Bill Bryson

Book cover for "The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid" by Bill Bryson, featuring a young boy in a plaid shirt, wearing a winged helmet with an antenna, holding a toy ray gun, set against a cloudy blue sky.

“Famed travel writer revisits his childhood growing up in Des Moines, Iowa, in the 1950s. A memoir that really is laugh-out-loud funny — and one that I think about often as I craft my own tales of an imagined childhood.”


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