A Surprising Children's Book Review: Dear Dumb Diary

The cover of the book. 

Quite honestly I was shocked that this was considered a children's book. It is okay. It has like more pictures than words. Here are exhibits.

The book is basically Jamie (a middle schooler's) diary, about middle school assignments and how she has a crush on Mr Prince, a substitute teacher who replaces a teacher sick from food poisoning from their cafeteria food. Then in her ongoing love saga with M.P (His pen name in all of his secret love notes to her), she encounters problems with her best friend Isabella and finds comfort in her arch enemy, Angeline. Finally she finds out Angeline was her friend back in elementary who's gone total makeover with her hair, Isabella is a cunning character who does anything to prove she is better than everyone, and that her secret admirer and M.P wasn't Mr Prince at all, it was her classmate Mike Pinsetti and her old crush and apparently Angeline's crush too, Hudson.

What I thought of this book was; - It was adorable, entertaining, witty, and had very childish approach to its contents, well it is after all a middle schooler's diary.

I also thought that the book was slightly inappropriate for kids. For teenagers? - definitely yes! It has a page on Jamie's arsenal of dirty looks which I think is not appropriate for innocent budding children. It spoke from critics perspective, like how fairy tales are dumb, like it would be easier for Prince Charming if he could just recognize Cinderella by face, and Jamie thinks pretty young maidens break deals all the time (Rumpelstiltskin) and that they are the cause of all problems in the world, like breaking into bears houses and busting up their junk (Goldilocks), antagonizing wolves (Red Riding Hood), getting lost in woods (Snow White) and driving their stepmothers crazy (Cinderella). This totally screws the whole point of fairy tales! Teaching kids to imagine and dream.

On the contrary, criticizing challenges kids to think outside the books and question the books they read. Another good thing about the book is that it cultivates the love of writing in the readers, keeping a journal improves your English (obviously). It also thought me to take things easier, brush them off your shoulders, they are after all problems and are meant to screw with us. The more time we waste on them, the more Jamie-ish we become.