Jeff Kinney

Jeff Kinney is an American author and illustrator who created the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, one of the most successful children's book franchises in publishing history. Born in Fort Washington, Maryland, in 1971, he studied at the University of Maryland, where he drew the comic strip Igdoof for the campus newspaper. He spent eight years developing the concept for Diary of a Wimpy Kid before it was published as a book in 2007. The series, written as the illustrated journal of middle schooler Greg Heffley, has sold over 275 million copies worldwide and been translated into over seventy languages. Its simple yet expressive cartoon illustrations and pitch-perfect capture of the anxieties, embarrassments, and social dynamics of childhood have made it one of the bestselling book series of all time. The franchise has spawned multiple feature films and spin-off series including Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid, told from the perspective of Greg's best friend Rowley. Kinney was named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2009. He also owns An Unlikely Story, an independent bookshop in Plainville, Massachusetts. His audiobooks and books continue to delight listeners and readers of all ages who recognise the universal truths of childhood captured in Greg Heffley's misadventures.