"Diary of a Wimpy Kid" author Jeff Kinney talks plans to revamp area around Massachusetts bookstore
BOSTON -- Jeff Kinney, the author of the popular "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series, came to Boston Friday to promote an event this weekend honoring librarians and share a sneak-peek of his upcoming projects.
Jeff Kinney's weekend for librarians
Kinney, who works out of his bookstore, "An Unlikely Story," in Plainville, Massachusetts, is hosting an All-Star Librarian Weekend in Boston.
"They're flying in now and it's really exciting," he told WBZ-TV. "They're coming from all over the country -- from Texas, Utah, Oregon, West Virginia -- and we're going to show them around Boston. We're going to take them on a Duck Boat tour. We're going to take them to the old Union Oyster House. They're going to come down to my bookstore."
Kinney said the weekend with these special librarians is meant to celebrate them and to "show them a good time."
"It's so important to give back to libraries because they're the ones that are creating the new generation of readers," Kinney said.
The library is the first place a child has "agency," he said, adding that when kids walk into a library, they're able to explore and pick out a book that's just for them.
"Librarians are the ones that are putting the books into the hands of the kids and I think that's a sacred act. A librarian can give you a book that might change your life," he told WBZ.
For this special weekend event, Kinney held a sweepstakes where hundreds of people nominated their favorite librarian. He said they found some really special ones struggling with "tough circumstances."
"They're fighting book bans. They're right at the center of cultural wars so it's a tough time to be a librarian right now in many places," Kinney said.
New "Wimpy Kid" book
Kinney has had massive success with his "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series, selling more than 290 million copies of the books. He's getting ready to publish book number 19 titled, "Hot Mess."
"The new book is about what happens when you mix family, heat, in a tight space, in a beach house. It's about the family sort of battling for supremacy and the next leader, the next head of the family," he said.
From books to screen
Kinney's books have been turned into successful live-action movies, with his first book-to-screen adaptation released in 2010. His series has also been made into three animated films, streaming now on Disney+.
"We've got another one on deck and then hopefully another one after that. But I'm always working on something, so it's really fun to always have something out there in the world," he told WBZ.
Plainville bookstore plans
In May of 2015, Kinney opened his bookstore in Plainville, where he's lived with his family for the past 12 years. "An Unlikely Story" includes a wide selection of books, a cafe, and an upstairs space for events.
Kinney has hosted different events at his bookstore for the community, including special guest author appearances and book signings.
Now, he's in the process of buying up properties around his store, hoping to build up the center of town. He has a website that displays the layout of his plans for Plainville Square.
"We want to create a really great community space. We want to create a green where you can have like pumpkin festivals, outdoor music, things like that, other buildings, an anchor restaurant. So it's going to be a big deal," he said. "We're just trying to build community, especially in a really polarized time."