Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (novel) facts for kids
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days book cover.
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| Author | Jeff Kinney |
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| Illustrator | Jeff Kinney |
| Cover artist | Jeff Kinney and Chad W. Beckerman |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Diary of a Wimpy Kid |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Publisher | Amulet Books (US) Puffin Books (UK) |
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Publication date
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October 12, 2009 (United States) October 13, 2009 (Canada) |
| Media type | Print (hardcover, paperback) |
| Pages | 217 |
| ISBN | 978-0-8109-8391-5 |
| Preceded by | The Last Straw |
| Followed by | The Ugly Truth |
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days is the fourth book in the super popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. It was written by American author and cartoonist Jeff Kinney.
This funny novel came out on October 12, 2009, in the USA. A movie based on this book and The Last Straw was released on August 3, 2012.
The story follows Greg Heffley during his summer vacation. He's just finished seventh grade and is about to start eighth grade.
Contents
What Happens in the Book?
The book begins with Greg Heffley explaining he loves staying indoors. He plans to spend his whole summer playing video games. But his mom, Susan, wants him to go outside more.
The family doesn't have much money. So, they can't go to the beach this summer. Still, Susan wants them to have the "best summer ever."
Greg and Rowley's Summer Jobs
Greg invites his best friend Rowley for a sleepover. They watch a scary horror movie together. Later, they decide to start a lawn mowing business. They want to earn money because Greg spent $83 at the local country club.
The lawn mowing job doesn't go well. Neither of them knows how to use a lawn mower. Rowley also refuses to do all the work by himself. Because of this, Greg decides not to invite Rowley to his birthday party. This makes them stop being friends for a while.
New Pets and Family Fun
At his birthday party, Greg gets a "Ladybug" cell phone. It can only make calls to home and for emergencies. Greg is also sad he didn't get a dog.
The next day, Susan takes Greg and his brother, Rodrick, to the pet store. They each get five dollars. Greg chooses an angelfish. Rodrick buys a piranha. Manny, Greg's youngest brother, also comes along. He buys fish food. Greg thinks it's for their new fish. But Manny eats half the food on the way home!
The fish get their own bowls. Rodrick doesn't feed his piranha or clean its bowl. So, the piranha starts eating algae from the glass. When Susan sees Rodrick's dirty bowl, she moves the piranha into Greg's bowl. After a trip to the water park, Greg finds out the piranha ate his angelfish!
Sweetie the Dog
At a Father's Day lunch, Greg's dad, Frank, hears a story. His own dad accidentally ran over his dog when he was young. Then he lied and said the dog ran away. After hearing this, Frank drives off and buys a dog.
Susan names the dog Sweetie. No one else in the family likes the name. Greg doesn't like the dog either. Sweetie barks at the TV and sleeps in the middle of Greg's bed.
Pool Adventures
Greg sees a picture and notices Heather Hills. She is the sister of Holly Hills, one of the cutest girls in his class. Heather is a lifeguard at the town pool. Greg tries to impress her. He helps Heather by getting her drinks. He also calls out people for breaking pool rules.
But then Heather expects him to clean up a kid's vomit. Greg runs away, deciding his "summer romance" needs to cool off.
Vacation Troubles
Greg hasn't seen Rowley in a long time since their fight. He meets Rowley and his family at the supermarket. Rowley's mom asks if Greg wants to join them on their beach vacation. Susan agrees for him.
The trip has many problems for Greg. Their cabin has no electronics. He feels sick after a boardwalk ride. He tries to trick little kids and gets Rowley's dad's dollar bill taken. Greg also "burns" Rowley with a rubber band. Because of this, Greg is sent home early from the trip.
A Misunderstanding and a New Home for Sweetie
After the beach trip, Greg is worried. He finds some notes in his dad's diary. Greg thinks Frank is going to send him to an orphanage! He calls the police using his Ladybug phone.
It turns out Frank was planning to take Greg to a baseball game. He gives the tickets to the police instead. Susan is very disappointed. She bought the tickets for a father-son bonding time. The next day, Greg's parents decide to give Sweetie to Greg's grandmother. Everyone is tired of the dog.
Video Game Competition
Greg hears about a video game competition. He and Rowley decide to camp in front of the store to be first in line. Greg gets chocolate on his hands. He decides to prank Rowley. He makes Rowley think he is the "muddy hand" from a scary story. Rowley gets scared and crushes Greg's hand with a mallet!
Because of his injury, Greg can't play well in the competition. Rowley beats him. After winning, Rowley chooses a box of raisins instead of going to the national tournament.
Summer's End
The book ends with Susan making a photo album. She remembers the summer as the "best summer ever." Greg, however, thinks the exact opposite.
