'Wimpy Kid' author to visit Still Middle School

Jeff Kinney's entertaining children's books have been a hit since the gawky, middle school weakling Greg Heffley debuted in the first of the Wimpy Kid series in 2007.

That first volume, "Diary of a Wimpy Kid," was quickly followed by many more. This fall, Kinney introduced his 12th Wimpy Kid title, "The Getaway."

Kinney will present his new book at an event starting at 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10, at Still Middle School, 787 Meadowridge Drive, Aurora. Tickets are $20 and exclusively available at WimpyKidAndersons.brownpapertickets.com. The event tickets include an admission entry time, which extends until 7 p.m.

His appearance is sponsored by Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville.

Once admitted, guests will be free to participate in several kid-friendly activity stations. Then they will proceed to the book-signing line to meet the author.

In his new adventure, Greg Heffley and his family are getting out of town. With the cold weather and the stress of the approaching holiday season, the Heffleys decide to escape to a tropical island resort for some much-needed rest and relaxation. A few days in paradise should do wonders for Greg and his frazzled family.

But the Heffleys soon discover paradise isn't everything it's cracked up to be. Sun poisoning, stomach troubles, and venomous critters all threaten to ruin the family's vacation.

Can their trip be saved, or will this island getaway end in disaster?

The New York Times best-selling author and six-time Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award winner for Favorite Book, Kinney has been named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World. He is also the creator of Poptropica, which was named one of Time magazine's 50 Best Websites.

He spent his childhood in the Washington, D.C., area and moved to New England in 1995. Kinney lives with his wife and two sons in Plainville, Massachusetts, where they own a book store called An Unlikely Story.