Never was interested in Diary of a Wimpy Kid before. But on that fateful day, at the book exchange corner, it suddenly occurred to me that Jeff Kinney might be dyslexic. A quick Google search led me to realise that he has dyslexia and undiagnosed ADHD. So, that’s why I took these two books home.

It was fascinating for me to peek into his wonderful mind. Jeff has a fantastic imagination, and his characters undergo ridiculous, yet plausible (mis)adventures. I chuckled at the thought of Greg’s grandpa using a dating website and his uncle’s wedding proposal to his 4th wife. Hilarious and a joy to read! His books were exactly the content I thought I would be expecting my students to create when I took up teaching reins at a primary school. These expectations were thwarted.

(But nope, my country’s national exam for sixth graders requires them to write a composition that is nestled within reality like birds in a cage, paired with a moral message to boot. Frightfully pragmatic - like our national psyche.]

But I digress. It helps that Jeff writes in a diary format, which makes his wild tales easy to follow. What’s more, each paragraph is accompanied by an illustration, which helps in the digestion of his plot. Each sentence is also laid out on a straight line, which enhances the pleasing effect and reduces visual crowding. I feel that only a dyslexic will know how to write effective books for young kids with dyslexia and/or ADHD.

Here’s the million dollar question: Will I recommend Jeff’s books when concerned parents ask me for recommendations to improve their child’s English? When pushed to shove, I will have to say nope because his books don’t follow the typical story mountain arc. Neither do they contain those Show Not Tell phrases that young minds need to sprinkle throughout their essays to showcase the rich emotional world of their characters? Andrew Clement’s books are ideal for the confines of our national exam.