THE Wimpy Kid storybooks by Jeff Kinney are funny and so true to life that any teenager who reads it feels they are reading their own story, except that they would be telling it in a more polite manner.
The latest in the series, The Long Haul is also humorous and relatable like the others but it is more family-based in the sense that it focuses on a family vacation comprising a road trip. You can imagine the little and large problems that crop up when Greg, his parents, older brother Rodrick and the baby Manny all travel cramped in their car and Dad’s old boat also attached along to carry the extra baggage.
The journey is Mom’s idea to spend some quality family time and make it a fun and wholesome experience for everyone without gadgets for distraction, and lots of family games and sightseeing. Poor Greg does suffer a good number of mishaps that make him miserable most of the time, but the others too don’t fare better, maybe except for Manny, whose comfort comes before anything else, at least for Mom.
Terrible hotels, lousy food, rude encounters and of course, getting lost, make up the twists in the plot that amuse as well as make you feel so sorry for poor Greg.
Printed in the typical style of the series with a handwriting style font and usually two or more picture sketches on each page, The Long Haul should appeal to those who like reading a bit wacky style of writing. But if you want something in proper English, then read a classic like David Copperfield.
— Mohammad Bilal
