Double Down
2007
- motion pictures
- humorous stories
- juvenile fiction
- juvenile fiction / humorous stories
- comics & graphic novels
- video games
- family life
- fiction
- comics & graphic novels - general
- juvenile fiction / social themes / friendship
The story
The pressure's really piling up on Greg Heffley. His mom thinks video games are turning his brain to mush, so she wnats her son to put down the controller and explore his "creative side". As if that's not scary enough, Halloween is just around the corner and the frights are coming at Greg from every angle. When he discovers a bag of gummy worms, it sparks an idea. Can Greg get his mom off his back by making a movie.... and will he become rich and famous in the progress? Or will doubling down on this path just double Greg's troubles?
What it’s like
Loose, cartoonish pencil doodles frame every page of this diary-style book, with stick figures, hand-lettered captions and wide white margins that make it feel like a kid's notebook somebody else has been reading over the shoulder. The voice is deadpan and self-pitying, all clipped entries and lists, so it reads quickly in short sittings and suits a lazy afternoon, a long car ride or a read-aloud before bed. The tone is light, sardonic and warm underneath, with comic misfortune piling up rather than real menace; the Halloween material gives a few playful jolts but nothing lingers. Mild schoolyard cruelty, sibling squabbles and parental exasperation appear, with no violence, gore or sexual content. The arc follows an ordinary, self-serving boy who keeps overreaching and learning small lessons about friendship and family. Made for younger readers and reluctant readers, and for anyone wanting a gentle, quick laugh with a cozy, familiar family setting.
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