Fan mail address
Jeff Kinney
Amulet Books
195 Broadway
9th Floor
New York, NY 10007
USA
Address information
Amulet Books
(Book Publisher)
195 Broadway
9th Floor
New York, NY 10007
USA
Phone: (212) 206-7715
Fax: (212) 519-1210
Jeff Kinney is an American author, cartoonist, and game designer best known for his Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, a humorous and relatable look at the trials and tribulations of middle school life. Born on February 19, 1971, in Fort Washington, Maryland, Kinney initially aspired to become a newspaper cartoonist. Although that path didn’t work out as planned, his passion for cartoons and storytelling ultimately led him to create one of the most popular children’s book series of all time. Kinney’s lighthearted, diary-style books featuring the misadventures of middle-schooler Greg Heffley have won over millions of readers worldwide, spawning movies, spin-offs, and an entire franchise built on the world he crafted.
Growing up in Maryland, Kinney enjoyed reading, especially the works of children’s authors like Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume, who influenced his approach to storytelling. Kinney developed an interest in cartoons and began drawing comic strips as a young boy. He later attended the University of Maryland, where he created a popular comic strip titled Igdoof for the campus newspaper. Despite Igdoof’s popularity on campus, Kinney struggled to get his work syndicated in mainstream newspapers after college, which forced him to rethink his career path but did not deter his love for cartooning.
Kinney’s college experiences, love of humor, and observations of the quirky, awkward phases of growing up were key influences on the creation of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. His characters reflect relatable aspects of middle school, with awkward social situations, family dynamics, and the ups and downs of friendships.
