Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Getaway

Eddie is a big fan of The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. We have them all, and read them together.
He begged me to pre-book the latest release when he saw the poster in Waterstone's, and we ran to the bookshop after school to buy it, as soon as I received the text, notifying us the book was out.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Getaway is the 12th book in the series by Jeff Kinney.
There are inevitable comparisons with the 9th book in the series, The Long Haul, as both stories are about the Heffleys going on a family trip.
This time the Heffleys are off to a tropical paradise resort, where Greg's parents went on their honeymoon many years earlier and have fond memories of.
They are fed up with the cold, and on a whim decide to spend Christmas holidays in the warmer climes.
Greg, who's never been on an airplane before, is terrified of flying. The first part of the book goes into great detail about what you do at the airport and on board the plane. Though recognisable, it is not very funny.
As always, everything is exaggerated for the fun effect.

The men in the family are all fine examples of selfishness and egoism - from Dad who wants to spend the flight in the first class zone to Rodrick and Greg. And don't even start me on Manny, he's the epitome of a spoilt brat, the Devil incarnate.

After an ordeal, they arrive to Isla de Corales, and sigh with relief.
But the paradise exists only in their minds and dreams: the reality soon brings them back to earth. They in turns have a food poisoning, a sun-stroke, battle with all kinds of vermin, and by pandering to whims of the unbearably selfish Manny, have to escape the angry mob at the resort.

The fans of the series will still enjoy this latest installment. Eddie loved it, as for me, the greatest value of the series is that it turns my son into an avid reader.
We take it in turns to read these books. I will read to him for half an hour, then he continues to read to me, while I'm ironing uniforms for the next morning.

When a book turns into a successful franchise, do you keep writing even if you are short on ideas?!

Have you rushed to buy The Getaway?