Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever is the 6th book of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. The book was released on Tuesday, November 15, 2011.

Main Characters

 * Greg Heffley
 * Manny Heffley (Main Antagonist)
 * Rowley Jefferson
 * Rodrick Heffley
 * Susan Heffley
 * Frank Heffley
 * Alfrendo

November
Worrying about the holidays, Greg writes in his journal that he has to change his behavior to not get bad presents for Christmas. He then complains about a toy Susan brought out, Santa's Scout. To Greg, the toy doesn't let him repeat any of his usual antics to find out what his presents are. The next day, while putting up the Christmas tree, Manny throws a huge tantrum when he finds out that they were decorating without him. Greg then recalls how before Thanksgiving Break, his school had a contest to create posters in order to get rid of bullying. This makes Greg remember how he and Rowley were chased with a stick by Nasty Pants, but only to find out he's just five to Frank's disappointment. Greg can't help but notice how the adults at his school had trouble paying for insurance for the playground equipment after noting that the school took away all of it and the kids wear bicycle helmets to Manny's peewee soccer game. Greg decides to create his Christmas wish list as to not repeat what happened a few years ago. Since he didn't write a wish list, Susan got him a doll named Alfrendo. He soon grew to love the doll, but misplaced it so he developed a fear that the doll will return to extract his revenge. Missing the feeling he had taking care of Alfrendo, Greg turns to Net Kritterz to fill the hole. However, he grows too addicted so Susan makes him invite Rowley over. Spotting the two playing video games, Susan tells them to do something else and has them played Wacky Sentences, but they get in a fight over the spelling of volleyball. They then play Hide-and-Seek but Greg finds Rowley easily so he decides to spend time to himself by committing a dare. Rowley backs out, and the rest of the night is argument free. Rowley accompanies the Heffleys to church, as Rowley's family doesn't go to church so he doesn't know the rules, he thought that peace be with you was actually the vegetable "Peas" be with you and gave a kiss to a woman instead of hand-shaking, Greg was glad when they dropped him back.

December
Greg tries to ask Susan to loan him money, but she wont give him any money, and tells him he could shovel his neighbors' driveways the next day. Greg finds a customer, but turns his driveway into ice after melting the snow with water and spends twenty bucks on rock salt to melt his driveway. Frank reminds Greg about using "poor judgement." The same thing he said about an incident with a Student of the Week bumper sticker. Instead of going to church, the Heffleys head to the Giving Tree where Greg places a note requesting cash.

The school starts telling students to eat healthier as a way to improve their Phys Ed ranking. Greg asks Mr. Underwood if he can finish his sit-ups as homework, and he agrees as long as he gets proof. Greg paints fake abs with mascara on his chest, and many other boys follow suit. However, their ploy is ruined when the mascara runs because of their sweat. Susan tells Greg that he has to start buying his gifts with his own money, which he usually does at the Holiday Bazaar. Greg decides to sell his signed graphic novel, but it is revealed to be a fake signature and realizes his mother must've signed it because she got tired of waiting. Greg forgets that he had to get a gift for his holiday buddy but Susan manages to get him at the last minute.

At the store, Greg spots Drummies! and decides to create his own Holiday Bazaar. He and Rowley hang posters at the school, but it starts to rain and the color is attached to the wall. Someone spots the two, but they take off. The school starts to spread rumors and investigate who was responsible. Rowley turns Greg and himself in, but only states Greg's name. Greg decides to take one for the team and scrubs the dye off. The police leave a note stating they'll be back to Greg's horror. However, the family, except Frank, who had to stay in a hotel, due to the weather, are trapped inside the house.

Manny manages to hack Greg's Net Kritterz account and spends all of his tokens and points in that game. He even somehow figured out how to change the password. To keep the boys entertained, Susan brings out some board games to keep them occupied. Greg plays a magic trick on Manny that there's a hole in the table. Manny tries that with Susan's glasses and breaks them. Susan then tells Greg has to take care of Manny and to feed him. Manny throws huge tantrums on how Greg is not serving the food the way he wants, but Susan backs Manny up much to Greg's dismay. The next morning, Greg heads into the basement and finds out that it was a foot underwater, ruining most of their stuff. The four spend the day clearing the water out and Susan has Rodrick sleep in Greg's room for the time being. Greg heads back to the basement to salvage stuff and is reunited with Alfrendo, which Greg figures Frank hid. Greg notices the food was starting to dwindle down and decides to survive on a jawbreaker. The electricity cuts out and then powers off.

Manny hides in his room while the three huddle together to keep warm. Greg misplaces Alfrendo again and is forced to shower. Following that, Rowley asks Greg if they want to build a snowman but Greg asks how his family is living without power.Rowley tells Greg that the electricity is back and his house is the only one in the street without it. Greg then gets curious and goes and checks the fuse box, he finds that Manny fused all lights except for his room's. Greg reports to Susan, they investigate Manny's room and find heater, lights, toys and food. Susan questions him, but Manny starts bawling it's because he doesn't know how to tie his shoes. The snow plow arrives and clears the snow and Frank comes home with food. Susan has Greg head to the police station and deliver their gift. Greg hides his face, thinking he's wanted, and delivers the gift. He remembers he had asked for money and shovels snow off the driveway, but finds nothing.

He returns home when the police enter, but instead of asking for Greg, they ask for last-minute gifts for the Toy Drive. Greg tries to give them Alfrendo, but the cops got freaked out by looking at Alfrendo and said that they won't accept used toys just to go quickly go away from there. Greg wakes up Christmas morning with no presents downstairs, but Susan says they did get gifts and they were wrapped in trash bags since the blizzard messed up Santa's schedule. Greg, Rodrick and Manny got V-neck sweaters, then they had to go to Church, Greg wore his pajamas also inside the sweater and when he came back he was so sweaty that he had to take off his shoes and get the water out in the sink. Returning from church, Greg sees the newspaper which thinks that he unselfishly cleared the snow so homeless people can get food from the Soup Kitchen. He said the newspaper didn't get the story right, but he won't complain, the article has inspired him to put out a new verison of the Neighboor Tattler and Greg says he bets they can sell a TON of copies.

Errors

 * On Page 70 it says Greg is going onto Prentice Lane. But on Page 72 it says Greg is going onto Prentice Street.
 * On Page 20, Greg and Rowley are shown too tall, and Frank is shown too short.

Inspiration
"I’m very excited to be writing the sixth Diary of a Wimpy Kid book, which features the Heffley family being snowed in,” says author Jeff Kinney. “Having just experienced an epic winter in New England, I’ve had plenty to draw about."

Trivia

 * On Page 175, the book makes a Harry Potter reference when Greg complains about the way Manny likes his mustard on his hot dog, and he claims: "See, this is the kind of nonsense I'm dealing with right now. I've seen a lot of movies where a kid my age finds out he's got magical powers and then gets invited to go away to some special school." Greg is making a reference to the movie Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. He then claims that if he does get an invitation like that, this would be the perfect time to get it. It also shows an illustration of Dumbledore handing him the invitation to Hogwarts.
 * This is the 6th book in the series.
 * Many fans thought this book would be a teal color called "The Stress" after a YouTube user made a fake cover of the book. A similar fake title was given to the eighth book, "Life Stress".
 * This book focuses on Manny with Greg as well as every other book.
 * Many fans thought before the book was released that Manny would be a bit less fussy, but in this book, Manny is just like he usually is.
 * This book seems to be more political than the rest of the series.
 * A Scholastic book order would get you two free bookmarks when you pre-ordered it, and when the book itself came, it was in paperback and a note was in it complete with Jeff Kinney's signature.
 * It was revealed in this book that Greg won a contest to see how much a goat's kid weighs. He won a goat but Frank wouldn't let him keep it. A similar idea was used in The Long Haul when Manny won a pig after finding how much a hog weighs.
 * It's likely that Manny is smarter than kids his age since he was able to figure out how to change Greg’s Net Kritterz account password and change the parental control on the TV.
 * The paperback version officially came out in the UK on 30th January 2013 and people could also send Jeff Kinney some photos when your ordering it and he will give one which has the photo you sent on the cover instead of Manny and Greg there and in addition to this Wimp Wars had new questions based on Cabin Fever.
 * This is the third book to contain a Christmas entry in Greg’s Diary. The first being Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and the second being mentioned in The Last Straw.
 * This the fourth time Greg’s Diary is not mentioned.
 * On Page 58, Rowley closes his mouth for the first time in the book series and third overall, including the two times he closed his mouth in the online version. Rowley would also go on close his mouth two more times in the book series: on Page 166 of The Third Wheel and Page 29 of Hard Luck
 * This is the first time we see a branded video-game (Pac-Man).
 * It is unknown why Rowley didn't have the pimple from Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth because it ends in November, this one starts in November only. It is possible he or someone else might have popped or removed it in order to be his good self.
 * This is the second book to have another character (in this case, Manny) on the front cover with Greg. The first was Rodrick Rules, which featured Rodrick.
 * This is the first book that only covers 2 months.
 * Wacky Sentences is probably a parody of "Mad Libs."

Sneak Peek
This is a 10 page sneak peek of Cabin Fever.