Abrams has announced that the newest title in Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, The Getaway, has sold more than 1.5 million copies worldwide. Following the book’s global release on November 7, it held the highest ranking among retailers around the world—including on Amazon in the U.S., Australia, and Germany—and climbed to the number one spot on several bestseller lists in the U.S.
The Getaway saw a 15% increase in U.S. sales, as compared to the 2016 release of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Double Down. The latest book has sold 900,000 copies in the U.S. to date.
Abrams has launched a national marketing and publicity campaign in honor of the 12th book, featuring television spots, in-flight and airport videos, social media advertising, a Wimpy Kid balloon at the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, a family sweepstakes, and a 10-city author tour.
Michael Jacobs, president and CEO of Abrams, said in a statement, “In a competitive and tough marketplace and at the most crowded time of the year for new book releases, we’re thrilled that, after more than a decade of phenomenal Diary of a Wimpy Kid success, we continue to see sales growth in North America and around the world.” In addition to thanking the team at Abrams and its publishing and retail partners, Jacobs said, “We thank Jeff Kinney whose genius and talent is the foundation of the series that continues to turn millions of kids around the world into readers.”
The Wimpy Kid series is published in more than 140 countries worldwide. Kinney is currently on his largest international tour to date, visiting 10 cities across Europe and Asia. The author told PW in a recent interview, “I used to think of the books as being about this American kid, Greg Heffley. But over time, I’ve come to understand the reason readers connect is these are stories of childhood. And childhood, by and large, is a universal experience.”
