To celebrate the publication of Hot Mess, Jeff Kinney’s 19th installment in his super popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Kinney headed out on a 14-city tour with an interactive event called “The Hot Mess Show.” Each of Kinney’s tours has a different theme and focus, and for this one, he made surprise school visits in a Hot Mess-themed food truck and distributed a diverse selection of free books to kids; students had the opportunity to choose from a menu of stories that reflect the communities in which they live. As part of this effort, Kinney and Abrams are partnering with First Book to donate 100,000 Diary of a Wimpy Kid books to schools nationwide. Kinney also teamed up with bookstores in the Northeast and Midwest to host his one-hour show. Audience members were invited to join Kinney onstage for friendly competitions and a chance to win books and other prizes. Here we present a selection of photos from the tour.
The Hot Mess tour kicked off on October 20 in Plainville, Mass., where Jeff Kinney (c.) hosted a pop-up event outside of his bookstore, An Unlikely Story, and gave out free books to kids.
Later that day, at the stage show in Wrentham, Mass., parents participated in a dance-off competition.
Kids perusing the book selection during a visit to Highcrest Elementary School in Wethersfield, Ct., on October 21.
Kinney (c.) on the set of the Today Show with co-hosts Dylan Dreyer (l.) and Al Roker (r.) after his appearance on the show. Kinney created an illustration of the co-hosts as Wimpy Kid characters creating a hot mess in the kitchen.
Kinney with author and Books Are Magic owner Emma Straub, after an event with Books Are Magic in Brooklyn on October 22.
Kinney outside the Bardavon Theater in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., after “The Hot Mess Show” on October 24.
“The Hot Mess Show” made the scene in Kentwood, Mich., on October 29, hosted by Barnes & Noble Woodland Mall.
Giving out free books to students at Palmer Park Preparatory Academy in Detroit on October 29.
The audience holds up copies of Hot Mess at “The Hot Mess Show” in Chicago on October 30, hosted by the Book Cellar.
Kinney with students during a visit to Highland Elementary School in Skokie, Ill., on October 31.
The audience at “The Hot Mess Show” hosted by Anderson’s Bookshop in Naperville, Ill., on November 1.
On stage on November 2, hosted by Wisconsin Book Festival in Madison, Wis.
Kinney signs copies of Hot Mess before the show hosted by Boswell Books in Milwaukee, Wis., on November 3, which marked the end of the tour.
