Amulet Books, an imprint of Abrams Children’s Books, announced today the forthcoming publication of Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Adventure, a new novel by global bestselling author Jeff Kinney. Releasing on April 7, 2020, in hardcover, ebook, and audio editions, Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Adventure has a 3 million-copy announced first printing and will be released in 20 countries this year with more to follow. Charles Kochman, Abrams editorial director and Kinney’s longtime editor, will edit the new book, which will be followed by the publication of the fifteenth title in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series in fall 2020.
In Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Adventure, readers will join “Roland the Kind” and his best friend, “Garg the Barbarian,” as they leave the safety of their village and embark on a quest to save Roland’s mom from the White Warlock. Will our heroes survive? Wimpy Kid fans will find out as these best friends embark on their first fantasy adventure.
Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Adventure is the follow-up to Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid, which was published in April 2019 and follows the undauntedly cheerful Rowley Jefferson as he takes on the role of biographer, recording his best friend Greg Heffley’s life story. The first Diary of a Wimpy Kid spin-off book, Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid immediately reached #1 on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists, and in every country in which it was published.
“Jeff Kinney’s newest book, Rowley Jefferson Awesome Friendly Adventure, is another tremendous opportunity for readers—as well as booksellers, librarians, teachers, parents, and caregivers—to revel in the fun, and the fun of reading, that Jeff’s stories provide,” says Michael Jacobs, president and CEO of ABRAMS. “The Diary of a Wimpy Kid books continue to be the bestselling middle-school series in the world both in terms of sales and kid appeal and this new book shows why.”
Jeff Kinney is one of the most successful children’s authors who is still dedicated to annual publicity tours. In April he will kick off the Awesome Friendly Adventure Tour, where nobody will know where he’s going—including Kinney himself. This innovative, randomized type of tour has never been done before and is sure to make for a memorable experience for Kinney, booksellers, teachers, and readers alike. Each morning a new city across America will be revealed to Kinney and Wimpy Kid followers. He will travel directly to the new market, surprise children at underserved schools, and meet his fans at independent bookstores, all without knowing where he will be heading next.
Fans will follow along on social media and on wimpykid.com/AwesomeFriendlyAdventureTour. An extensive, multifaceted marketing campaign will support the launch. “We’re doing something completely new this year, and that’s truly exciting for me,” says Jeff Kinney. “After many years of being on the road, it seems like the perfect opportunity to do something daring and spontaneous. I’m thrilled for the adventure that awaits, and I’m looking forward to epic moments with my fans along the way.”
More than 200 million copies of the books in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series have been sold globally. Published in 2007, the first book was an instant bestseller and has remained on the New York Times bestseller list since its publication and through the release of the fourteenth book, for more than 694 weeks total. The series is now published in 64 languages and 76 editions.
About the Author
Jeff Kinney is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and a six-time Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award winner for Favorite Book for his Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Jeff has been named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. He is also the creator of Poptropica, which was named one of Time’s 50 Best Websites. He spent his childhood in the Washington, D.C., area and moved to New England in 1995. Jeff lives with his wife and two sons in Massachusetts, where they own a bookstore, An Unlikely Story. For more about Wimpy Kid visit wimpykid.com.
