Diary of a Wimpy Kid has been translated into 53 languages worldwide but author Jeff Kinney says he was particularly thrilled when the global bestseller was translated into Irish last year.
The popular series about the school day struggles of a boy named Greg was converted into Irish in 2016 just in time for Seachtain na Gaeilge, and was renamed Dialann Duradain (Diary of a Puny, Insignificant Person) by 10-year-old Aisling Ní Fhátharta from Galway.
Speaking to RTÉ Entertainment, Kinney, who is currently working on his twelfth book from the popular series, said he was especially delighted when he found out the book had received a makeover as Gaeilge.
"I was thrilled when I found out that the book was going to be translated into Irish because my heritage comes from Ireland. It was really special to me"
"I love the title and the name of the character and how more and more books are getting translated into Irish," the 46-year-old said.
"I've always felt a special connection to Ireland. In fact, I'm coming back this Fall and we'll be coming to Dublin," he added.
We need your consent to load this Facebook contentWe use Facebook to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
The Wimpy Kid series has sold more than 160 million copies around the globe, and Kinney admits that the adventures of Greg and the Heffley family won't be stopping anytime soon.
"I hope to get to at least 20 books. I think the lifespan for a cartoon character is really different to the lifespan of a literary character," he said.
"So, 20 would be a great number. That would mean he'd get to stick around for two decades"
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul is the fourth outing in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid film series and hits cinemas on May 26. Read our review here
