Jeff Kinney returns to NH Book Festival as Family Keynote

The phenomenal Jeff Kinney, author of 31 Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, will not only be the festival’s 2026 Keynote for Schoolchildren on Friday, October 2 — an already sold-out show — he’s returning on Saturday, October 3, for a family event that promises to be visual, kinetic, interactive, and fun-filled.

Designed with high-energy, child-focused engagement in mind, Kinney’s live events are packed with unforgettable surprises and interactive moments for young readers. This year’s appearance will center around his newest release, Kinney’s Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories 2. Families can expect a behind-the-shadows look at the book itself, stories directly from Jeff, opportunities for audience questions, and possibly even a draw-along demonstration and children invited onstage.

Tickets are on sale now, and every family will take home a brand-new copy of Kinney’s Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories 2.

Perfect for readers in grades 3–5 and the young at heart, the bite-sized stories and Rowley Jefferson’s signature childlike humor — the event is an ideal way to kick off the spooky season together.

In January 1998, Kinney conceived the idea of a middle-school weakling named Greg Heffley, who writes illustrated stories about his personal life. The online version of the story appeared in May 2004, with daily diary entries continuing through June 2005. The first Diary of a Wimpy Kid book arrived in 2007. Since then, more than 300 million copies of the series have sold worldwide, delighting generations of young readers.

Kinney lives with his wife and two sons in Massachusetts, where they founded and own the independent bookstore An Unlikely Story.

“We are honored to bring such a beloved children’s author to Concord,” said NH Book Festival co-founder Emilie Burack. “We can’t wait for New Hampshire’s schoolkids to see him in person!”

Don’t miss your chance to celebrate the spooky season with your kids — and with Jeff Kinney.