Big Shot was published by Amulet Books in 2021. Greg joins the school basketball team — not because he cares about basketball but because he wants social status. His complete lack of athletic ability, combined with his unwillingness to practice or cooperate with teammates, produces predictable results. The novel uses the sports-movie structure (underdog joins team, team competes) but subverts it: Greg never improves, never has a breakthrough moment, and never earns the respect he craves.
Collecting Big Shot
First edition (Amulet Books, New York, 2021): Hardcover with illustrated boards.
Market values:
- First edition, first printing: $15–$20
- Later printings: $5–$10
Projected values (2026–2036): Modest appreciation.
The Anti-Sports Movie
Where every children’s sports story from The Bad News Bears onwards follows the underdog-to-champion arc, Big Shot refuses the formula. Greg does not have a “hidden talent” that a coach discovers. There is no slow-motion winning shot. The team does not bond through adversity. Kinney’s refusal to provide the expected catharsis is what makes the book genuinely funny — and honest about what competitive sports actually feel like for uncoordinated children.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will there be more Wimpy Kid books? Yes. Kinney has said in interviews that he has ideas for the series well into the future and considers it his life’s work. He publishes approximately one new book per year, and the franchise shows no signs of declining sales.
What is Jeff Kinney’s background? Kinney is a game designer and cartoonist who created the online version of Wimpy Kid while working at Poptropica, an educational gaming site. He was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2009.