Adrian Mole is far from being one of the popular boys in school. He has no interest in sports and likes to think of himself as an intellectual. Yet millions of readers have loved him and his diaries. What is it about Adrian that appeals to so many readers, both young and old?

The author of this book is a woman. Does she create a believable adolescent boy in Adrian Mole? Or does she appear to be on the side of the female characters, making the male characters like Adrian, George Mole, and Mr. Lucas, look foolish by comparison?

Discuss the place of literature in Adrian's life. Adrian reads constantly, and the titles of the books he reads always seem appropriate to the situation he is in at that moment. Do you think his reading helps him or do the book titles merely provide...