The many discoveries of author Jeff Kinney

Jeff Kinney thought he was writing a comic for adults when he first began working on Diary of A Wimpy Kid.

Upon showing it to an editor, he says, he realized it was actually a children’s series.

So it seems fitting that years later, he made another important realization thanks to the perspective of outsiders: The main character’s sidekick was actually a fan favorite.

Kinney has just released Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid, the tale of the wimpy kid’s best friend, Rowley Jefferson.

In the leadup to the release, Kinney took some time to chat with NPR’s Scott Simon about his unlikely journey.

You can read a transcript of the interview on NPR’s website or listen to their conversation below.