The Ugly Truth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #5)

by Jeff Kinney

Overview

Greg Heffley has always been in a hurry to grow up. But is getting older really all it’s cracked up to be?

Greg suddenly finds himself dealing with the pressures of boy-girl parties, increased responsibilities, and even the awkward changes that come with getting older—all without his best friend, Rowley, at his side. Can Greg make it through on his own? Or will he have to face the “ugly truth”?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780810984912
Publisher:	Abrams, Harry N., Inc.
Publication date:	11/09/2010
Series:	Diary of A Wimpy Kid
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	151,163
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.80(d)
Lexile:	1000L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Jeff Kinney is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and five-time Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award winner for Favorite Book. Jeff has been named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. He is also the creator of Poptropica, which was named one of Time magazine’s 50 Best Websites. He spent his childhood in the Washington, D.C., area and moved to New England in 1995. Jeff lives with his wife and two sons in Plainville, Massachusetts, where he owns a bookstore, An Unlikely Story.

Hometown:

Southern Massachusetts

Date of Birth:

February 19, 1971

Place of Birth:

Maryland

Education:

University of Maryland

Website:

http://www.wimpykid.com/

Editorial Reviews

Was growing up a bad idea? Like any other middle-schooler, Wimpy Kid Greg Heffley wished that he could speed up the process of getting older. What he didn't anticipate was all the changes and responsibilities that came with it. And why didn't anyone warn him about the possible pratfalls of boy-girl parties? Jeff Kinney's new Diary of a Wimpy Kid saga will touch the soul of every self-conscious youngster, which is to say every youngster.

"See, when you're a little kid, nobody ever warns you that you've got an expiration date. One day you're hot stuff and the next day you're a dirt sandwich," Greg Heffley tells readers partway into this fifth installment of Kinney's bestselling Wimpy Kid series. There's a noticeable feeling of transition in this outing as Greg negotiates a sour patch with longtime best friend Rowley, his mother's decision to go back to school, the imminence of puberty (and dreaded accompanying discussions at home and at school), and the fact that one can't stay a child forever--despite evidence to the contrary provided by Greg's Uncle Gary, who's embarking on his fourth marriage. Although there is perhaps less of a central focus in this book than in some of its predecessors, the sense that "all good things must come to an end" emerges, something that inevitably will be true of the series itself at some point. But Kinney hasn't lost his touch for spinning universal details of middle-school life into comic gold--he doesn't have to worry about becoming a dirt sandwich anytime soon. Ages 8–12. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

Life is hard, especially when you move into middle grades and have to deal with issues like best friends, puberty, girls and so much more. Can Greg navigate his way through the year without the help of his best friend, or should I say former best friend Rowley? The book opens with that issue facing Greg—he no longer has a best friend at his side and the prospects of finding a new one are not too promising. How will that end? Will he and Rowley be able to put aside their differences and be a team again? Home life presents its usual problems—family events, like the fourth marriage of one of his uncles and the sit-down chats with Gammie to learn about life and Mom's latest decision. Greg rationalizes by noting that Gammie has lived a long time so she probably knows a lot and the talk just might be worthwhile. Even though Gammie may have some good advice, it is still kind of scary to have a session with her. Mom has decided to go back to school and that creates a whole new set of issues with the new maid Isabella who turns out to not be very much help. All of the events are presented by Kinney's cartoon characters with their exaggerated features and depictions of situations that boys will really understand. Yes, this is a boy's book; and once they have read one, they will probably be hooked and so this fifth book in the series is bound to be a hit. It is a quick read and the cartoons are a perfect fit—my guess is that kids will read it more than once. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot