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:	Amulet Books
Publication date:	11/09/2010
Series:	Diary of A Wimpy Kid
Pages:	224
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 an online game developer and designer, and a #1 New York Times bestselling author. In 2009, Jeff was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. He spent his childhood in the Washington, D.C., area and moved to New England in 1995. Jeff lives in southern Massachusetts with his wife and their two sons.

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

As the school year starts, Greg Heffley is out to replace his former best friend, Rowley. Identifying a middle school buddy is tricky, as is navigating the family upheaval when Greg’s mother goes back to school and when the extended family gathers at Grandma’s for Uncle Gary’s wedding. Transitions are hard! Ramon de Ocampo delivers with steady pacing and a mostly deadpan voice that is perfect for the story’s outrageous events and Greg’s running commentary on all that is happening in his life. In particular, de Ocampo’s sarcasm as he delivers Dad’s proclamations—“RESPONSIBILITY!”—underscores the humor in the adult/’tween relationship. A.R. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

JANUARY 2011 - AudioFile