The Ugly Truth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 5) [Hardcover]

Jeff Kinney (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Diary of a Wimpy Kid

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”?

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

In his latest diary, the fifth in the mega-best-selling Wimpy Kid series, Greg Heffley, star of page and screen, proves indisputably that “when it comes right down to it, middle-schoolers are just a bunch of wild animals.” It’s a jungle out there for sure, and the key components are farting, pimples, family gatherings, headgear, fatherly homework help, lousy aim in the bathroom, and, of course, girls. Greg’s main focus as the school year gets under way is replacing his best friend, Rowley, with whom he had a falling out over the summer. Although he has not reached full-blown puberty quite yet, Greg feels as if he’s hit his childhood “expiration date,” and when you’re no longer a cute kid, nothing is as easy as it used to be. Once again, Kinney remains unerringly attuned to the tween psyche as he packs in rapid-fire experiences in words and cartoons that are bust-a-gut funny, beg-to-stay-home-from-school mortifying, and completely authentic in all their ugly truths. Grades 5-8. --Andrew Medlar

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.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Amulet Books (November 9, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810984911
• ISBN-13: 978-0810984912
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (195 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #467 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #11 in Books > Children's Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Comics & Graphic Novels
  • #13 in Books > Children's Books > Social Situations > Friendship
  • #17 in Books > Comics & Graphic Novels

More 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.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

65 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hints at the ugly side of growing up, AND verifed laugh-out loud funny., November 10, 2010

By 

Amy Tiemann "creator of www.MojoMom.com" (North Carolina, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Ugly Truth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 5) (Hardcover)

I wish there was a separate forum for reviewing Amazon's customer service, because it's really not fair for an author to collect ten one-star reviews on its release date because people are upset that Amazon failed to deliver the book to them on time. I suppose a best-selling author like Jeff Kinney will survive, but it's still truly unfair to him. These reviews persist forever and they're supposed to be about the book.

So, on to the book! "The Ugly Truth" was laugh-out loud funny. My middle-schooler called out from the next room many times to get my attention to read the funny parts out loud to me. After she finished, I read the whole book myself before she scooped it up again to share with friends at school.

It's refreshing to finally see a comic character grow up because let's face it, puberty isn't pretty, but it is funny. Our Wimpy Kid Greg finally realizes that he is no longer a cute little kid. Now he's finding out the top secrets about puberty (which Rowley hopes not to "catch") in boys-only health class. Going to the harsh grown up dentist instead of the cuddly kids' version, Greg ends up with not only the fear of gingivitis instilled in him, but even worse, HEADGEAR. My favorite scene was the school "lock-in" that went awry in so many ways. I won't spoil the main silliness but the only way the teachers can think of to get the boys to settle down is to turn the heat off and air conditioning on so that they have to stay in their sleeping bags. Meanwhile, the girls are living the sweet life in the heated library media room.

Rowley and Greg were kept apart for much of the book, but their on-and-off friendship, and the attempts by Rowley's parents to find a more mentoring "pal" to replace Greg, were understandable, and funny.

The extended Heffley family factors into the book, featuring Greg's Uncle Gary as a much-married, possibly future version of Greg. Gary is half cautionary tale, half inspiration--in Greg's mind, compared to Greg's parents, Gary seems to be having much more fun.

I was disappointed that the Heffley boys couldn't get it together enough for their Mom to keep up her renewed school studies...that was truly a bummer. Kinney includes a few digs at helicopter parents throughout the book. I hope in the next sequel their Mom will get to stay in school.

Kids will find this book hilarious, and as an adult reader I have to applaud the little details that Kinney comes up with, such as the health teacher's unfeeling reaction to the girls who have lovingly cared for the eggs that they have to protect as though they were babies; and many small touches like Greg's hope that inheriting a textbook from a cool kid will magically make him cool too.

As an author covering middle-school mayhem, he's not just coasting--Jeff Kinney still has his touch!

44 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Teacher Beware, November 23, 2010

By 

Rachael M. Robbins "rachaelmr" (Bellingham, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Ugly Truth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 5) (Hardcover)

I teach 4th grade and the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books are a perennial favorite. I've read all of the books and have had them readily available in my classroom. My students were practically salivating as they awaited the arrival of this book.

I read it. I enjoyed it and thought it was humorous. If I taught middle school or MAYBE even 5th grade, I would highly recommend it. However, I am really struggling with whether or not to include it in my classroom library. As other reviewers have said, kids who don't like to read devour each and every one of these books. My students beg me to make them available. However, the puberty theme gives me pause. For most kids and their parents, I don't think there's an issue. However, I can see this series opening a can of worms with "that one parent". Even in our society where kids grow up so much faster than we did and are more savvy, not all kids are. In middle school, these issues are happening, whether parents want to face them or not. In 4th grade... I'm not sure if I feel comfortable making that call.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Definitely worth your time!, December 26, 2010

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Ugly Truth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 5) (Hardcover)

This book was very exciting. Although when compared to the other books in the series, I do not think it is as good. I didn't think the ending was acceptable; it kind of just ended. I think it should have gone on past where it ended. Although some things are bad about the book, more are good. While it is predictable, the humor is good and the idea of the book was intelligent. It is different from the others because Greg is going through new "changes."

His ex-best friend, Rowley, who Greg thinks is childish and a loner; beats him to these changes. Near the end the two of them become best friends again. It was easy to guess this would happen. You'll have to read it to find out how. So I'm saying it is a good book and I hope Jeff Kinney will add to the series shortly(CAN'T WAIT!) Hope this review helped your decision!