Diary of a Wimpy Kid 05. The Ugly Truth

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 --This text refers to the Library Binding edition.