Technical Details

• ISBN13: 9780810984912
• Condition: New
• Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Product Description

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”?

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Customer Reviews

Hints at the ugly side of growing up, AND verifed laugh-out loud funny.

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!

Teacher Beware

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.

Excellent book! My niece loves this book too!

*** Dec. 6, 2010

My niece loves this book too. She loves the humor, the simple amusing cartoons, and the funny jokes in it.



*** Nov. 30, 2010

Greg and Rowley are best friends.

But Greg's dad didn't like Rowley too much, because he thought Rowley was an accident prone kid, so Rowley may ruin his 'warfield' accidently. And Rowley's dad didn't like Greg, either, because two kids liked to do silly things together at home. Nowadays, many parents hope that their kid behaves properly. Reading good books are very important for kids. A good book is a good teacher.This book presents humorous stories that could make kids become more considerate. I feel very happy when my kid read this book and talk to me about the stories in the book.



*** Nov. 27, 2010

Greg's mom and dad had very different interests. She tried to train him to become more romantic while he only wanted to play his war games. He had to sit beside her to watch the romantic movies as she said so, then he'd try to slip out whenever possible. This is what happens to many couples every day. Reading this book makes me think about own daily life more objectively.



*** November 9, 2010

Greg's a very self-centered smart young schooler. His Dad wanted him to live up his potential, but often he had his own ideas. Greg had to learn how to communicate with his brother, though it's not a easy job. First he had to think and learn how to talk to his brother, because his brother was the person picking up Greg after school everyday. Greg's brother became really mad after Greg talked to him about how to drive his car. Finally Greg and his brother had a fight. Greg's mom had been a preschool teacher, so she thought she was very good at handle the situation. But Greg thought it didn't work at all. The book successfully illustartes Greg's thought processes. It seems like an actual diary in words and amusing pictures about Greg's daily life at home and at school.

My son is a reluctant reader, but he really likes to read this book. I also enjoyed reading it! I would like to recommend this book to all schoolers, parents, teachers, and librarians.