by Jeff Kinney
Amulet Books, $13.95, 217 pages

In the same spirit of the original Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney’s fifth novel Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth is sure to not disappoint. This reviewer could not put the book down; reading at each stop light, and giddy that I got to wait in line or arrive early to an appointment, only to be able to pull the book out and read some more in Greg Heffley’s constantly erratic life. Continuously entertaining, in the hand-written diary-type format with pictures included, keeps any reader on the edge of their seat for the next ridiculous antics of this junior-high teen wanting more from his life than he will probably ever get. In this sequence, he has to face middle school with no best friend, no pimples to show he’s becoming a man and no experience with girls.  Greg anxiously attends a Lock-In party at his school and his Uncle’s fourth wedding hoping to be invited to his Uncle’s bachelor party. As always life is a disappointment and reality sets in teaching him the life lessons every teen has to learn. Bravo, Mr. Kinney in this brilliantly funny series!

Reviewed by M. Chris Johnson,