The eagerly-awaited next instalment in the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series has arrived - publishing for the very first time in the UK in hardback! Split your sides laughing as Greg Heffley struggles with all the trials and tribulations of school, family and friends that come with being everyone's favourite wimpy kid.

About the Author

Jeff Kinney is the author of the bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Diary of a Wimpy Kid was his debut novel and the comic adventures of his protagonist, Greg Heffley, began online in 2004 on funbrain.com where 70,000 children read about him every day. To date the series has sold over 16 million copies in the US alone and to 30 different countries. Jeff is an online developer and designer. He lives with his family in southern Massachusetts, USA.

Reviews

Gr 5-8-Greg Heffly has started seventh grade with an albatross around his neck. His mother insists that he keep a diary and record his thoughts and feelings during this pivotal year. What follows is an account of the ups and downs of middle school life through Greg's eyes: bullying, popularity, the discovery of the opposite sex, unreasonable teachers, sports, and more. This novel (Amulet Books, 2007) by Jeff Kinney has been available online (funbrain.com) as a Web comic for several years. The print version includes additional episodes. Actor Ramon de Ocampo does a fine job interpreting Greg's voice, but the print version must be paired with the audiobook because the hilarious cartoon illustrations and handwritten text are integral to the telling and add sparkle to the narration. This will be an incredibly popular choice, especially with boys and reluctant readers.-Tricia Melgaard, Centennial Middle School, Broken Arrow, OK Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.

Is there a better remedy for the back-to-school doldrums than getting to see how Greg Heffley spent his summer vacation? If nothing else, the comedy of errors and indignities he suffers will make readers feel a whole lot better about any family vacation disasters of their own. In the fourth book in Kinney's bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Greg has a falling-out with his friend Rowley over a failed lawn-care business, puts up with his parents' attempts to get him out of the house (Mom organizes a book club for boys who pick out titles like "Sudoku Insanity" and "Ultimate Video Game Cheats") and tries to shake off the twin horrors of the murderous "muddy hand" from a horror film he watches and the terrifying sights in the men's locker room at the pool. Kinney's gift for telling, pitch-perfect details in both his writing and art remains (such as the cursive script and cutesy content of Mom's photo album captions). No reason to think kids won't devour this book as voraciously as its predecessors. Ages 8-12. (Oct.) Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.