Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth

Last updated
Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth
Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Ugly Truth book cover.jpg
Cover art
Author Jeff Kinney
IllustratorJeff Kinney
Cover artistJeff Kinney and Chad W. Beckerman
LanguageEnglish
Series Diary of a Wimpy Kid
GenreComedy
Publisher Amulet Books (US)
Puffin Books (UK)
Publication date
November 9, 2010 February 1, 2012 (paperback re-issue)
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (paperback, hardcover)
Pages219
ISBN 978-0-8109-8491-2
Preceded by Dog Days  
Followed by Cabin Fever  

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth is a 2010 bestselling children's fiction book by American author and cartoonist Jeff Kinney and is the fifth book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. [1] The Ugly Truth sold 548,000 copies in its initial week of publication, edging out Decision Points , which sold 437,000 copies. [2]

Contents

Kinney initially struggled with the decision of whether Greg would be a non-aging "cartoon character" or a literary character that would age and go through puberty, deciding to make puberty one of the book's themes. [3] Kinney also debated over whether to end the series with five books, eventually deciding to continue the series. [4]

Summary

Greg explains that since his and Rowley's fight in the previous book, their friendship is history. Greg's mother, Susan, goes back to college to stimulate her mind, and the Heffley men must care for themselves. Food is often ruined, and Greg is short of clean clothes. Greg's father, Frank, makes Greg responsible for waking himself up. Greg puts his alarm clock under his bed, but the ticking sounds like a bomb, and he cannot sleep. He accidentally activates the school fire alarm, and the school closes early. Frank is not happy to be called from work to pick up Greg.

A maid, Isabella, arrives to help with the kids after school. She spends her time watching television and eating snacks. Greg finds her sock in his bed, showing she has been napping there. Frank takes Greg to his dentist, and Greg accidentally bites his finger, which results in him being prescribed headgear for his overbite. Greg loses his headgear the next day and finds Manny wearing it. Greg vows not to wear the headgear.

At the school lock-in, Greg is shocked that 90% of the crowd is boys. Mr. Tanner confiscates their cell phones. At 3:00 AM, some parents arrive to take their kids home because they have not answered their cell phones, leaving Greg and Rowley behind. The next week, Greg becomes sick from lack of sleep, and Susan leaves him with Isabella. He is awoken by noise from downstairs; Isabella has invited all the neighborhood maids to watch soap operas. Susan arrives home early and fires her, pleasing Greg. Rowley has a pimple on his forehead and tells Greg he's "becoming a man". Susan and Frank talk to Greg about their experiences of being late bloomers. Greg writes a fake note to Rowley signed "The Girls" about no one liking his zit.

Jordan Jury, a popular kid in the grade above, invites Greg and Rowley to his party. However, Susan says he cannot go because his uncle Gary's fourth wedding is on that day. Greg worries about reading the Old Testament because adults think it's cute when a kid cannot pronounce a word. He is nervous about getting "The Talk" from his 95-year-old great-grandmother, He hears Susan talking about picking up "Greg's tuxedo", and is thrilled thinking he's going to be a groomsman. At Gammie's, Greg sleeps in a crowded room with all the family's bachelors. He sneaks out and sleeps in the bathroom, waking just in time before Gammie comes in for a bath.

Before the rehearsal dinner, Greg describes how old and valuable her belongings are. He says he ate some old taffy once and got sick; he later saw a photo of his father eating the same candy when he was Greg's age. To his dismay, he discovers that he will not be a groomsman but an assistant flower boy to Manny. Uncle Gary's best man, Leonard, gives a speech about how Uncle Gary and Sonja got engaged: at a baseball game, Gary was about to break up with Sonja so he could date her sister, but an airplane with a banner reading "Marry me Sonja?" - not meant for Gary's Sonja - coincidentally flew over the stadium and Sonja reacted to it. Sonja is upset, and Greg thinks they will soon divorce.

Greg gets "The Talk" from Gammie. She talks about how getting older is not all it is cracked up to be. Upon returning to school, Greg learns that he dodged a bullet – Jordan only invited Greg's grade to his party to use them as servants. Greg and Rowley go back to being friends when Greg chooses to make a difference instead of just waiting for Rowley to come to him.

Reception

Critical reception for The Ugly Truth has been mostly positive, [5] [6] with the book gaining praise from the Los Angeles Times and the National Post. [7] [8] The School Library Journal gave a positive review for the entry while Common Sense Media commented that the book was not as "fresh and irreverent" as its predecessors. [9] [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>Diary of a Wimpy Kid</i> (book) 2007 novel by Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a children's novel written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney. It is the first book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. The book is about a boy named Greg Heffley and his attempts to become popular in his first year of middle school.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Kinney</span> American author, cartoonist and screenwriter (born 1971)

Jeffrey Patrick Kinney is an American author and cartoonist. He is best known for creating, writing and illustrating the children's book series Diary of a Wimpy Kid. He also created the child-oriented website Poptropica.

<i>Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules</i> 2008 novel by Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules is a children's novel by American author and cartoonist Jeff Kinney, based on the FunBrain.com version. It is the sequel to Diary of a Wimpy Kid, followed by The Last Straw. The hardcover was released on February 1, 2008. Rodrick Rules was named New York Times bestseller among awards and praise. A live-action film based on the book was released on March 25, 2011, and an animated film adaptation was released on Disney+ on December 2, 2022.

<i>Diary of a Wimpy Kid</i> Comic-style book series by Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is an American children's book series and media franchise created by American author and cartoonist Jeff Kinney. The series follows Greg Heffley, a middle-schooler who illustrates his daily life in a diary.

<i>Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days</i> (novel) 2009 book by Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days is a novel written by American author and cartoonist Jeff Kinney, and is the fourth book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. It was released on October 12, 2009, in the USA and October 13, 2009, in Canada. The film, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, released on August 3, 2012, was based on the book and its predecessor, The Last Straw. It follows the narrator, Greg Heffley, on his summer break between seventh and eighth-grade.

<i>Diary of a Wimpy Kid</i> (2010 film) 2010 film by Thor Freudenthal

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a 2010 American comedy film directed by Thor Freudenthal and based on Jeff Kinney's 2007 book of the same name. The film stars Zachary Gordon, Robert Capron, Devon Bostick, Rachael Harris, Steve Zahn, and Chloë Grace Moretz.

<i>Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules</i> (2011 film) 2011 film by David Bowers

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules is a 2011 American comedy film directed by David Bowers in his live-action directorial debut and based on Jeff Kinney's 2008 book of the same name. It stars Zachary Gordon, Devon Bostick, Robert Capron, Rachael Harris, Steve Zahn, and Peyton List. The film is the second installment in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid film series, following Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010), and follows the relationship between seventh grader Greg Heffley (Gordon) and his older brother, Rodrick (Bostick).

<i>Diary of a Wimpy Kid</i> (film series) Family comedy film series

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a series of family comedy films based on the book series of the same name by Jeff Kinney. It consists of four live action films and three animated films.

<i>Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days</i> (film) 2012 film by David Bowers

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days is a 2012 American comedy film directed by David Bowers from a screenplay by Wallace Wolodarsky and Maya Forbes. It stars Zachary Gordon, Steve Zahn. Robert Capron, Devon Bostick, Rachael Harris, Peyton List, Grayson Russell, and Karan Brar. It is the third installment in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid film series, and follows upcoming eighth grader Greg Heffley (Gordon) as he tries to navigate his relationships with his father, Frank (Zahn), and his crush, Holly Hills (List).

<i>Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel</i> Book by Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel is a 2012 bestselling children's novel and the seventh book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, written by American author Jeff Kinney. Kinney announced the book in March 2012, with The Third Wheel's cover revealed in May 2012. The book was released on November 13, 2012.

<i>Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck</i> 2013 book by Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck is a children's novel written by Jeff Kinney and the eighth book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. It was released on November 5, 2013. In this book, Greg's best friend Rowley ditches him, and Greg struggles to make new friends. On Easter, he finds a Magic 8 Ball and attempts to change his luck by using it to make decisions for him and cheat at school. Hard Luck received generally positive reviews from critics and was the bestselling book of 2013.

<i>Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Old School</i> Childrens novel by Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Old School is a children's novel written by American author Jeff Kinney first published in 2015. It is the tenth book of Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, preceded by Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul and followed by Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Double Down. The book was released on November 3, 2015 worldwide, though an extract from the book was released online on October 27, 2015.

<i>Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Double Down</i> 2016 book by Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Double Down is the eleventh book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney. The book was unveiled during the 2016 Diary of a Wimpy Kid Virtually Live Event. The book was published on November 1, 2016.

<i>Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul</i> (film) 2017 film by David Bowers

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul is a 2017 American road comedy film written and directed by David Bowers. It serves as a standalone sequel to Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, and the fourth installment in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid film series and the final live-action film in the franchise. It was based on the ninth book of the same name, with elements of the seventh, eighth, and tenth books in the series, and was cowritten by the books' author, Jeff Kinney. It is also the only live-action installment in the series not to feature the cast members from the first three films. It instead features a completely different cast, and the plot follows the Heffleys as they go on a road trip to Meemaw's 90th birthday party, without realizing the various calamities that will occur along the way.

<i>Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Wrecking Ball</i> 2019 childrens novel by Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Wrecking Ball is a children's novel written by Jeff Kinney and the fourteenth book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. The series follows an unlucky middle school student named Greg Heffley, his family, and his friends. The books are illustrated with simple, black-and-white drawings from Greg's perspective. Wrecking Ball focuses on Greg; his mother, Susan; his father, Frank; and his best friend, Rowley; as the Heffley family renovate their house and prepare to move to a new neighborhood. It was released on November 5, 2019.

<i>Diary of a Wimpy Kid</i> (2021 film) 2021 film by Swinton Scott

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a 2021 animated comedy film directed by Swinton Scott from a screenplay by Jeff Kinney, based on his 2007 book of the same name. It is the second film adaptation of the book, following the 2010 live-action film, while serving as the first fully-animated reboot in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid film series, and the fifth installment overall. The film stars the voices of Brady Noon, Ethan William Childress, Chris Diamantopoulos, Erica Cerra, and Hunter Dillon.

<i>Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Big Shot</i> Book by Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Big Shot is the sixteenth book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney. It was released on October 26, 2021. The story follows Greg Heffley as he reluctantly signs up for basketball. It received generally positive reviews and was a best-seller for several weeks following its release.

<i>Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules</i> (2022 film) Disney+ original animated film

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules is a 2022 animated comedy film directed by Luke Cormican from a screenplay by Jeff Kinney, based on his 2008 book of the same name. It is a sequel to Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2021) and is the second adaptation of Rodrick Rules following the 2011 live-action film, while also being the second fully-animated film in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid film series and the sixth installment overall. Brady Noon, Ethan William Childress, Chris Diamantopoulos, Erica Cerra, and Hunter Dillon reprise their roles as characters from the first film, while Ed Asner posthumously portrays Grandpa Heffley. The film is one of Asner's final voice acting roles recorded shortly before his death on August 29, 2021 and is dedicated to his memory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greg Heffley</span> Fictional character in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series

Gregory "Greg" Heffley is a fictional character in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid franchise, serving as the antiheroic main protagonist and unreliable narrator of the books, online series, and multimedia franchise. He was created by Jeff Kinney, and portrayed by Zachary Gordon and Jason Drucker in the first three films and the fourth film, respectively.

References

  1. ↑ ""Wimpy Kid" creator Jeff Goody talks about his day job". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  2. ↑ "George W Bush beaten by a Wimpy Kid in US". Bookseller. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  3. ↑ Garratt, Sheryl (12 November 2011). "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: interview with Jeff Kinney". Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 13 November 2011. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  4. ↑ Minzesheimer, Bob (29 July 2010). "First look: Author Jeff Kinney's 'Ugly Truth' about 'Wimpy Kid'". USA Today. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  5. ↑ "Review: The Ugly Truth". Booklist. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  6. ↑ "Children's Review: The Ugly Truth". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  7. ↑ Carpenter, Susan (12 November 2010). "Book review: 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth' by Jeff Kinney". LA Times. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  8. ↑ "Book Review: Diary of a Wimpy Kid #5: The Ugly Truth, by Jeff Kinney". National Post. Archived from the original on 30 January 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  9. ↑ "Review: The Ugly Truth". School Library Journal. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  10. ↑ "Review: The Ugly Truth". Common Sense Media. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.