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| {{short description|Novel by Jeff Kinney}} | |||
| {{Use mdy|date=December 2024}} | |||
| {{Infobox book | {{Infobox book | ||
| | name = Diary |
| name = Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth | ||
| | image = Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Ugly Truth book cover.jpg | | image = Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Ugly Truth book cover.jpg | ||
| | caption = Cover art | | caption = Cover art | ||
| Line 9: | Line 11: | ||
| | language = English | | language = English | ||
| | series = '']'' | | series = '']'' | ||
| | genre = |
| genre = Rock | ||
| | publisher = ] (US) <br> ] (UK) | | publisher = ] (US) <br> ] (UK) | ||
| | pub_date = |
| pub_date = April 1st, 2010 <br> February 1, 2012 (paperback reissue) | ||
| February 1, 2012 (paperback re-issue) | |||
| | media_type = Print (paperback, hardcover) | | media_type = Print (paperback, hardcover) | ||
| | isbn = 978-0-8109-8491-2 | | isbn = 978-0-8109-8491-2 | ||
| Line 21: | Line 21: | ||
| }} | }} | ||
| '''''Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth''''' is a 2010 bestselling children's fiction book by American author and ] ] and is the fifth book in the ].<ref>{{cite |
'''''Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth''''' is a 2010 bestselling children's fiction book by American author and ] ] and is the fifth book in the ].<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Danny|last=Heitman|date=2010-12-03|title="Wimpy Kid" creator Jeff Kinney talks about his day job|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/chapter-and-verse/2010/1203/Wimpy-Kid-creator-Jeff-Kinney-talks-about-his-day-job|magazine=]|access-date=2024-12-01}}</ref> ''The Ugly Truth'' sold 548,000 copies in its initial week of publication, edging out George W. Bush's memoir '']'', which sold 437,000 copies.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Neill|last=Graeme|date=2010-11-18|title=George W Bush beaten by a Wimpy Kid in US|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/george-w-bush-beaten-wimpy-kid-us|magazine=]|access-date=2024-12-01}}</ref> | ||
| 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 ], deciding to make |
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 ], deciding to make it one of the book's themes.<ref>{{cite news|first=Sheryl|last=Garratt|date=2011-11-12|title=Diary of a Wimpy Kid: interview with Jeff Kinney|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/sheryl-garratt/8879685/Diary-of-a-Wimpy-Kid-interview-with-Jeff-Kinney.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111113013521/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/sheryl-garratt/8879685/Diary-of-a-Wimpy-Kid-interview-with-Jeff-Kinney.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-11-13|newspaper=]}}</ref> Kinney also debated over whether to end the series with five books, eventually deciding to continue the series.<ref>{{cite news|first=Bob|last=Minzesheimer|date=2010-07-29|title=First look: Author Jeff Kinney's 'Ugly Truth' about 'Wimpy Kid'|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2010-07-29-kinney29_ST_N.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160321200456/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2010-07-29-kinney29_ST_N.htm|archive-date=2016-03-21|newspaper=]}}</ref> | ||
| ==Summary== | ==Summary== | ||
| <!-- Plot summaries are for a general overview of the main points, not for stuffing with every detail -->Greg explains that since his and Rowley's fight in the ], 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 ] under his bed, but the ticking sounds like a bomb, and he cannot sleep. He accidentally activates the school ], 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 ] 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 ] for his ]. Greg loses his headgear the next day and finds Manny wearing it. Greg vows not to wear the headgear. | |||
| This story begins with Greg explaining that since he and his best friend Rowley have had a big fight in the ], their friendship has been "history". ], Greg's mother, announces that she will be going back to college for a few months in order to stimulate her mind. As a result, the Heffley men must take care of themselves, and most stability falls apart. Food is often ruined, and since Susan usually does the chores around the house, Greg is short of clean clothes to wear. With Susan in college, Greg's father, Frank, gives Greg the responsibility of waking himself up in the morning. Greg tries a wind-up ], which he believes will be more effective than his last one, and puts it under his bed so that he has to get out of bed to find it. But with the clock ticking loudly under the bed, he feels like he is on top of a bomb and is therefore ]. As a result, Greg accidentally activates the school ] in his sleep-deprived state, causing the entire school to evacuate. The fire department is called, but no fire is found. Everyone goes back in, and the principal tells them that whoever pulled the alarm will be ] and should turn themselves in. Greg decides to keep a low profile about the culprit and does not get caught, but a rumor goes around that the fire alarm squirts an invisible liquid when the handle is pulled, which the teachers could detect with a special wand. Many dismiss this rumor as a trick for the teachers to see who goes to wash their hands first. As a result, no one goes to wash their hands, and since it is the middle of ], the school closes early. Since Susan is studying, Greg has to call Frank from work to pick him up, which Frank is not happy about. | |||
| At the school ], 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 ]. 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. | |||
| Susan then announces to the family that they will get "domestic help" with a maid named Isabella, since both parents are busy, who will help take care of the kids after school. However, instead of doing her responsibilities, Isabella secretly spends her time watching ] and eating the Heffleys' snacks, leaving Greg and the rest of the family with extra work. Worse, Greg finds a pantyhose sock in his bed, showing Isabella has been napping there. Meanwhile, Greg gets ready for a dentist appointment, but Frank takes Greg to his dentist, Dr. Salazar Kagan (who takes oral health seriously) because he thinks Greg is too old for his usual dentist, Rachel. As Dr. Kagan cleans his teeth, Greg accidentally bites Dr. Kagan's finger while having X-rays taken, which results in him wearing ] for his ]. The next day, Greg loses his headgear and when he comes back home from school, he finds Manny wearing it. Not wanting to let his social life get ruined, Greg vows never to wear the headgear again regardless of what the dentist says. | |||
| 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 ] 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 ]. At Gammie's, Greg sleeps in a crowded room with all the family's ]s. He sneaks out and sleeps in the bathroom, waking just in time before Gammie comes in for a bath. | |||
| Later, Greg finds out that the school is having a ] for Friday night, in which participants would sleepover and spend time doing activities. Greg signs up, but when he arrives, he is shocked that 90% of the crowd is all boys, and even worse for him, Rowley is also there as well. During the sleep period, the boys make multiple attempts to leave the school building after their phones are confiscated by the chaperones and are unable to contact their parents. However, at around 2:00 AM, most of the parents arrive at the school, angry because the kids weren't able to answer their cell phones, sending them all into a panic. As a result, most of the kids go home early, leaving Greg and Rowley behind as the only kids without cell phones. The following week, Greg becomes sick due to a lack of sleep at the Lock-In. Although he has faked sick in the past, Susan takes his temperature and agrees that he genuinely is sick. She leaves him with Isabella. Greg later falls asleep but wakes up due to the noise from downstairs. He looks out his window and sees a bunch of cars parked in front of the house. Susan comes home to take care of Greg and finds out Isabella invited all the maids in the neighborhood to watch ]. As a result, she fires Isabella, which pleases Greg. The next day at school, Greg sees Rowley with a big pimple on his forehead and he tells Greg that his mom says he's becoming a man, which irks Greg. Afterward, Greg finds out he is growing slower in puberty than Rowley. At home, Susan and Frank talk about their experiences being late bloomers to Greg. The next day, Rowley shows off his pimple to some girls, which Greg finds annoying, so he writes a fake note to Rowley signed "The Girls" about no one liking his zit, which worked out on him. | |||
| ⚫ | Before the rehearsal dinner, Greg describes how old and valuable her belongings are. He says he ate some old ] 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. | ||
| Later, Greg and Rowley are invited to a party by an older kid named Jordan Jury, a popular kid in the grade above him. Greg is excited because there are going to be girls there. However, Susan tells him he cannot go because his uncle and Frank's brother, Gary Heffley, has his fourth wedding the same day. Greg calls Rowley that he can't go to the party and states that it's unfair for Rowley to go without him, but Rowley insists on going, saying he can make his own decisions. Greg is worried about being the reader of the ] because adults think it's cute when a kid cannot pronounce a word. On Saturday the Heffleys prepare for the wedding and Greg is nervous about getting "The Talk" from his 95-year-old great-grandmother, Gammie. Meanwhile, in the car, Susan calls Gammie about being late because they have to pick up Greg's tuxedo. Greg is thrilled because he thinks he's going to be a ]. After they arrive at Gammie's, Greg meets multiple family members including Uncle Gary and his ] Sonja. Later that evening, Greg has to sleep in a crowded room with all the family ]s, which include Rodrick, Manny, Uncle Gary, Benjy Heffley, Charlie Heffley (also known as Uncle Charlie), Terrance Heffley, and Arthur Heffley. Greg sneaks out and instead sleeps in the bathroom, waking up just in time before Gammie's bath. | |||
| ⚫ | 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== | ==Reception== | ||
| Critical reception for ''The Ugly Truth'' has been mostly positive,<ref>{{cite web|title= |
Critical reception for ''The Ugly Truth'' has been mostly positive,<ref>{{cite web|title=Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth|url=http://www.booklistonline.com/Diary-of-a-Wimpy-Kid-The-Ugly-Truth-Jeff-Kinney/pid=4560582|website=]|type=review|url-access=subscription|access-date=2012-12-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Children's Review: The Ugly Truth|url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-8109-8491-2|magazine=]|access-date=2012-12-05}}</ref> with the book gaining praise from the '']'' and the '']''.<ref>{{cite news|first=Susan|last=Carpenter|date=2010-11-12|title=Book review: 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth' by Jeff Kinney|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-nov-12-la-et-wimpy-kid-20101112-story.html|newspaper=]|access-date=2012-12-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Allan|last=Brimbecom|date=2010-12-17|title=Book Review: Diary of a Wimpy Kid #5: The Ugly Truth, by Jeff Kinney|url=http://arts.nationalpost.com/2010/12/17/book-review-diary-of-a-wimpy-kid-5-the-ugly-truth-by-jeff-kinney|newspaper=]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130130054355/http://arts.nationalpost.com/2010/12/17/book-review-diary-of-a-wimpy-kid-5-the-ugly-truth-by-jeff-kinney/|archive-date=2013-01-30}}</ref> The '']'' gave a positive review for the entry while ] commented that the book was not as "fresh and irreverent" as its predecessors.<ref>{{cite magazine|date=2011-01-17|title=Review: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth|url=http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/goodcomicsforkids/2011/01/17/review-diary-of-a-wimpy-kid-the-ugly-truth/|magazine=]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110123135407/http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/goodcomicsforkids/2011/01/17/review-diary-of-a-wimpy-kid-the-ugly-truth|archive-date=2011-01-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Carrie R.|last=Wheadon|title=Parents' Guide to Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth|url=http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/diary-of-a-wimpy-kid-the-ugly-truth|website=]|access-date=2024-12-01}}</ref> | ||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
| {{Reflist |
{{Reflist}} | ||
| {{Portal|Children's literature}} | {{Portal|Children's literature}} | ||
| {{Diary of a Wimpy Kid}} | {{Diary of a Wimpy Kid}} | ||
Latest revision as of 03:48, 1 December 2024
Novel by Jeff Kinney
 Cover art | |
| Author | Jeff Kinney |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Jeff Kinney |
| Cover artist | Jeff Kinney and Chad W. Beckerman |
| Language | English |
| Series | Diary of a Wimpy Kid |
| Genre | Rock |
| Publisher | Amulet Books (US) Puffin Books (UK) |
| Publication date | April 1st, 2010 February 1, 2012 (paperback reissue) |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (paperback, hardcover) |
| Pages | 219 |
| 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. The Ugly Truth sold 548,000 copies in its initial week of publication, edging out George W. Bush's memoir Decision Points, which sold 437,000 copies.
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 it one of the book's themes. Kinney also debated over whether to end the series with five books, eventually deciding to continue the series.
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, with the book gaining praise from the Los Angeles Times and the National Post. 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.
References
- Heitman, Danny (December 3, 2010). ""Wimpy Kid" creator Jeff Kinney talks about his day job". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
- Graeme, Neill (November 18, 2010). "George W Bush beaten by a Wimpy Kid in US". The Bookseller. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
- Garratt, Sheryl (November 12, 2011). "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: interview with Jeff Kinney". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on November 13, 2011.
- Minzesheimer, Bob (July 29, 2010). "First look: Author Jeff Kinney's 'Ugly Truth' about 'Wimpy Kid'". USA Today. Archived from the original on March 21, 2016.
- "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth". Booklist (review). Retrieved December 5, 2012.
- "Children's Review: The Ugly Truth". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
- Carpenter, Susan (November 12, 2010). "Book review: 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth' by Jeff Kinney". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
- Brimbecom, Allan (December 17, 2010). "Book Review: Diary of a Wimpy Kid #5: The Ugly Truth, by Jeff Kinney". National Post. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013.
- "Review: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth". School Library Journal. January 17, 2011. Archived from the original on January 23, 2011.
- Wheadon, Carrie R. "Parents' Guide to Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth". Common Sense Media. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
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