Hard luck may have hit Greg, but the same didnt brush off on Jeff Kinney as he has produced yet another excellent addition to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. The eighth chapter in Greg Heffleys misadventures piles several unfortunate events in his life on top of each other. Rowley, his best friend and partner-in-crime has, in his mind, forsaken him by doing the unthinkablegetting a girlfriend. Now that Rowley is preoccupied, Greg has to deal with his unique case of separation anxiety. He somewhat moves on by taking up a new sidekick, Fregley, his peculiar and obviously desperate neighbour. Again, unfortunately, the new guy just isnt up to poor Gregs standards. Furthermore, Greg also has family issues on his platehis pesky cousins and his mums constantly bickering sisters have come for a visit. And if that wasnt enough, his slipping grades, his piling school work, and the menacing Mingo brothers are all out to get him. Yep, being Greg isnt easy, especially if you have to rely on a Magic 8-Ball to lead you to the right path.

As noted earlier, Jeff Kinney still manages to weave his magic, eight books-deep into the series. Gregs struggle in coping with middle school life remains engaging, side-splitting, and thought-provoking. Its a great read for kids and adults alike, as there is plenty to enjoy here for both demographics. Simply put, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck is one of the most fun books that you can get your hands on this year.

I heard this might be the last Wimpy Kid book by Jeff Kinney. I sure hope I heard wrong since The Diary of a Wimpy Kid Hard Luck is a very entertaining read.

At first, I felt bad that the protagonist Greg Heffly had a falling out with his best friend Rowley. Dont you just hate when something goes wrong? However, I do admire that Greg did not let this situation stop him from trying to enjoy his life. He did try to make new friends even if thats a hard thing to do when youre already in middle school.

I also think that the book is aptly titled, as it showed just how much bad luck Greg was having. I guess his luck was really running out since he decided to let his magic 8 ball determine his future. What happens after each magic-8-ball-directed decision are hilarious parts of Gregs lifemoments that anybody would find interesting to read about.

I also love that the author was able to tackle issues that middle school students confront during these yearsfriendship, girls, fame, and acceptance. For adult readers, The Diary of a Wimpy Kid Hard Luck can take them back to a time when they most likely experienced similar incidents. For young adults, the book can teach them how to deal and learn from Gregs misadventures.

Another nice touch was the illustrations found throughout the story. I got the feeling that the book was written and illustrated with passion. Overall, the book is well-written; so much so that this book has several adult readers, as well as Jeff Kinney's many younger followers.

Maintaining quality is never an easy feat. But somehow, Jeff Kinney is able to do just that even after six sequels to the original. Now on its eighth installment, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck is a step forward for our protagonist, Greg Heffley, while still being able to deliver a classic Wimpy Kid experience. As the title implies, Greg is down on his luck. First, his best friend, Rowley, decided to get himself a girlfriend. This didnt sit too well with our hero as he felt that he was abandoned by the Robin to his Batman. Of course, he went on to do what Batman wouldve done in the same situation: continue to kick butt and find a new sidekick. However, this doesnt exactly go the way that he pictured it in his mind. Feeling alone and having to deal with other troubles at school, Greg becomes one disgruntled wimpy kid. And if those werent enough (remember, Hard Luck is the title of this one), even his life at home is giving him a tough time. Well, I guess wimpin aint easy.

Needless to say, the odds are stacked against the adorable-in-his-own-way middle schooler. For us readers though, this makes for a hilarious ride. Kinneys ability to delight and entertain is in full showcase hereyoull absolutely enjoy every page of the book. Yes, Greg may be growing up a bit, but Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck stays true to its roots and manages to be as excellent as the previous books.