<div><P class=tagline style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I>The highly anticipated third book in the critically acclaimed and bestselling series takes the art of being wimpy to a whole new level. </I></P><P class=Maintext style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">&#160;</P><P class=Maintext style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in">Let&#8217;s face it: Greg Heffley will never change his wimpy ways.

Somebody just needs to explain that to Greg&#8217;s father.

You see, Frank Heffley actually thinks he can get his son to toughen up, and he enlists Greg in organized sports and other &#147;manly&#8221; endeavors.

Of course, Greg is able to easily sidestep his father&#8217;s efforts to change him.

But when Greg&#8217;s dad threatens to send him to military academy, Greg realizes he has to shape up . . . or get shipped out.</P><P class=Maintext style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in">&#160;</P><P class=Maintext style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in">Greg and his family and friends, who make the <I>Diary of a Wimpy Kid </I>books a must-read for middle school readers, are back and at their best in this hilarious new installment of the series, which is sure to please current fans while attracting new ones.</P><P class=Maintext style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in">&#160;</P><P class=Maintext style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in"><I>Publishers Weekly</I>-1/19/2009:</P><div>The third book in this genre-busting series is certain to enlarge Kinney&#8217;s presence on the bestseller lists, where the previous titles have taken up residence for the past two years.

Kinney&#8217;s spot-on humor and winning formula of deadpan text set against cartoons are back in full force.

This time, Greg starts off on New Year&#8217;s Day (he resolves to &#147;help <I>other</I> people improve,&#8221; telling his mother, &#147;I think you should work on chewing your potato chips more quietly&#8221;) and ends with summer vacation.

As he fends off his father&#8217;s attempts to make him more of a man (the threat of military school looms), Greg&#8217;s hapless adventures include handing out anonymous valentines expressing his true feelings (&#147;Dear James, You smell&#8221;), attempting to impress his classmate Holly and single-handedly wrecking his soccer team&#8217;s perfect season.

Kinney allows himself some insider humor as well, with Greg noting the &#147;racket&#8221; children&#8217;s book authors have going. &#147;All you have to do is make up a character with a snappy name, and then make sure the character learns a lesson at the end of the book.&#8221; Greg, self-centered as ever, may be the exception proving that rule.

Ages 8&#150;12. <I>(Jan.)</I></div><div><I></I>&#160;</div><div><div>F&amp;P level: T</div></div></div>