Dear Dumb Diary #3: Am I the Princess or the Frog?

Read the hilarious, candid (and sometimes not-so-nice), diaries of Jamie Kelly, who promises that everything in her diary is true -- or at least as true as it needs to be. Jamie is crushing on Hudson. Someone too-gross-to-be- named is crushing on Jamie. And Hudson is crushing on . . . Princess Turd of Turdsylvania (a.k.a. The Prettiest Girl in the World).

Middle school may be grim, but it's no fairy tale. And crazy doesn't even begin to cover it.

“What's new, what's cool: 'Dear Dumb Diary'By Jennifer TobiaKnight Ridder/Tribune News Service(KRT)An entertainment or product review - anything from books and video games toWeb sites and music."Dear Dumb Diary," by Jim Benton (Scholastic, $4.99).Middle-schooler Jamie Kelly is mad. She's mad at Angeline, the most popularand prettiest girl in the world (or at least in Mackerel Middle School).Jamie is mad at the fact that she has to go to middle school in the firstplace. She's mad at her disapproving parents, and mad at Hudson Rivers (theeighth cutest guy in her grade) for not noticing her. Her only hope is toconsole in her diary, the one place where she can spill her heart out anddraw pictures of how things really look."Dear Dumb Diary" (Scholastic, $4.99) by Jim Benton is a look at Jamie'slife in her own words. Her adventures include avoiding trouble (or gettinginto it) with her partner in crime, Isabella; rating people on a "Loser"scale; dealing with crazy cafeteria monitor Miss Bruntford; and observingand caring for her dog Stinker.You'll laugh out loud at what this girl has to say.From Our Editors The Barnes & Noble ReviewThe hilarious author of the Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist books zaps fans with another new series, this time about a girl braving the trials and tribulations of middle school. Told in knee-slapping diary entries, the first installment of Jamie Kelly's tales begins as "the worst thing that can happen to you in middle school" almost occurs: getting a nasty nickname (for all of you uneducated souls out there). From there, Jamie goes on to describe a schoolmate's misfortune of using ChocoMint lip smacker; her interest in almost-hunk boy Hudson Rivers; and most of all her unkind feelings toward Angeline, a pretty blonde girl who Jamie's sure is "scorpion-like" beneath her sweet exterior. But when a mysterious culprit smacks the school's cafeteria monitor in her "neck blubber" with meatloaf, Jamie takes the heat and winds up almost-pals with Angeline. Jim Benton delivers a wonderfully silly series that combines his knack for knowing what kids love to read with fun illustrations. Young audiences will eat up Jamie's diary descriptions of stealing Angeline's hair out of the wastebasket, her "glazed" cousin, and just about every other crazy event that happens, while parents are sure to see their kids beg for more Dumb Diary books. As the subtitle suggests, we can pretend this never happened, but in reality we're sure happy it did. Shana Taylor"This book's witty and satiric sense of humor is sure to resonate with kids and make these books a must-have." -BIG BLUE DOT Trend UpdateFrom the Fans..."omg u totally rule!!!! i luv happy bunny! and i read dear dumb diary... its so hillarious!...lol" --dani"yo mr.benton, u r totally AWESOME!!! I'm totally trying to get my mom to buy me the 2nd dumb diary book!! they r hilarious!! (but true!!!) :)" -- sk8erbear"dear dumb diary is an awesome book I did that for my book report." -Keith"I'm going to start collecting your books. I'll call it, My Collection of Books By Jim Benton." -- Olivia L. "Thanks for making reading so much fun!" --Jennifer L. "My daughter recently purchased your first edition of your Dear Diary books at a school book fair. I must admit. . . I don't know who enjoyed the book more, my daughter or me. (I am 31 and my daughter is 9!!) I can't remember the last time I laughed that hard! It was hysterical! Congrats on a great new series!" --Marisa W."My 9-year-old daughter loved your book! She actually laughed out loudwhile reading it! It is quite an accomplishment to get my daughter tosit still long enough to read as she is constantly doing cartwheels andbackflips!...I look forward to getting her more of your books (and having her sit still for a little while!)" ---Lourdes F.”

What's new, what's cool: `Dear Dumb Diary' By Jennifer Tobia Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service (KRT) An entertainment or product review - anything from books and video games to Web sites and music. "Dear Dumb Diary," by Jim Benton (Scholastic, $4.99). Middle-schooler Jamie Kelly is mad. She's mad at Angeline, the most popular and prettiest girl in the world (or at least in Mackerel Middle School). Jamie is mad at the fact that she has to go to middle school in the first place. She's mad at her disapproving parents, and mad at Hudson Rivers (the eighth cutest guy in her grade) for not noticing her. Her only hope is to console in her diary, the one place where she can spill her heart out and draw pictures of how things really look. "Dear Dumb Diary" (Scholastic, $4.99) by Jim Benton is a look at Jamie's life in her own words. Her adventures include avoiding trouble (or getting into it) with her partner in crime, Isabella; rating people on a "Loser" scale; dealing with crazy cafeteria monitor Miss Bruntford; and observing and caring for her dog Stinker.

You'll laugh out loud at what this girl has to say.

From Our Editors The Barnes & Noble Review The hilarious author of the Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist books zaps fans with another new series, this time about a girl braving the trials and tribulations of middle school. Told in knee-slapping diary entries, the first installment of Jamie Kelly's tales begins as "the worst thing that can happen to you in middle school" almost occurs: getting a nasty nickname (for all of you uneducated souls out there). From there, Jamie goes on to describe a schoolmate's misfortune of using ChocoMint lip smacker; her interest in almost-hunk boy Hudson Rivers; and most of all her unkind feelings toward Angeline, a pretty blonde girl who Jamie's sure is "scorpion-like" beneath her sweet exterior. But when a mysterious culprit smacks the school's cafeteria monitor in her "neck blubber" with meatloaf, Jamie takes the heat and winds up almost-pals with Angeline. Jim Benton delivers a wonderfully silly series that combines his knack for knowing what kids love to read with fun illustrations. Young audiences will eat up Jamie's diary descriptions of stealing Angeline's hair out of the wastebasket, her "glazed" cousin, and just about every other crazy event that happens, while parents are sure to see their kids beg for more Dumb Diary books. As the subtitle suggests, we can pretend this never happened, but in reality we're sure happy it did. Shana Taylor

"This book's witty and satiric sense of humor is sure to resonate with kids and make these books a must-have." -BIG BLUE DOT Trend Update

From the Fans...

"omg u totally rule!!!! i luv happy bunny! and i read dear dumb diary... its so hillarious!...lol" --dani

"yo mr.benton, u r totally AWESOME!!! I'm totally trying to get my mom to buy me the 2nd dumb diary book!! they r hilarious!! (but true!!!): )" -- sk8erbear

"dear dumb diary is an awesome book I did that for my book report." -Keith

"I'm going to start collecting your books. I'll call it, My Collection of Books By Jim Benton." -- Olivia L.

"Thanks for making reading so much fun!" --Jennifer L.

"My daughter recently purchased your first edition of your Dear Diary books at a school book fair. I must admit. . . I don't know who enjoyed the book more, my daughter or me. (I am 31 and my daughter is 9!!) I can't remember the last time I laughed that hard! It was hysterical! Congrats on a great new series!" --Marisa W.

"My 9-year-old daughter loved your book! She actually laughed out loud while reading it! It is qui

Jim Benton is a writer and cartoonist whose unique brand of Jim Benton is a writer and cartoonist whose unique brand of humor

has been seen on toys, television, T-shirts, greetinhumor

has been seen on toys, television, T-shirts, greeting cards, and even

underwear. Franny K. Stein is the firstg cards, and even

underwear. Franny K. Stein is the first character he's created especially

for young children. A character he's created especially

for young children. A husband and father of two, he lives in Michigan,

where hehusband and father of two, he lives in Michigan,

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Love is in the Air. So you Might Just Want to Stay Inside. Dear Dumb Diary, I got another poem today from You-Know-Who ... She is the fairest blossom, true, She blooms in any weather. But I must love her from afar. We'll never be together. Signed, M.P. Can you believe the pain he's in? His suffering? The crushing heartache he endures every time he sees me? Gosh, it just makes me so happy! Sneak a Peek Inside the Diary of Jamie Kelly, Who Promises that Everything She Writes is True ... Or At Least as True as it Needs to be.

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