Never Do Anything, Ever

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. Her best friend's a backstabber. Her worst enemy is a sweetheart. And her dog is just waiting for the right moment to seek his revenge. Why should Jamie even bother going to school? Why not? After a run-in with Mega-Popular Angeline, aka Pure Evil, Jamie reforms her selfish ways & becomes the decent human being she never thought she could be. But she quickly realizes that helping others kind of stinks. Is someone trying to thwart her attempts at irresistible inner beauty? Or will Jamie finally achieve the "I'm an angel" glow she knows will make Hudson Rivers fall madly in love w/ her?

“What's new, what's cool: Dear Dumb DiaryBy 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 do,g Stinker.You'll laugh out loud at what this girl has to say.PRAISE FOR JIM BENTON AND DEAR DUMB DIARY:PW calls Jamie a "feisty protagonist.""Told in knee-slapping diary entries...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...while parents are sure to see their kids beg for more Dumb Diary books." -- The Barnes & Noble Review"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 loud while reading it! It is quite an accomplishment to get my daughter to sit still long enough to read as she is constantly doing cartwheels and backflips!...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 do, g Stinker.

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

PRAISE FOR JIM BENTON AND DEAR DUMB DIARY:

PW calls Jamie a "feisty protagonist."

"Told in knee-slapping diary entries...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...while parents are sure to see their kids beg for more Dumb Diary books." -- The Barnes & Noble Review

"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 quite an accomplishment to get my daughter to sit still long enough to read as she is constantly doing cartwheels and backflips!...I look forward to getting her more of your books (and having her sit still for a little while!)" ---Lourdes F.

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,

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