Books

Diary of Wimpy Kid 5 is coming as is box set

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Alan Gardner July 29, 2010 1 minute 1 comment

Jeff Kinney’s “Diary of a Wimpy Kid 5: The Ugly Truth” is due out in November. Also announced Amulet Books is producing a box set of all five.

Here’s the press release:

Amulet Books, an imprint of Abrams, reveals today in a major press announcement the title, first-printing quantity, and cover of the fifth Diary of a Wimpy Kid book. The Ugly Truth will have the largest first printing to date of any title in the series, with more than 5 million copies, making it one of the largest publishing releases of 2010 when it goes on sale Tuesday, November 9. The cover is purple, following the red, blue, green, and yellow of the first four #1 bestselling books, which are available together for the first time this September in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid Box of Books, which features an original Rowley Jefferson cartoon. The Ugly Truth follows the sales and publicity momentum of the #1 bestseller The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary, a nonfiction book by Jeff Kinney published to coincide with the March 2010 release of the feature movie version of the first Wimpy Kid book. The Ugly Truth is a pivotal installment in the series and a must-read for fans.

“To me, the fifth book is the linchpin of the series,” said Jeff Kinney. “Since Greg Heffley is a cartoon character but also a literary character, I’ve always wondered if he should grow up or stay in a state of arrested development forever. This book answers that question once and for all.”

“With The Ugly Truth, Jeff Kinney takes his readers in a whole new direction,” said Charles Kochman, executive editor of the Wimpy Kid series. “All of the favorite characters will be back but, like Greg Heffley, you will see them in a new light as Jeff explores the reality of adolescence.”

The wide reach of the release of the title will include national publicity and a special promotion on the popular children’s website www.poptricpica.com, which will offer users a unique reveal of the cover on July 29, 2010. Kits with branded materials will be mailed in August to booksellers and librarians to help them build awareness and excitement.

“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth is the most anticipated book of 2010, with the largest initial print run and with Jeff Kinney’s millions of fans elated with anticipation. And we at Abrams are happy to do our bit in bringing millions of kids-and their parents, caregivers, librarians, teachers, and friends-into stores for books this fall, starting with the release of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid Box of Books gift set next month.

“We believe that our laydown of The Ugly Truth will bring traffic into stores and help make this holiday season an upbeat one for booksellers. As we roll out our pre-sales and marketing campaign over the next few months, we know that the excitement will skyrocket and that we may well go back to press to cover increased demand.”

Since publication of the first Diary of a Wimpy Kid book in April 2007, more than 35 million books are in print in the United States, and the books have been sold in more than 30 countries around the world. Published by Amulet Books, an imprint of ABRAMS, Kinney’s work has been widely credited for its ability to turn reluctant readers on to books. In 2010, the movie adaptation of Diary of a Wimpy Kid grossed more than $60 million in box office sales, the book series won a Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award, and books in the series won numerous awards voted on by students and teachers in schools around the globe. In 2009, Jeff Kinney was named one of TIME magazine’s most influential people in the world. A second movie is in production now and expected to be in theatres in March 2011.

Books by Jeff Kinney include Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book, and The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary. The series is a fixture on the USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists, and has remained consistently in the top spots on the New York Times lists since publication.