Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck

Parents need to know that Hard Luck is the eighth regular installment in the Wimpy Kid graphic novel series. Reluctant readers are huge fans of this bestselling series, which parents either tolerate because they're thrilled their kid's reading or dislike because the main character, Greg, is always doing something a little bit rotten. Here Greg uses a Magic Eight Ball for a test, alters school yearbook photos in unflattering ways, and lets his grades slip because he's lost all his books and doesn't tell anyone. He's clearly a boy growing into his conscience -- slowly -- but he does the right thing when it really counts, like deciding not to buy another kid's science fair project and showing compassion to a friend at the right time. Violence is pretty low with a few pushy bullies. It's all the potty humor that stands out in this one. Pants are pulled down a few times showing stick cartoon legs in small underwear; Greg's sitting on the toilet a few times, as well. Then there's poor Dad, who has a dog pass gas in his face. Ewww.