Hard Luck (Diary of a Wimpy Kid #8)

Middle school misery reaches new heights in this eighth installment of the illustrated journal series, as Greg Heffley's social life hits rock bottom when his best friend Rowley Jefferson abandons him. Faced with the daunting task of navigating the treacherous social landscape alone, Greg resorts to leaving his fate to random chance, using anything from dice rolls to fortune-telling toys to make his decisions. The result is a hilarious cascade of poor choices and comedic misadventures that will feel painfully familiar to anyone who's endured the awkwardness of adolescence.

What makes this particular volume stand out is its raw exploration of friendship dynamics and the desperate measures kids take to fit in when they feel completely adrift. Greg's misguided attempts to use luck as a life strategy perfectly captures that middle school feeling of having no control over your social destiny. Longtime fans will appreciate seeing Greg's trademark scheming and self-justification reach new levels of absurdity, while the universal themes of friendship struggles and social anxiety make it instantly relatable for new readers. The combination of Kinney's signature cartoon illustrations and cringe-worthy storytelling delivers another winning chapter in the chronicles of adolescent misfortune.