Books › The Worst Things In Life Are Also Free (Dear Dumb Diary #10)
The Worst Things In Life Are Also Free (Dear Dumb Diary #10)
148 pages
A hilarious, doodle-filled descent into summer boredom and terrible money-making schemes.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like hanging out with your funniest, most dramatic friend during the long, unstructured days of summer vacation. The pace is incredibly brisk, propelled by short, punchy diary entries and expressive doodles that perfectly capture the exaggerated agony of middle school existence. The mood is delightfully chaotic and lighthearted, steeped in the kind of irreverent sarcasm that makes everyday annoyances feel like epic tragedies. It perfectly captures the restless energy of having too much free time and zero money, leading to hilariously misguided schemes. With its conversational, snarky prose and relatable frenemy dynamics, it is an absolute delight for readers who love their humor with a side of cynical, eye-rolling charm.
- Mood
- chaotic
- lighthearted
- silly
- energetic
- Tone
- sarcastic
- irreverent
- dramatic
- wry
- exaggerated
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- summer boredom · misguided schemes · frenemy dynamics · middle school absurdity
- The writing
- Highly conversational and melodramatic, blending snarky diary entries with expressive, hilarious doodles.
- The arc
- Starts with the restless boredom of early summer and accelerates into the chaotic, misguided enthusiasm of a doomed money-making scheme.
- Who it's for
- Middle-grade readers who appreciate a heavy dose of sarcasm, flawed but funny protagonists, and the visual appeal of diary-style storytelling.
Content notes
- mild name-calling
- mischievous behavior
About the book
School's out for the summer, and that means no more Meat Loaf Thursdays, Sunday homework-cramming, or teachers (way way unsuccessfully) trying to act cool. It also means that certain Mackerel Middle Schoolers have a lot of time on their hands... and seriously empty pockets. Isabella is going to change all that. And Jamie and Angeline are going to help --- whether they like it or not. It's the best kind of teamwork: When a whole bunch of people work together to do something wrong, instead of doing it wrong one at a time.
Description from Open Library.
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