I keep reading these books like an idiot thinking that there is going to be something new, something unique, something funny. His mum thinks video games are turning his brain to mush, so she wants her son to put down the controller and explore his ‘creative side’. When he veers to strange flashbacks about piano lessons and speech class, it feels more like filler. As if that's not scary enough, Halloween's just around the corner and the frights are coming at Greg from every angle.

He also makes a mockery of the fact that in America, you can do anything you want if you really try. Greg ultimately ends up grounded by Frank as he mistakenly believes Greg backed out and decided to waste time by goofing off instead of performing. Greg later discusses how the Spinetickler's books give him nightmares and how he regrets reading them, like the dream he got a tail and people were jealous of him. The thing is that I don't get parents, they get mad or disappointed at me randomly, which sometimes really annoys me. While going to get paper towels, he finds gummy worms and comes up with the idea to make a horror movie.

Greg accidentally gets a brick stuck in his arm, which Maddox accuses Greg of stealing, leading to Greg being kicked out.

His mum thinks video games are turning his brain to mush, so she wants her son to put down the controller and explore his 'creative side'. There is a girl dressed like Hermoine Granger from the Harry Potter franchise at the Halloween party. He talked about his process, but also why he loved comics, and how he was never going to have Greg age, because like Bart Simpson, it's better if he's perpetually the same age. Jeff Kinney has achieved that rare feat of writing a children's series which is enjoyed equally by adults. He practices the French Horn but hates it and wants to quit, angering Frank who tells Greg that he can't because that was an expensive instrument and he has to honor his commitment to the instrument.Susan, now going back to college full-time, has a chore bag where Greg and Rodrick pick chores to do. I rated this book 4 stars because it was really good but really short, I mean, I read it all in one day! It says that the book is about Greg and Rowley making a movie together, but that doesn't happen until the very end. There's is the most outrageous pet, the Pig, which the family adopted him since the last book ( are these considered spoilers? Greg still goes to the school and is struck in the onset of teenage where he's not yet into girls, crushes and stuff.