For kids navigating the rocky road of middle school friendships and first crushes, this funny chapter book follows Arthur's hilarious attempts to keep his "genius" life on track.
A parent might reach for this book when their middle-schooler is struggling with the social whirlwind of first crushes and changing friendships. This hilarious sequel follows self-proclaimed genius Arthur as his life goes haywire. His plan to make a blockbuster movie with his friend Robbie is complicated by a broken camera and, more importantly, the jealousy of his new girlfriend, Anila, towards his best friend, Kennedy. Told through a fun mix of emails, texts, doodles, and articles, the book explores themes of friendship, loyalty, jealousy, and the importance of honesty in a way that is both funny and relatable for kids navigating these new, complicated feelings. It's a perfect choice for reluctant readers and fans of diary-style comedies.
The book deals with early romantic relationships, including jealousy and insecurity. The approach is light, humorous, and secular. The resolution is hopeful, emphasizing communication and honesty as the way to resolve conflicts. There is also a theme of dishonesty, as Arthur lies about the broken camera, but this is clearly shown to be the wrong choice with natural consequences.
Ideal Reader
This is for the 9-12 year old reader who loves diary-style fiction like Wimpy Kid but is ready for slightly more mature social themes. It's perfect for a child just beginning to notice romantic dynamics around them, or one who is struggling to balance different groups of friends and feeling pulled in multiple directions.
Parent Prep
No prep is needed. The book can be read cold. The situations are highly relatable middle-grade scenarios and are handled in an age-appropriate manner. It provides a great, low-stakes entry point for conversations about honesty and navigating romantic or platonic jealousy. A parent has noticed their child is intensely focused on a new crush, perhaps to the exclusion of old friends. Or, the parent overhears their child talking about jealousy within their friend group. They may also have witnessed their child tell a small lie to get out of trouble, only to see the situation get more complicated.
Age Experience
A younger reader (9-10) will latch onto the slapstick humor, the funny doodles, and the fast-paced plot of making a movie and breaking a camera. An older reader (11-12) will have a deeper appreciation for the social satire, the awkwardness of Arthur's relationship with Anila, and the very real feeling of trying to please everyone and failing miserably. They will connect more with the emotional core of the friendship and jealousy plots.
What Makes It Special
Its primary differentiator is the dynamic, mixed-media format that makes the story incredibly accessible and fast-paced. While many books cover middle school friendships, this one specifically hones in on the complex emotions of a first real relationship, particularly the theme of jealousy, with a uniquely comedic and male-protagonist perspective.
Read plot summary
Arthur is back, and this time he and former rival Robbie are teaming up to create a blockbuster movie for a film festival. Their plans are immediately complicated when they borrow (and damage) a school movie camera. Simultaneously, Arthur is navigating his first real relationship with his girlfriend, Anila. His close friendship with Kennedy, however, sparks intense jealousy in Anila, forcing Arthur to try and juggle everyone's feelings, a secret broken camera, and the film project, leading to a series of comedic misunderstandings and disasters.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Arthur tries to hide the broken camera instead of telling an adult. Why do you think he did that? What might have happened if he had been honest from the start?
2
Anila gets very jealous of Arthur's friendship with Kennedy. Do you think her feelings were fair? How could Arthur have handled the situation better to make both girls feel more secure?
3
Robbie and Arthur started out as rivals but become good friends in this book. What specific moments show that their friendship is growing stronger, even when things go wrong?
4
The story is told with lots of texts, lists, and drawings. How did this format make the story funnier or more interesting than a regular chapter book? Which part was your favorite?
