Jeff Kinney has a formula, and in 'The Meltdown,' it works perfectly. By shifting the action from the school hallways to a neighborhood-wide winter war, the stakes feel higher and the humor hits harder than some of the earlier entries.

It’s safe, it’s genuinely funny, and most importantly, it actually gets kids to put down the phone. Greg Heffley remains the patron saint of the 'average kid,' and his struggle to survive a snow day is top-tier entertainment for the middle-school set. If your kid is stuck in a reading rut, this is the shovel that gets them out.