Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life »

Rachel Renee Russell is an attorney who prefers writing tween books to legal briefs. (Mainly because books are a lot more fun and pajamas and bunny slippers aren't allowed in court.)

Rachel lives in northern Virginia with a spoiled pet Yorkie who terrorizes her daily by climbing on top of a computer cabinet and pelting her with stuffed animals while she writes. And, yes, Rachel considers herself a total Dork.

New school. New mean girl. New crush.

New diary so Nikki can spill about all of it...

Children's Literature

Have you ever felt like a dork? In Dork Diaries, Rachel Russell has created a humorous account of the middle school years. If you have ever been left out of a clique, not invited to the party of the season, or wondered where to sit in the school cafeteria, you will understand how Nikki Maxwell feels when she starts classes at a new school. She does not know a single person and her outfit is not cool enough to fit with the popular girls. What can a dork do to win friends and influence people? While Nikki does not make it to the top clique at Westchester Day School, her account of surviving the perils of middle school is hilarious. She makes friends, creates a sensation with her amazing tattoos, and connects with a cool boy named Brandon. And even though she is not the most popular girl in school, Nikki remains true to herself and to her ideals. Young readers struggling through the middle school jungle will love Nikki Maxwell immediately. After all, what reader can resist a charming, inquisitive, self-proclaimed dork? Reviewer: Suzanna E. Henshon, Ph.D.