Dork Diaries : Tales From a Not-so-fabulous Life

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.