Dork Diaries — by Rachel Renee Russell

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  Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life
  

  • Jun-2009
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  Book - 1
  

  New school. New mean girl. New crush. New diary so Nikki can spill about all of it......

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  Tales from a Not-So-Popular Party Girl
  

  • Jun-2010
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  Book - 2
  

  Recipe for disaster: 4 parties. Add 2 friends and 1 crush. Divide by 1 mean girl out to RUIN Nikki. Mix well, put fingers over eyes, and CRINGE! Settled in at her new school and flanked by awesome friends Chloe and Zoey, life is looking up for Nikk...

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  Tales from a Not-So-Talented Pop Star
  

  • Jun-2011
  • 

  Book - 3
  

  Since we first met Nikki Maxwell, she's been doing everything she can to keep everyone at school from learning the truth--that she's there on scholarship in exchange for her Dad working as the school's exterminator. The last thing Nikki needs is havi...

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  How to Dork Your Diary
  

  • Oct-2011
  • 

  Book - 3.5
  

  Nikki Maxwell has been writing in a diary since the start of the school year, and she usually takes it everywhere she goes--so she can't believe it when one morning she can't find her diary! The hunt is on, and while she looks, pursuing various theor...

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  Tales from a Not-So-Graceful Ice Princess
  

  • Jun-2012
  • 

  Book - 4
  

  In an all-new addition to the New York Times bestselling series that's as popular as it is dorky, Nikki Maxwell is determined to help out her crush! Nikki Maxwell isn't at all surprised to find out that her crush Brandon volunteers at a local anim...

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  Tales from a Not-So-Smart Miss Know-It-All
  

  • Oct-2012
  • 

  Book - 5
  

  Nikki Maxwell authors an advice column for the school newspaper in this fifth book of the New York Times bestselling Dork Diaries series. Nikki Maxwell develops a sudden interest in student journalism that may or may not (okay, definitely does) ha...

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  Tales from a Not-So-Happy Heartbreaker
  

  • Jun-2013
  • 

  Book - 6
  

  Love -- and crushes -- are in the air for Nikki Maxwell in this sixth book of the New York Times bestselling Dork Diaries series. Its the biggest dance of the year and Nikki Maxwell is hoping her crush, Brandon, wants to be her date. But time is r...

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  Tales from a Not-So-Glam TV Star
  

  • Jun-2014
  • 

  Book - 7
  

  Everyone's been rooting for Nikki Maxwell and her crush, Brandon -- and fans will finally learn if they had their first kiss in this seventh book of the New York Times bestselling Dork Diaries series! Nikki's juggling a lot this month. A reality T...

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  Tales from a Not-So-Happily Ever After
  

  • Oct-2014
  • 

  Book - 8
  

  After a bump on the head in gym class on April Fool's Day, Nikki has a wild dream in which she, her BFFs Chloe and Zoey, her crush Brandon, and mean girl Mackenzie all end up playing the roles of some familiar classic fairy tale characters. Of course...

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  Tales from a Not-So-Dorky Drama Queen
  

  • Jun-2015
  • 

  Book - 9
  

  Nikki Maxwell's worst nightmare comes true in book nine of the #1 New York Times bestselling Dork Diaries series! A certain member of the CCP girls Dork fans know all about has gotten her hands on Nikki's diary and has decided to share some though...

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  Tales from a Not-So-Perfect Pet Sitter
  

  • Oct-2015
  • 

  Book - 10
  

  Nikki and her friends Brandon, Chloe, and Zoey are teamed up on an important mission in the tenth book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Dork Diaries series. Nikki has to hide seven ADORKABLE puppies from two parents, one nosy little sister, an...

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  Tales from a Not-So-Friendly Frenemy
  

  • Nov-2016
  • 

  Book - 11
  

  It's a frenemy showdown in the eleventh installment in the blockbuster #1 New York Times bestselling Dork Diaries series! Nikki Maxwell has the worst luck. Of all the schools she could have been assigned to for the student exchange week program, s...

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  Tales from a Not-So-Secret Crush Catastrophe
  

  • Oct-2017
  • 

  Book - 12
  

  In Nikki Maxwell's newest diary, it's the countdown to the end of the school year, and Nikki's juggling some big questions about how she'll spend her summer. She's also facing an unexpected crush catastrophe -- there's a new kid interested in Nikki, ...

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  Tales from a Not-So-Happy Birthday
  

  • Jun-2018
  • 

  Book - 13
  

  Nikki Maxwell's adventures continue in the thirteenth installment in the blockbuster #1 New York Times bestselling Dork Diaries series! ...

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  Tales from a Not-So-Best Friend Forever
  

  • Oct-2019
  • 

  Book - 14
  

  Nikki Maxwell's summer is packed with drama in this fourteenth installment of the #1 New York Times bestselling Dork Diaries series! Nikki and her bandmates are looking forward to an AWESOME summer on tour as the opening act for the world famous B...

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  Tales from a Not-So-Posh Paris Adventure
  

  • Oct-2023
  • 

  Book - 15
  

  Nikki Maxwell deals with the trials and triumphs of middle school in this fifteenth installment of the #1 New York Times bestselling Dork Diaries series!Ooh la la! Nikki Maxwell and her band are on their way to Paris, but they run into some roadblock...

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  Tales from a Not-So-Bratty Little Sister
  

  • Oct-2024
  • 

  Book - 16
  

  Nikki Maxwell's diary enters her bratty little sister's clutches in this sixteenth installment of the #1 New York Times bestselling Dork Diaries series!It's almost time for school to start again, and Nikki is a little worried -- but, as always, she h...

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Series Premise

The Dork Diaries series is written as the illustrated diary of Nikki Maxwell, a relatable middle-school girl trying to survive the social pressures of Westchester Country Day Middle School. Each book captures a new chapter of her life, including crushes, rivalries with the popular girls, and everyday middle-school adventures.

Dork Diaries Series Reading Order

The Dork Diaries series does not need to be read in order. Each book tells a complete story with its own resolution. Continuity is limited to recurring characters and the shared school setting. Reading the books out of order does not cause confusion, as there are no overarching plots or cliffhangers connecting the volumes.

Explanation of reading order types

Dork Diaries Series Characters

Nikki Maxwell is the central protagonist, a creative and awkward middle-schooler who records her thoughts in her diary. Recurring characters include her best friends Chloe and Zoey, her rival Mackenzie Hollister, and her family members who appear throughout the series.

Setting of the Dork Diaries Series

The series is set at Westchester Country Day Middle School and in Nikki’s suburban home, with stories focusing on typical middle-school environments such as classrooms, cafeterias, and after-school activities.

Tone & Themes of the Dork Diaries Series

The tone is humorous and diary-style with cartoon illustrations. Core themes include friendship, self-acceptance, dealing with bullies, family dynamics, and finding confidence during the awkward middle-school years.

Is the Dork Diaries Series Worth Reading?

This series appeals to readers who enjoy relatable middle-grade stories with humor, diary format, and illustrations that capture the ups and downs of middle-school life.

Content Warnings and Heat Level

This is a clean middle-grade series with mild social conflicts and no explicit content. It is appropriate for ages 8–12.

The Dork Diaries series presents the humorous diary of a middle-school girl facing everyday challenges. With its self-contained stories and consistent school world, it allows flexible reading. Rachel Renee Russell’s use of diary format and illustrations makes the series accessible and engaging for young readers.