Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life by Rachel Renee Russell. (Grades 5+)When she starts the eighth grade at snooty prep school Westchester Country Day, Nikki Maxwell is determined to live up to her star potential. She'll hide the fact that her dad is the school's exterminator (hence her scholarship). She'll get a fabulous cell phone and be best friends with queen bee Mackenzie, thereby guaranteeing her place in the CCP (Cute, Cool, & Popular) group at school.
Um... things don't work out the way she'd planned. Instead of an iPhone, Nikki's mom buys her a diary. Sigh.
I was like, OH. NO. SHE. DIDN'T!
My mom had given me two things: a DIARY and irrefutable evidence she IS, in fact, CLINICALLY BRAIN DEAD!!
Absolutely no one writes their most intimate feelings and deep, dark secrets in a diary anymore! WHY?!
Because just one or two people knowing all your BIZ could completely ruin your reputation.
You're supposed to post this kind of juicy stuff online in your BLOG so MILLIONS can read it!!! (pg 8*)
And Nikki's misadventures continue from there.
I was definitely chuckling along as I read and I think this'll be a great hit with girls who can't get enough Wimpy Kid. Nikki accompanies her diary entries with manga cartoons that she draws. While maybe not quite as amusing as Jeff Kinney's stick figures, the illustrations definitely add to the text (as does the typeface, which looks like handwriting).
Check out more reviews of Dork Diaries at Becky's Book Reviews, The Reading Zone, and The Picnic Basket (reviews are in the comments).
If you have as many fans of Greg Heffley as I have at my library, you'll definitely want to get this one!
Oh, and can I just say that along with the ARC, Rachel sent a cute little purse with lots of girly little items including my new favorite (and my cat's favorite) fluffy pink pen? I only mention this because it was such an effective tool... every time I'd pull out that pen to make a note, I'd remember "Oh yes! Must read Dork Diaries!" Publicists take note: we all use pens a lot. :)