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Dork Diaries #1-3
Dork Diaries Pop Star Pa by Rachel Renee Russell
This delightfully dorky boxed set will include the first three books of the New York Times, USA TODAY, and Publishers Weekly bestelling Dork Diaries series, which chronicles the not-so-fabulous life of Nikki Maxwell as she navigates the halls of middle school, mean girls, BFF drama, and first crushes. New fans and collectors alike will relish this triple dose of dorktastic fun!
Mass Market Paperback
First published May 31, 2011
548 people are currently reading
9813 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Renée Russell
119 books7,271 followersRachel Renee Russell is the #1 New York Times Best Selling author of the book series, DORK DIARIES, and the upcoming, THE MISADVENTURES OF MAX CRUMBLY to be released on June 7, 2016.
For more about Nikki's world visit www.DorkDiaries.com
For more about Max's world visit www.MaxCrumbly.com
For more about Nikki's world visit www.DorkDiaries.com
For more about Max's world visit www.MaxCrumbly.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 281 reviews
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April 23, 2012I had to read these after I bought them for my 9 year old granddaughter and she gobbled them up. I had been concerned that they were too old for her but they were fine. Few pop culture references that probably went over her head.
Now to find the next series that will keep her reading.
Now to find the next series that will keep her reading.
May 8, 2015
I discovered this book when my sister clued me in that my niece has been reading them, and asked me to pick up a few. She burned through the "Wimpy Kid" series, and I read one of those in the bookstore cafe in a single sitting, openly guffawing at several hilarious lines. It bummed me out that my niece didn't have a similarly cynical, selfish protagonist to root for, and thought that might be the case for Dork Diaries.
Um...no.
First of all, who is the dork in this series, exactly? When I think of a dork, I think of someone with an eccentric personality perpetually rejected by her peers, but who maybe manages to have a blast anyway (with her fellow band/art/ writing dorks). Nikki isn't a dork. She's Jenny Humphrey from Gossip Girl. She's desperate to be cool, the only not-rich kid in an elite private school, with curious artistic talent that she somehow finds the time to nurture in between thinking exclusively shallow, uninteresting thoughts. In other words, Jenny Humphrey...except Jenny actually got rejected by boys every once in awhile, and it's all a cakewalk for this "dork". Her friends don't seem to suffer much, either, unless you call "looking like Beyonce" suffering. Even the twins from Sweet Valley High were bigger dorks than this. Even "Pretty Little Liars" is dorkier than this. Every character appears to be thin, well-groomed, and immaculately dressed. When was the last time you encountered a middle school kid who met any of those qualifications?
Second, this "dork" is actually mean. She hates the pretty girl for being pretty, draws a number of pictures mocking the people who are actually dorks, constantly gripes about people who are "weird" or "different" and spends a majority of her time pursuing social acceptance from the people she claims to hate. Her primary preoccupation is whether she'll ever be popular, but it's never explained why this is so important to her. Most kids with this ambition don't have much else going on. When was the last time you met an art dork who actually wanted to hang out with the cool kids? Ridiculous.
Third, it's completely unrealistic. And when I say that, I mean middle school kids don't talk like this, act like this, communicate this way, etc. For God's sake, her friends *tape a note to the front of her locker* to tell her where they will be. That's possibly the dumbest thing I've ever heard. What's secret and covert about that, exactly? Even before cell phones we still had the sense to fold the note and pass it. Her father picks her up from school to go to a funeral with him...a funeral for someone she doesn't even know, so he can schmooze with other exterminators. Is this a joke? Why would you schmooze with other exterminators, exactly? I suppose it could be, except the book isn't funny -- at all.
A third grader should not read this book. A third grade girl doesn't need to think that all she should think about is boys and popularity. They should not think this is the pink version of the Wimpy Kid books. This is a pink version of pink. Even Strawberry Shortcake hates this book.
Fourth, it's a total rip off. Almost every idea, image, and scene from this book is a rip off of some other teen book or television show. Roach on top of the car of the exterminator? King of the Hill. Snoopy dance? Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Did they select editors for this series that have recently returned from a deserted island where there was no exposure to books, movies, television shows, magazines, or any other facet of pop culture?
Fifth, the writing is terrible. And it isn't funny -- at all. Several of the attempts to be funny are so bad I rolled my eyes and almost stopped reading. It's actually painful to read. When I think of what I want my niece to read, it's funny, rich, interesting books that offer an idea of girlhood that differs from a subscription to Us Weekly. This is likely reading about the perspective of that Barbie Doll that used to say "I Hate Math!" when you turned her head a certain way. The author doesn't seem to know what to make Nikki do, so she strung together a bunch of tropes and cliches, and somehow got a book deal. Even worse: people buy these books.
Not me. I took them back, and exchanged them for some journals to encourage my niece to keep writing her own stories. That seems a way better option than exposing her to this.
Um...no.
First of all, who is the dork in this series, exactly? When I think of a dork, I think of someone with an eccentric personality perpetually rejected by her peers, but who maybe manages to have a blast anyway (with her fellow band/art/ writing dorks). Nikki isn't a dork. She's Jenny Humphrey from Gossip Girl. She's desperate to be cool, the only not-rich kid in an elite private school, with curious artistic talent that she somehow finds the time to nurture in between thinking exclusively shallow, uninteresting thoughts. In other words, Jenny Humphrey...except Jenny actually got rejected by boys every once in awhile, and it's all a cakewalk for this "dork". Her friends don't seem to suffer much, either, unless you call "looking like Beyonce" suffering. Even the twins from Sweet Valley High were bigger dorks than this. Even "Pretty Little Liars" is dorkier than this. Every character appears to be thin, well-groomed, and immaculately dressed. When was the last time you encountered a middle school kid who met any of those qualifications?
Second, this "dork" is actually mean. She hates the pretty girl for being pretty, draws a number of pictures mocking the people who are actually dorks, constantly gripes about people who are "weird" or "different" and spends a majority of her time pursuing social acceptance from the people she claims to hate. Her primary preoccupation is whether she'll ever be popular, but it's never explained why this is so important to her. Most kids with this ambition don't have much else going on. When was the last time you met an art dork who actually wanted to hang out with the cool kids? Ridiculous.
Third, it's completely unrealistic. And when I say that, I mean middle school kids don't talk like this, act like this, communicate this way, etc. For God's sake, her friends *tape a note to the front of her locker* to tell her where they will be. That's possibly the dumbest thing I've ever heard. What's secret and covert about that, exactly? Even before cell phones we still had the sense to fold the note and pass it. Her father picks her up from school to go to a funeral with him...a funeral for someone she doesn't even know, so he can schmooze with other exterminators. Is this a joke? Why would you schmooze with other exterminators, exactly? I suppose it could be, except the book isn't funny -- at all.
A third grader should not read this book. A third grade girl doesn't need to think that all she should think about is boys and popularity. They should not think this is the pink version of the Wimpy Kid books. This is a pink version of pink. Even Strawberry Shortcake hates this book.
Fourth, it's a total rip off. Almost every idea, image, and scene from this book is a rip off of some other teen book or television show. Roach on top of the car of the exterminator? King of the Hill. Snoopy dance? Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Did they select editors for this series that have recently returned from a deserted island where there was no exposure to books, movies, television shows, magazines, or any other facet of pop culture?
Fifth, the writing is terrible. And it isn't funny -- at all. Several of the attempts to be funny are so bad I rolled my eyes and almost stopped reading. It's actually painful to read. When I think of what I want my niece to read, it's funny, rich, interesting books that offer an idea of girlhood that differs from a subscription to Us Weekly. This is likely reading about the perspective of that Barbie Doll that used to say "I Hate Math!" when you turned her head a certain way. The author doesn't seem to know what to make Nikki do, so she strung together a bunch of tropes and cliches, and somehow got a book deal. Even worse: people buy these books.
Not me. I took them back, and exchanged them for some journals to encourage my niece to keep writing her own stories. That seems a way better option than exposing her to this.
June 4, 2014
Awesome
August 25, 2013
This is a great book for kids to read because it is a diary of a wimpy kid for girls but more humorous! I would recommend this to my friends.this is my most fav book in all of the series!!!!!! I would recommend this to 8 year
olds and older.if you or your child like this book try the hole series. This could be quite a good time time through laughter and fun.
olds and older.if you or your child like this book try the hole series. This could be quite a good time time through laughter and fun.
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January 21, 2012dork diaries is a fantastic book about a unpopular kid called Nikki Maxwell. her dad has singed a contract saying if he was to become the school bug exterminator (?!?!?!) then he would like to be payed in a scholarship for his daughter. once she had got there, she had realised that she would have a locker by the most popular, snobby, egotistic girl in the whole school, Mackenzie Hollister. Mackenzie was determined to make Nikki's life a living hell, and with no friends to stick up for her, she couldn't do anything to retaliate, nor did she have anyone to stick up for her, until Chloe and Zoe came along. she was about to enter for an art competition, when Nikki heard Mackenzie saying how stupid it was that Nikki wanted to enter, and that she was going to win for sure. hearing this, Nikki got very embarrassed and quickly changed routes from signing up for the art competition, to signing a library volunteer sheet!! this is where Chloe and Zoe came in. they were two very girly-girls, the kind that are always gossiping, hate PE, and ran away and started to squeal at any ball that they were supposed to be any ball that came into a metres distance of them, where it be a basketball, a football or a soccer ball; you name it, they hate it!! you see, they were also library volunteers, so they would be working alongside Nikki, which wasn't as bad as she anticipated, in fact, actually quite fun!! soon enough, they became BFF's, so Nikki had someone to hang out with, eat lunch with, and share stories with about her major crush, Brandon from her biology class.
all in all, the dork diary books are entertaining, funny and advising of what NOT to do!! i STRONGLY recommend this book to anyone looking for a new read!!
all in all, the dork diary books are entertaining, funny and advising of what NOT to do!! i STRONGLY recommend this book to anyone looking for a new read!!
March 29, 2012
I absolutely hate this series and I regret purchasing it. I do not recommend this for teens or even adults who are used to reading young adult novels, chick-lit, adult novels or classics. I didn't even bother finishing it. If I could only burn this series, I would. Yes, it's that horrid.
June 6, 2014
Its been very amazing reading this book. since im the same age as Niki Maxwell i can relate alot to her. She may not be the best one to get advice from but she does know how to be herself( at least at certain times). Its fu reding this book because its like im reading my very own diary. Hopefully many girls can relate to Niki and its not difficult to understand where she is coming from. Books like this makes me laugh because since i can relate so much to it, its like im reading about my life before it even happens. Yea i know it may sound strange but if you read the book you would understand where im coming from a perspective of a teenager is one of the best. maybe its just me or almost all girls like Niki Maxwell.
April 30, 2015
I loved it. It was just like my school and it was really funny
July 6, 2015
I love these book lol
April 13, 2015
It's a lovely book I love it to bits one of my favorites
December 24, 2014
I may be praising a heck lot of books and may seem like a literacy pushover, but this book had my brain screaming and managed to put me in a bad mood for the rest of the week.
The characters in this book are self obsessed, shallow, unseemly and frankly, overly annoying. A suitable summary of this book may go something like:
Nikki: Oh wow Brandon's hot omg I'll act like an idiot yeah maybe that'll get his attention
Chloe: Jazz Hands
Zoe: Stink Eye
Brandon: Does something SO obvious about his growing feelings towards Nikki
Nikki: God he's hot okay maybe he does like me... but NO HE'S FALLING FOR MACKENZIE!!!!
Chloe: Jazz Hands
Zoe: Stink Eye
Mackenzie: Flirts with Brandon
Brandon: Does something SO obvious about his growing feelings towards Nikki
Nikki: NOOO HE LIKES MACKENZIE MY LIFE IS OVER KILL ME
(Repeat)
I refuse to read any more of this trash on a shallow girl whining about how shallow her nemesis is and how Mackenzie is supposedly "getting Brandon to go to the dark side". Her actions are simply sickening and the plot is so cliche I excused myself from the book to go puke in the bathroom in a few chapters, this being disgraceful since the book was aimed towards an audience my age. (I had just turned 12 when I read this)
Horrid. If you enjoy reading about a pathetic girl crying over a guy as the main plot of the story, by all means, buy the book and let's hope that wasn't the last of your funds that went into it.
The characters in this book are self obsessed, shallow, unseemly and frankly, overly annoying. A suitable summary of this book may go something like:
Nikki: Oh wow Brandon's hot omg I'll act like an idiot yeah maybe that'll get his attention
Chloe: Jazz Hands
Zoe: Stink Eye
Brandon: Does something SO obvious about his growing feelings towards Nikki
Nikki: God he's hot okay maybe he does like me... but NO HE'S FALLING FOR MACKENZIE!!!!
Chloe: Jazz Hands
Zoe: Stink Eye
Mackenzie: Flirts with Brandon
Brandon: Does something SO obvious about his growing feelings towards Nikki
Nikki: NOOO HE LIKES MACKENZIE MY LIFE IS OVER KILL ME
(Repeat)
I refuse to read any more of this trash on a shallow girl whining about how shallow her nemesis is and how Mackenzie is supposedly "getting Brandon to go to the dark side". Her actions are simply sickening and the plot is so cliche I excused myself from the book to go puke in the bathroom in a few chapters, this being disgraceful since the book was aimed towards an audience my age. (I had just turned 12 when I read this)
Horrid. If you enjoy reading about a pathetic girl crying over a guy as the main plot of the story, by all means, buy the book and let's hope that wasn't the last of your funds that went into it.
March 18, 2020
If you're looking for strong female role models for the young girls in your life, you won't find it here.
I had to read this for a children's literature class at university. The class is on the difference in gendered literature and this book, in comparison to things like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, is so telling in how young girls are told to act and think.
The only interesting and remotely 'dorky' characters were her two friends that she barely paid attention to. The book wasn't funny, or smart. It displayed a young girl, wrapped up in what trashy teen magazines tell her to believe, and being selfish and dramatic. The end lesson of the book is 'destroy your rival's hopes and dreams, and be mean and selfish, and everything will work out'.
I'd give it 0 stars if I could.
I would recommend getting the the first in the Skulduggery Pleasant series. Stephanie Edgley is so cool, and smart, and strong, and average. But her hard work is what makes her powerful.
Also the Land of Stories series has a great female protagonist. Nevermoor. Ottilie Colter. There are so many to choose from that are so much better than this. Please go and find them.
I had to read this for a children's literature class at university. The class is on the difference in gendered literature and this book, in comparison to things like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, is so telling in how young girls are told to act and think.
The only interesting and remotely 'dorky' characters were her two friends that she barely paid attention to. The book wasn't funny, or smart. It displayed a young girl, wrapped up in what trashy teen magazines tell her to believe, and being selfish and dramatic. The end lesson of the book is 'destroy your rival's hopes and dreams, and be mean and selfish, and everything will work out'.
I'd give it 0 stars if I could.
I would recommend getting the the first in the Skulduggery Pleasant series. Stephanie Edgley is so cool, and smart, and strong, and average. But her hard work is what makes her powerful.
Also the Land of Stories series has a great female protagonist. Nevermoor. Ottilie Colter. There are so many to choose from that are so much better than this. Please go and find them.
September 24, 2014
The book I read was Dork Diaries tales from a not so Greatful Ice Princess, it's by Rachel Renee Russell. The book genre is nonfiction and it's a great book. The reason I chose this book was because I saw all the good review and my friend told me about it and I think you should read it too. Also there is good stuff about this book when I mean about good stuff I mean that there is lot of information you will be excited about but I can't tell you or I would spoiler it. The reason I gave it 5 stars was because one it's an amazing book and the author is a good writer. Mostly I picked it because my friend she was like come on go get this book already so now you should come on and get that book and start reading it like you mean it. I mean it a fabulous book ever and I think you should read it.
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August 22, 2014This series was great when I was younger it had great pictures that made me engage in the book so much it also got me started on reading chapter books so I would really recommend this series to early readers cause I really enjoyed it when I was 8,9 and 10
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March 3, 2013LOVE THIS BOOKS.
January 8, 2014
I very angry they would not let me even read it !
October 30, 2014
The Dork Diaries(Book 1) Genre: Stories;Novels
This book was about an eighth grade student going through some "troubling" times at school. Facing off the popular girls or the "CCP" as you will find out in the book. She is learning who her true and valued friends are. It is unquestionable that middle school is tough especially coming from an other school, the main charactor (Nikki) has doubts about where she will fit in and with who? This book in comparison to other books I have read in the past was funny and non stop comedy through out the entire book! I enjoyed this book because of how relatable it is so I give it five stars and two thumbs up!
This book was about an eighth grade student going through some "troubling" times at school. Facing off the popular girls or the "CCP" as you will find out in the book. She is learning who her true and valued friends are. It is unquestionable that middle school is tough especially coming from an other school, the main charactor (Nikki) has doubts about where she will fit in and with who? This book in comparison to other books I have read in the past was funny and non stop comedy through out the entire book! I enjoyed this book because of how relatable it is so I give it five stars and two thumbs up!
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May 15, 2015Dork Diaries is a good book. It's very funny too. It's about a girl named Nikki Maxwell, she just moved to her new school and only has two friends named Zoey and Chloe. They get into some troubles and have a tuff decision to make about the Nyc trip. They really want to be picked and go to the extreme to get picked. Nikki has a big crush on a boy named Brandon. He's super popular and might even like her back. They has some issues also with the most popular girl in school named Mackenzie. Read the book to find out everything! I would recommend this book to people who like a funny interesting book. There's not a whole lot of action but it definitely can give you a good laugh.
November 24, 2014
i love the series of dork diaries.my cousin just keeps on reading the series of diary of a wimpy kid and i was WOAH!diary of a wimpy kid is good but some people get a little toooo addicted to it.i gave her this book and she enjoyed.i thought that since she did,i might as well just read it to check it out.i only had read the first page and i was really into the story.the next day my friend got me this book for my birthday and i was soo happy.ever snce tn i have read most dork diaries books.i would reccomend this book to fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
November 2, 2014
This book I can't remember and was one of those 'teenage dream' books. If you're going to take life lessons don't take it from this book. This is a book about a girl who always is complaining about not getting everyone to just desire her. They are still making books (which means there still people buying them) and I think now there are 8 and a half books in the series (the half being coloring pages in a book so you can feel like the lonely Nikki Maxwell herself) and I wouldn't recommend it.
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February 17, 2012this book is defenitly funny and its really cool i would recomend this to someone else
February 13, 2012
Great book!
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February 27, 2013good books
October 18, 2014
I think that you should make all of these books freee
May 14, 2015
I really liked this book. I liked how Niki was in the back round but she stuck her head and was strong no matter how mean Maxine was too her.This book was really interesting.
December 10, 2014
This book I can relate to my life just a little it in some parts but its really funny I love it. I love reading books that are like a diary and this one is just like it.
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January 27, 2015I have not read the book
September 24, 2019
Really funny and relatable could read hundreds of times and never get bored I love in the first one when Nicky has her crush and also Nicky reaction to her sisters oddness like her taste in food. I also love mckenzies pettiness and the drama between the two characters. I love the storyline of the second one with the stupid costume and how mckenzie was again trying to ruin Nicky life and I will definitely be giving these books to my sister to read.
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February 1, 2020😍😍
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