What do you think?
Rate this book
Erin's Diary: An Official Derry Girls Book
Set in Derry, Northern Ireland in the 1990s, Derry Girls is a candid, one-of-a-kind comedy about what it's like to be a teenage girl living amongst conflict.
It's a time of armed police in armoured Land Rovers and British Army check points. But it's also the time of Murder She Wrote , The Cranberries, Salt-N-Pepa, Doc Martens and The X Files . And while The Troubles may hang over her hometown, Erin has troubles of her own, like the fact that the boy she's in love with (actually in LOVE with) doesn't know she exists. Or that her Ma and Aunt Sarah make her include her weirdo cousin Orla in everything she does. Or that head teacher Sister Michael refuses to acknowledge Erin as a literary genius. Not to mention the fact that her second best friend has ALMOST had sex, whereas Erin's never even kissed anyone yet. These are Erin's Troubles.
Described by the Guardian as 'daft, profane and absolutely brilliant' , by the New Statesman as 'pitch-perfect' and by i-D as 'the greatest show on British (and Irish) TV' , Derry Girls has dazzled audiences for two series, with Channel 4's biggest UK comedy launch since 2004 and the biggest television series in Northern Ireland since modern records began.
Now, this autumn, comes the first official tie-in. In the manner of the very best TV comedy books, Erin's Diary is a hilarious 'in world' publication that extends the laugh-out-loud humour of Derry Girls onto the page. With Erin's inner take on everything that has happened so far, this book will both dive deeper into the events we have seen unfold on the screen and unveil brand new stories and never-before-revealed details about characters. Complete with newspaper clippings, doodles, poetry, school reports, handwritten notes from her friends, and much much more, Erin's Diary is as warm, funny and brilliantly observed as the TV; a must-have for fans this Christmas.
'Erin is sixteen and wishes she had a boyfriend and a life. Nothing else really happens... It's boring.' Orla McCool
It's a time of armed police in armoured Land Rovers and British Army check points. But it's also the time of Murder She Wrote , The Cranberries, Salt-N-Pepa, Doc Martens and The X Files . And while The Troubles may hang over her hometown, Erin has troubles of her own, like the fact that the boy she's in love with (actually in LOVE with) doesn't know she exists. Or that her Ma and Aunt Sarah make her include her weirdo cousin Orla in everything she does. Or that head teacher Sister Michael refuses to acknowledge Erin as a literary genius. Not to mention the fact that her second best friend has ALMOST had sex, whereas Erin's never even kissed anyone yet. These are Erin's Troubles.
Described by the Guardian as 'daft, profane and absolutely brilliant' , by the New Statesman as 'pitch-perfect' and by i-D as 'the greatest show on British (and Irish) TV' , Derry Girls has dazzled audiences for two series, with Channel 4's biggest UK comedy launch since 2004 and the biggest television series in Northern Ireland since modern records began.
Now, this autumn, comes the first official tie-in. In the manner of the very best TV comedy books, Erin's Diary is a hilarious 'in world' publication that extends the laugh-out-loud humour of Derry Girls onto the page. With Erin's inner take on everything that has happened so far, this book will both dive deeper into the events we have seen unfold on the screen and unveil brand new stories and never-before-revealed details about characters. Complete with newspaper clippings, doodles, poetry, school reports, handwritten notes from her friends, and much much more, Erin's Diary is as warm, funny and brilliantly observed as the TV; a must-have for fans this Christmas.
'Erin is sixteen and wishes she had a boyfriend and a life. Nothing else really happens... It's boring.' Orla McCool
256 pages, Paperback
First published November 12, 2020
91 people are currently reading
1087 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 251 reviews
December 28, 2020
A cracker wee book, so it is.
January 15, 2021
This book was so cracker!
Derry Girls is one of me and my mum’s favourite tv shows! We’ve probably watched it and re-watched it a very unhealthy amount of times, but it makes us laugh every time. Like you don’t even have to be Irish to find it hilarious. I’m positive that me and my mum quote it at least every single day in just about any conversation we have. I was so happy to learn about this release and very happy indeed to receive it for Christmas! Cannot wait for series 3 to come out!
Derry Girls is one of me and my mum’s favourite tv shows! We’ve probably watched it and re-watched it a very unhealthy amount of times, but it makes us laugh every time. Like you don’t even have to be Irish to find it hilarious. I’m positive that me and my mum quote it at least every single day in just about any conversation we have. I was so happy to learn about this release and very happy indeed to receive it for Christmas! Cannot wait for series 3 to come out!
July 16, 2024
almost as good as the show <3
December 27, 2020
I love the TV show so much, and reading this book just brought me the same joy the show does.
May 26, 2022
words can't express how much i'm going to miss the derry girls gang.
November 2, 2021
- I will read anything lisa mcgee writes ever
- her sense of humour is impeccable
- I could so clearly picture erin's expressions as I was reading this
- also erin's characterisation as a self centered pretentious teenager is so on point
- and the soft and genuine feelings towards james in the end had me all soft 🥺
- her sense of humour is impeccable
- I could so clearly picture erin's expressions as I was reading this
- also erin's characterisation as a self centered pretentious teenager is so on point
- and the soft and genuine feelings towards james in the end had me all soft 🥺
Read
May 27, 2022this is the best thing i've ever read in my piece of shit life
November 8, 2020
An absolute joy, a treat! Lisa McGee is the funniest person on Earth. Granda Joe’s review of Sleeping With The Enemy - ROGER EBERT WHO?! Orla getting a Knicks shirt cos she’d seen an episode of Seinfeld where they go to the basketball - incredibly me behaviour. I love these characters and I miss them and I love spending any time with them in any way I can. Thank you life, thank you love!
June 30, 2022
Worth it to find out what happened with Deidre's big bowl. And for Granda Joe's cracker review of Sleeping with the Enemy.
December 19, 2021
The best bit: learning the reason Ma Mary gets to keep The Big Bowl!
A lovely wee book.
A lovely wee book.
May 8, 2023
this was absolutely cracker
October 24, 2022
Derry Girls è secondo me una delle serie tv più belle della storia; sono felice che sia finita con un progetto preciso, ma comunque triste che sia finita. Questo diario di Erin è un bel modo per tornare per qualche ora in questo universo.
Consiglio molto ai fan della serie: Erin è esilarante nel suo essere un’adolescente come un po’ tuttə lo siamo statə - arrogante, ingenua, dolce, in perenne lotta con i genitori e tutto il mondo - e ci sono aggiunte molto carine alla trama di massima degli episodi delle prime due stagioni, come lettere, bigliettini e in generale un ulteriore approfondimento del punto di vista di Erin.
Consiglio molto ai fan della serie: Erin è esilarante nel suo essere un’adolescente come un po’ tuttə lo siamo statə - arrogante, ingenua, dolce, in perenne lotta con i genitori e tutto il mondo - e ci sono aggiunte molto carine alla trama di massima degli episodi delle prime due stagioni, come lettere, bigliettini e in generale un ulteriore approfondimento del punto di vista di Erin.
September 14, 2025
The show was much better
September 6, 2023
This was a DEAR book for me- Drop Everything And Read. I was so excited for this book; it was a fun read. It follows the episodes in the show but with a touch more insight here and there are loads of 'inserts' (like flyers, school letters, etc) inserted in the diary, making it really three-dimensional.
I felt embarrassed walking through the library with this under my arm. Normally the public library is a pretty safe space unimpeded by Queens students, but today there was loads of them with their laptops out and thick important-looking books. Did make me a touch self-conscious, can't lie. Maybe I've healed my inner teenager enough and it's time to work on being an outer adult. But I loved this book so much.
I felt embarrassed walking through the library with this under my arm. Normally the public library is a pretty safe space unimpeded by Queens students, but today there was loads of them with their laptops out and thick important-looking books. Did make me a touch self-conscious, can't lie. Maybe I've healed my inner teenager enough and it's time to work on being an outer adult. But I loved this book so much.
January 24, 2021
This was so fun! The storyline wasn't anything incredibly new, obviously (except for a few things we didn't see in the show), but Erin's voice shines through so well. I can hear her saying every word. I also loved the addition of letters, lists, grades, etc.
July 13, 2023
This was an absolute cracker
January 1, 2021
Full Review on The Storygraph
https://tinyurl.com/BGEErinsDiary
https://tinyurl.com/BGEErinsDiary
April 16, 2023
For fans of one of the greatest shows of the decade that, if you read this book, you’ve obviously watched. If you’ve not watched, what’s wrong with you? Go get caught up!
Covers s1 and s2 and is just delightful (like the show itself). Having read this to coincide with the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, it’s also still somewhat timely. I was also in high school during the late 90s, so there’s a TON of nostalgia to be had too.
Covers s1 and s2 and is just delightful (like the show itself). Having read this to coincide with the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, it’s also still somewhat timely. I was also in high school during the late 90s, so there’s a TON of nostalgia to be had too.
September 24, 2024
I miss the girls and the wee English fella
Edit : I also miss the iconic sister Michael
Edit : I also miss the iconic sister Michael
Read
December 26, 2023I AM A DERRY GIRL
December 31, 2024
Absolutely cracker
February 12, 2021
I finally watched Derry Girls a few weeks ago and it took about one episode for me to fall in love with it. Since (so far) the show is a mere twelve episodes of 20 minutes each, I was desperate for more content and very happy to find this book.
It was very entertaining to essentially re-experience the show through the lens of Erin’s diary entries. She’s so hilariously pretentious and I loved her constant references to the fact that ‘obviously’ the diary would go on to become an award-winning memoir once she’s a renowned writer. I also enjoyed the extra stuff that wasn’t covered in the show, like the class president election and Erin’s letter to James (which made my shipper heart very happy).
I listened to the audio book as I read because I adore Irish accents but also I can’t always understand them without subtitles. Saoirse-Monica Jackson is a delightful narrator and I loved her impressions of other characters as she read notes and letters from them (her Orla was spot-on). I only regret that video was not included—her facial expressions on the show are amazing.
Anyway, to borrow a few phrases from the extremely helpful list of Irish slang provided in the front of the book: This wee book is absolutely cracker, so it is!
(I’d like to apologize to all of Ireland for that)
It was very entertaining to essentially re-experience the show through the lens of Erin’s diary entries. She’s so hilariously pretentious and I loved her constant references to the fact that ‘obviously’ the diary would go on to become an award-winning memoir once she’s a renowned writer. I also enjoyed the extra stuff that wasn’t covered in the show, like the class president election and Erin’s letter to James (which made my shipper heart very happy).
I listened to the audio book as I read because I adore Irish accents but also I can’t always understand them without subtitles. Saoirse-Monica Jackson is a delightful narrator and I loved her impressions of other characters as she read notes and letters from them (her Orla was spot-on). I only regret that video was not included—her facial expressions on the show are amazing.
Anyway, to borrow a few phrases from the extremely helpful list of Irish slang provided in the front of the book: This wee book is absolutely cracker, so it is!
(I’d like to apologize to all of Ireland for that)
May 20, 2023
Love the Derry girls!!! (James is a derry girl he admitted it though he'll always still be the wee English fella.)
Felt very Irish while reading thid as my bookmark was my Dublin dart ticket that I bought on the 17th of March - though, they are from Derry, so are they reeeeeaally Irish or not?
This book felt a bit disappointingly American in format, but then, did Americans actually invent diaries? Seems like it a bit. That's a sad fact (probably not a fact).
Anyway very very funny and relatable and great and brilliant character building except they also seemed to stay the same over the course of a year and a half, no character arc, but you know they're teenagers and stuff and sure they're characters so are they reeeally supposed to age?
Plus it was the storyline that the show follows - it would've been way better if it was a separate story with different events. We know the storyline fo the show very well.
Felt very Irish while reading thid as my bookmark was my Dublin dart ticket that I bought on the 17th of March - though, they are from Derry, so are they reeeeeaally Irish or not?
This book felt a bit disappointingly American in format, but then, did Americans actually invent diaries? Seems like it a bit. That's a sad fact (probably not a fact).
Anyway very very funny and relatable and great and brilliant character building except they also seemed to stay the same over the course of a year and a half, no character arc, but you know they're teenagers and stuff and sure they're characters so are they reeeally supposed to age?
Plus it was the storyline that the show follows - it would've been way better if it was a separate story with different events. We know the storyline fo the show very well.
November 14, 2020
As a big fan of the brilliant Derry Girls show I was dead keen to check out this fictionalised diary. It's about what you'd expect from this sort of tie in book content wise but really well done. Mostly framed around the episodes from series 1 and 2 it presents more of Erin's perspective on events and is replete with doodles, newspaper cut outs, letters, and of course a full page Dolly Parton poster. The ink smudges and fingerprints are a nice touch too and it's consistently humourous throughout.
There's nothing groundbreaking here but it is an enjoyable read and the physical book is a nice item. I am intrigued about how the audiobook version works considering there's so much visual stuff going on in the book.
A must read for those who need answers to the mystery of the big bowl...
There's nothing groundbreaking here but it is an enjoyable read and the physical book is a nice item. I am intrigued about how the audiobook version works considering there's so much visual stuff going on in the book.
A must read for those who need answers to the mystery of the big bowl...
September 4, 2024
I loved it!! I loved all the behind scenes actions ( like tying Jenny joyce to a chair lol)
And knowing why Michelle’s mom didn’t want the big bowl.
I feel like I fell in love with the group even more.
And knowing why Michelle’s mom didn’t want the big bowl.
I feel like I fell in love with the group even more.
July 1, 2022
This book was so cracker !!! It is season 1 & 2 in book form but so lovely... I enjoyed it so so much :)
July 24, 2022
What can I say? I’m a fangirl, and I’m dying for the U.S, release of season 3. Just killing time over here.
November 12, 2022
3.5 like a walk down memory lane with our friends
Displaying 1 - 30 of 251 reviews