Author
Rachel Renée Russell
5 books here
Tales from a Not-So-Happily Ever After
Hybrid format · ages 8–12 · 520L · 2014
Dead-on middle-school humor and illustrations that kids find hilarious; the diary-doodle format works, but the series formula is predictable and the emotional stakes are light.
Dork Diaries OMG! All About Me Diary
Hybrid format · ages 8–12 · 520L
Genuinely funny middle-grade serial that hooks reluctant readers on the diary format; the doodles and chaotic energy do the heavy lifting, but the self-acceptance spine holds up.
Double Dork Diaries
Hybrid format · ages 8–12 · 520L · 2015
Hugely popular with 8–10-year-olds for its relatable middle-school chaos and doodles; the humor is repetitive and plot thin, but the self-deprecating protagonist models not taking social failure too seriously.
Dork Diaries 7
Graphic novel · ages 8–12 · 520L
Still the gold standard for reluctant readers and graphic-novel fans aged 8–12; Nikki's diary-plus-drawings format feels like permission to be messy and funny simultaneously.
Dork Diaries
Hybrid format · ages 9–12 · 600L · 2009
Funny, relatable diary-format story that normalizes being the weird kid—kids inhale the whole series, and the doodles + text hybrid format keeps struggling readers engaged.