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Dork Diaries
Dork Diaries is a humorous book series written and illustrated by Rachel Renee Russell.

These books are the personal diary of 14-year old Nikki Maxwell. They feature drawings, doodles and comic strips that chronicle the daily drama of her life in (and outside of) middle school.

Rachel Renee Russell said that this series was inspired by her own middle school experiences as well as those of her two daughters, Erin and Nikki. Her older daughter, Erin, helps with writing and her younger daughter, Nikki, helps with illustrations. Dork Diaries is published by Aladdin Paperbacks.[1]

Over 5 million copies of the Dork Diaries books are in print in the United States, and publishing rights have been sold in 32 countries with translation into 28 different languages.[2]

Books

There are currently five books in the series, with a sixth scheduled for release in Fall 2012. Book 1

Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not-So-Fabulous Life (Release date: June 2, 2009)

Fourteen-year-old Nikki Maxwell is not happy when her father arranges a scholarship for her to attend a private middle school called Westchester Country Day as part of the contract for his bug extermination services. Nikki does not fit in with the wealthy, designer clad students and spends most of her time alone writing in her diary. To make matters worse, she has a locker right next to the school's most popular girl, MacKenzie Hollister. MacKenzie labels Nikki as a "Dork" and goes out of her way to make Nikki’s life miserable.

It appears the new school may work out when Nikki befriends two other dorky girls, Chloe and Zoey. But, things take a turn for the worse when Nikki enters the school art show and discovers her main competition is her enemy, MacKenzie, who will stop at nothing to win. Book 2

Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not-So-Popular Party Girl (Release date: June 8, 2010) Book cover for Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not-So-Popular Party Girl

Nikki Maxwell is hoping her crush, Brandon Roberts, will ask her to the Halloween dance. But she is heartbroken when she overhears her nemesis, MacKenzie Hollister, bragging that she and Brandon are going to the dance together. Having nothing better to do on the night of the dance, Nikki reluctantly agrees to serve on the dance clean-up committee with her best friends, Chloe and Zoey, as well as help out at a ballet class Halloween party for her little sister, Brianna.

Nikki is shocked when Brandon asks her to the dance and realizes that MacKenzie was lying. However, in spite of her prior commitments, Nikki agrees to go with him and ends up spending the evening juggling three events at the same time. Book 3

Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not-So-Talented Pop Star (Release date: June 7, 2011)[1] Book cover for Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not-So-Talented Pop Star

Nikki Maxwell knows her reputation will be destroyed if anyone at school finds out her Dad works as the school’s exterminator in exchange for her academic scholarship. So when it looks like her secret might be leaked, Nikki is willing to go to any lengths to protect the truth. When she took her sister to a pizza joint,she performed on stage with her sister, she has been caught on film by Mackenzie who is BTW the only one who knows about Nikki's dad. MacKenzie said if she says something bad to her she would show everyone the video.The timing seems perfect when a major talent competition is announced with a school scholarship offered as the top prize.Nikki didn't even notice it until she got a tution bill so she decides to make a band. She is so excited when Violet, Theo, Marcus, and Nikki's crush Brandon wants to be her band mates. She was crushed when her BFFs went to MacKenzie's side for the talent show. She is determined to win the prize to pay her bill. Book 3 1/2

Dork Diaries: How to Dork Your Diary (Release date: October 8, 2011)[1] Book cover for Dork Diaries: How to Dork Your Diary

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 theories about where it could be, Nikki can't help putting together a list of important diary-keeping lessons to remember in case of missing diary emergencies like this one. How to Dork Your Diary is full of tips from Nikki on fun things to write about in your diary, with space for readers to write and draw their own entries. Meanwhile Nikki's friends Chloe and Zoey, her little sister Brianna, her crush Brandon, and mean girl Mackenzie are all a part of the story as Nikki searches everywhere for that diary. Book 4

Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not so Graceful Ice Princess (Release date: June 5, 2012) Book cover for Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not-So-Graceful Ice Princess

Nikki Maxwell finds out that her crush, Brandon, volunteers at a local animal shelter that is in danger of closing. Nikki wants to try to save the animal shelter, especially after discovering a shocking secret about Brandon. Nikki, along with friends Chloe and Zoey, enter an ice skating competition to raise money for the shelter. Of course, Mackenzie tries to interfere so that she can be the one to save the day instead. If Nikki doesn’t want Mackenzie to get the best of her, she’ll have to come up with a creative plan.[3] Book 5

Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not So Smart Miss Know-It-All (Release date: October 2, 2012) Book cover for Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not-So-Smart Miss Know-It-All

Nikki Maxwell’s rival, Mackenzie, starts writing a gossip column, so Nikki takes a sudden interest in journalism and joins the school newspaper staff. Nikki just wants to keep tabs on Mackenzie and keep her from spreading some juicy gossip involving Nikki’s crush, Brandon. Soon, however, Nikki’s new role as an advice columnist makes her inbox overflow with pleas for advice. Luckily, Miss Know-It-All gets guidance of her own from her best friends, Chloe and Zoey.[4] Book 6

Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Happy Heartbreaker (Release date: June 4, 2013) Characters

Nikki J. Maxwell

The main character of the series and a new student at Westchester Country Day. Because Nikki feels completely out of place among all of the wealthy, designer clad students, she spends most of her time alone writing in her diary. She depises her locker neighbor (and enemy), MacKenzie Hollister. She's the most unpopular girl at her school (only slightly above the gym shower slime). Her secret is that she only attends the school because her dad arranged a scholarship as part of his contract as the bug exterminator. The stores she shops at are discount department ones such as Target. She has a crush on Brandon Roberts. Her art skills are well above average and won WCD's art competition with the help of her friends in the first book. She is extremely bad at math. Nikki has a 6-year-old sister named Brianna. She is best friends with Chloe and Zoey and goes to art camp every summer. She has brown hair that is usually in pigtails.

Nikki Maxwell, main character in the Dork Diaries series.

MacKenzie Hollister

The most popular girl at Westchester Country Day and the leader of the CCP (Cute, Cool & Popular) Clique. She has a locker next to Nikki’s. MacKenzie always wears top designer outfits, carries expensive bags and wears a lot of lip gloss. She, too, has a crush on Brandon Roberts and tries to flirt with him by twirling her hair whenever possible. MacKenzie does not like Nikki and calls her a dork. She talks behind Nikki's back and tries to wreck her life with the help of her friend, Jessica. She has blonde hair, blue eyes and an annoying little sister named Amanda. Mackenzie is wealthy, spoiled and self-centered. She entered the avant-garde art competition and lost. She always tries to flirt with Brandon.

Chloe Christina Garcia

Nikki’s best friend. Chloe is an avid reader and loves young adult romances. She is a self-proclaimed expert on guys and dating and works in the library with Nikki and Zoey. She is described as somewhat prissy and socially outcasted. Her parents own a software company. She is the 5th most unpopular girl at Westchester Country Day.

Zoeysha "Zoey" Ebony Franklin

Zoey is Nikki’s best friend. She is super smart and also an avid reader, she loves self-help books and is a self-proclaimed expert in psychology. Zoey works in the school library with Nikki and Chloe. Her mother is an attorney and her father is a record executive. Her parents are divorced. Zoey the 3rd most unpopular girl in the school.

Brandon Roberts

Nikki's and MacKenzie's crush. He is not as impressed by MacKenzie as everybody else-it was an obvious note that he has feelings for Nikki more. In the second book, he asks her to the dance (see above). In the books, he is described "super cute" with wavy hair and blue eyes. He is shy around Nikki.. Brandon is a photographer for Westchester Middle School's newspaper, and the Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not So Talented Pop Star, it is revealed Brandon plays the drums and joins Nikki's band, "Dorkalicious". His parents died sometime before the series and he lives with his grandparents who work in Fuzzy Friends. He loves working there and being with the pets.

Brianna Lynn Maxwell

Nikki’s bratty little 6-year-old sister. Brianna is afraid of the tooth fairy because Nikki told her the tooth fairy collects children's teeth to make dentures for old people. She has a friend named Miss Penelope (which is her own hand with a face drawn on it with an ink pen). She thinks Brandon has cooties.

Jessica Hunter

The second highest-ranking CCPs at WCD and MacKenzie's best friend. She does not like Nikki as well and is more than super mean to her. Jessica has blonde hair and loves the color pink. Her last name (Hunter) was revealed in Dork Diaries 3 1/2: How to Dork Your Diary

Violet Baker

The most popular girl out of the most unpopular people. When she signs up to run for chairperson of WCD's Halloween dance, she loses to MacKenzie Hollister and signs up for clean-up committee instead. When MacKenzie quits, Violet becomes head of the entertainment committee. She has a huge iTunes collection and is in a wheelchair. She appears in the second and third book. In Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not So Talented Pop Star, it is revealed Violet plays piano.

Theodore L. Swagmire III

One of the unpopular boys in WCD and one of Nikki's friends. He has a big crush on Mackenzie. He was later really happy to hear the bit of news that MacKenzie's date was the lead singer of the band, (as he was the lead singer) especially when he wanted to ask MacKenzie but was sure she would reject him. He is known for being the school nerd, and in Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not So Talented Pop Star, it is revealed he plays guitar. He hopes to one day go to Hogwarts.

Marcy

Nikki meets Marcy through her post as Miss-Know-It-All. Marcy sends an anonymous letter to Miss Know-It-All, saying that she's new, being bullied by some other girls, and can't find friends. Nikki tells her to hang in there, and keeps a look out for the new girl. She soon finds it's Marcy, and invites her to Brandon's birthday party, where Marcy has a great time. Marcy is MacKenzie's assistant fashion director for the newspaper, but is bullied by MacKenzie, and is deemed to be unfashionable by the latter.

Awards and honors

As of August 2012, the Dork Diaries series has spent 43 weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers list in the Children’s Series category.[5]

Book 1

Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not-So-Fabulous Life has been on the New York Times Best Sellers list for 42 weeks [6] and the USA Today Best Sellers list for 7 weeks.[7] It was awarded the 2010 Children’s Choice Book of the Year Award for the 5th/6th grade division.[8] On February 10, 2011, it was nominated as Book of the Year by the Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Awards.[9]

Book 2

Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not-So-Popular Party Girl has been on the New York Times Best Sellers list for 42 weeks [10] and the USA Today Best Sellers list for 12 weeks.[7] Books 1 and 2 appeared on the New York Times Bestsellers list simultaneously for 17 weeks, with the former peaking at #4 and the latter at #2.

Book 3

Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not-So-Talented Pop Star has been on the New York Times Best Sellers list for 28 weeks [10] and the USA Today Best Sellers list for 28 weeks.[7]

Book 3 1/2

Dork Diaries: How To Dork Your Diary has been on the New York Times Best Sellers list for 14 weeks.[10]