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Dork Diaries Books in Order

17 Books
2 Reading orders
2009 – 2021 Published
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Reading order

How to Read Dork Diaries in Order

Since the series debuted in 2009, Dork Diaries has captured the hearts of millions of readers with its relatable middle school drama, colorful doodles, and humorous diary entries. Written by Rachel Renée Russell—with writing and illustration contributions from her daughters, Nikki Russell and Erin Russell—the series follows 14-year-old Nikki Maxwell as she navigates Westchester Country Day school, deals with her arch-nemesis MacKenzie Hollister, and hangs out with her best friends Chloe and Zoey.

Because the books follow a continuous, chronological storyline tracking Nikki's school semesters, relationships, and conflicts, we highly recommend reading them in publication order. Skipping around will spoil major character developments, shifts in friendships, and ongoing plotlines, especially Nikki's slow-burn crush on Brandon Roberts.

The Main Storyline Reading Order

Below is the complete list of the main Dork Diaries books in order. Keep in mind that some books feature alternate titles in the UK and other international regions.

  • Book 1: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life (2009) – Nikki Maxwell starts at her new school and immediately runs afoul of the popular girl, MacKenzie Hollister. She also begins writing in her diary and sketching to cope with the drama.
  • Book 2: Tales from a Not-So-Popular Party Girl (2010) – The Westchester Halloween dance is coming up, and Nikki wants to go with Brandon, but she is torn between the dance and helping her little sister, Brianna.
  • Book 3: Tales from a Not-So-Talented Pop Star (2011) – Nikki discovers a talent show that could help pay for her scholarship tuition, leading to the formation of her own band.
  • Book 4: Tales from a Not-So-Graceful Ice Princess (2012) – Nikki tries to raise money for a local animal shelter by participating in an ice-skating competition, despite not knowing how to skate.
  • Book 5: Tales from a Not-So-Smart Miss Know-It-All (2012) – Joining the school newspaper, Nikki starts writing an advice column under the pen name "Miss Know-It-All" to help her classmates.
  • Book 6: Tales from a Not-So-Happy Heartbreaker (2013) – The Sweetheart Dance is approaching, and Nikki tries to figure out if Brandon will ask her, all while dealing with MacKenzie's meddling.
  • Book 7: Tales from a Not-So-Glam TV Star (2014) – A reality television crew follows Nikki and her friends around school, turning her regular day-to-day life into a chaotic production.
  • Book 8: Tales from a Not-So-Happily Ever After (2014) – Also published as Once Upon a Dork, this book takes a fantastical turn when Nikki hits her head and wakes up in a fairy-tale land populated by characters from her school.
  • Book 9: Tales from a Not-So-Dorky Drama Queen (2015) – Nikki's arch-rival MacKenzie gets ahold of Nikki's diary, threatening to reveal all her secrets to the entire school.
  • Book 10: Tales from a Not-So-Perfect Pet Sitter (2015) – Also published as Puppy Love, Nikki has to hide seven adorable puppies from her parents, her school, and MacKenzie.
  • Book 11: Tales from a Not-So-Friendly Frenemy (2016) – Nikki is forced to participate in a student exchange program, spending a week at MacKenzie’s new school.
  • Book 12: Tales from a Not-So-Secret Crush Catastrophe (2017) – Brandon's student exchange friend arrives, making Nikki jealous and complicating her relationship with Brandon.
  • Book 13: Tales from a Not-So-Happy Birthday (2018) – Also published as Birthday Drama!, Nikki tries to plan an epic birthday party on a tight budget.
  • Book 14: Tales from a Not-So-Best Friend Forever (2019) – Nikki and her friends look forward to a summer tour with a famous boy band, but high expectations lead to friction.
  • Book 15: Tales from a Not-So-Posh Paris Adventure (2023) – Also published as I Love Paris!, this book follows Nikki on a long-awaited trip to Paris. Originally planned for 2020, this release was significantly delayed due to pandemic-related disruptions.
  • Book 16: Tales from a Not-So-Bratty Little Sister (2024) – Also published as Sister Showdown, Nikki’s younger sister Brianna takes center stage in a series of funny sibling disagreements.

Interactive Companion & Activity Journals

In addition to the main series, Rachel Renée Russell has released two companion journals. These combine light storytelling with interactive elements, inviting readers to write their own diary entries and doodle just like Nikki.

  • Dork Diaries 3.5: How to Dork Your Diary (2011) – Fits chronologically between Books 3 and 4. It includes a short, canonical story where Nikki loses her diary, alongside prompts and guides for readers to start journaling.
  • Dork Diaries 6.5: OMG! All About Me Diary! (2013) – A guided journal featuring 365 questions—one for each day of the year—with illustrations and commentary by Nikki Maxwell. It can be read and filled out at any point in the series.

Spin-Off: The Misadventures of Max Crumbly

For readers who want to explore more of the Dork Diaries universe, the spin-off series The Misadventures of Max Crumbly follows Nikki's friend Max, a student at South Ridge Middle School who deals with his own set of comical misadventures. Max is a comic book enthusiast who is frequently targetted by the school bully and ends up in wild situations.

  • Book 1: Locker Hero (2016)
  • Book 2: Middle School Mayhem (2017)
  • Book 3: Masters of Mischief (2019)

While Max Crumbly is set in the same universe and features minor crossovers, it is a completely self-contained spin-off. You do not need to read it to follow Nikki's journey in the main series.

What to Know Before You Start

The Dork Diaries series is written in a highly visual, hand-written font format integrated with doodles and full-page comic-style drawings. This format makes it highly accessible for reluctant readers, particularly middle-grade audiences (ages 9–13). Because the narrative relies heavily on visual cues and diary entries, the books are best enjoyed in physical formats or on screens that support high-resolution illustration rendering.

As of June 2026, Dork Diaries Book 17 is in active development, though an official release date has not yet been announced by the publisher. Keep this guide bookmarked for future updates as Nikki's middle school adventures continue!

Frequently Asked

QWhat is the recommended reading order for Dork Diaries?

You should read the series in chronological publication order, starting with Book 1: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life. The story follows a continuous timeline, so reading them in order ensures you don't miss the evolution of Nikki's friendships and middle school drama.

QAre there alternate titles for the Dork Diaries books?

Yes. Several books have different titles in the UK and other international markets. For instance, Book 8 is Once Upon a Dork, Book 10 is Puppy Love, Book 13 is Birthday Drama!, Book 15 is I Love Paris!, and Book 16 is Sister Showdown.

QHow many books are in the main Dork Diaries series?

There are currently 16 main books published, with Book 16 (Tales from a Not-So-Bratty Little Sister) having released in October 2024. Book 17 is currently in development.

QWhere do the companion and activity books fit in?

You can read the companion books at any time. How to Dork Your Diary is best read after Book 3 as Book 3.5 because it includes a short story that fits there. OMG! All About Me Diary! is a guided journal (Book 6.5) and can be enjoyed whenever you want to write your own entries.

QWhat is the Max Crumbly spin-off series?

The Misadventures of Max Crumbly is a three-book spin-off series following Max, a classmate of Nikki's who gets into mischief at a different middle school. It is written in a similar diary format with illustrations.

QDo you need to read the Max Crumbly books to understand Dork Diaries?

No. While Max Crumbly is set in the same universe and features minor crossovers, it is a completely independent spin-off. You do not need to read it to follow Nikki's main storyline.