Dork Diaries

Dork Diaries by Rachel Renee Russell was my light and funny departure from the heavier books that I've been reading this summer. Even though Nikki's dorky experiences truly made me cringe at times, I found it honest and humorous; an enjoyable, light read.

Nikki, the protagonist, is an 8th grade student who has just transferred to a new school. She is klutzy, dorky with a shy exterior and very witty, bold interior. Her diary chronicles her heartaches and frustrations related to boys, cliques, projects, parents and tattoos.

The concept, tone and illustrations of the book are very "Diary of a Wimpy Kid-esque". The author has a pretty funny website with some similar features to the Wimpy Kid site, too. Here's the link: http://www.dorkdiaries.com/home/.