Dork Diaries Pick: Tales From a Not-So-Happy Heartbreaker (Dork Diaries, book 6)

Tales From a Not-So-Happy Heartbreaker (Dork Diaries, book 6)
by Rachel Renee Russell
Aladdin
2013
340 pages



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Once again, Russell has created a sweet book that girls (and boys) will love! And it's all about love...well, and jealousy, embarrassment, heartbreak, sadness, teen angst, major drama, and...SQUEEE! Happiness!

Love is in the air and Nikki is still crushing on Brandon. It appears the feeling might just be mutual. Brandon invites Nikki to have a burger at Crazy Burger, that is, until MacKenzie crashes his birthday party and suddenly Brandon is super busy. The school dance is days away, and Nikki keeps putting off asking Brandon. Everytime she gathers her nerve, something goes wrong and she backs out.

An unexpected snowstorm causes the dance to be postponed, giving Nikki more time to completely freak out. Putting her trust into a teen magazine article, Nikki learns "How To Know if a Guy Is Just Not Into You!" She goes down the list, checking off all the things Brandon has done. Nikki realizes that Brandon is just not that into her! She decides not to ask him to the dance.

Mackenzie is up to no good as usual. She continues to taunt, torment and torture Nikki. Chloe and Zoe are the best BFF's ever. Little sister Brianna tries to help her big sis,and Nikki is beginning to realize that Brianna is not just a little brat, she is sometimes a sweet sister, too.

Nikki is a dynamic, funny, self-deprecating and loveable dork that girls are sure to identify with. Tales From a Not-So-Happy Heartbreaker is the best Dork Diaries yet! I enjoyed the Nikki and Brandon in this installment over all the previous books.

Highly, highly recommended grade 5-up. Fans of the series will want to watch out for the next title due soon.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I purchased this book for the library. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Wimpy Pick: The Third Wheel (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, book 7)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid
The Third Wheel
by Jeff Kinney
Amulet
2012
217 pages (paperback)

Greg Heffley is back again with his trusted sidekick Rowley. This time, love is in the air and the Valentine's Day dance is just a few days away. Greg doesn't want to be the only one who goes stag, but he doesn't know how to ask a girl out. His mooch of an uncle tries to help him out. Uncle Gary has "...been married something like four times already, so he's an EXPERT on relationships" Greg realizes. Greg asks for advice from wise old Gary.

The illustrations in the seventh installment are just as funny as the earlier books. Kinney seems to have a natural talent for all things boy and all things wimpy.

Manny (the younger brother) is growing up but still has invisible friends and Greg finds it impossible to tell whether one of the invisible friends is sitting on the couch or not, so he avoids "hurting" one of Manny's friends. Rodrick, the evil older brother, makes a brief appearance as does Greg's dad, but the story revolves around Greg and his funny attempts to appear "date-worthy." No matter what he does, Greg seems to lose.

Uncle Gary finally wins the lotto and is able to leave the Heffley's couch. Rowley gets the girl, but Greg is okay with it. Middle school is rough for the wimpy kid, heck, it's rough for everyone. Middle school--it's not for sissies!

Highly, highly recommended grades 5-up. No language.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I purchased this book for my library. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Chick Pick

Karma Bites
by Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas
Sandpiper (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), 2010
340 pages

Franny Flanders is having bad karma: her parents are newly divorced, her kid brothers fight all the time, her friends belong to different cliques and she has to walk the minefield at school to avoid angering either clique, and to top it all off, her hippie grandmother has moved in with them and is practicing white magic, yoga, and zen Buddhism. When not in a trace or drinking yak butter tea, Granny is communicating with unknown spirits like the time she came home from Africa and brought back an angry presence who tore up the back yard. Franny is mortified and cannot bear her grandmother meeting any of her friends.

When Franny uses magic from a mysterious box in Granny's closet, things start to unravel in a very bad way. Middle school has never been funnier. Franny is a typical middle school girl trying to fit in and make all her friends get along, so what's wrong with using a little magic here and there?

It's called the Butterfly Effect and it states that if one little thing happens in the universe like the flutter of a butterfly's wings or a panda turning over in his den, it can trigger a ton of reactions that change the universe forever.

Franny is going to need her granny's help to sort out this chaos. The clique system goes awry and Franny has her first grown-up dance.

A totally charming, fun read for girls; appropriate for grades 6-9.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this review.

Funny Pick

Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not-So-Popular Party Girl
by Rachel Renee Russell
Aladdin, 2010
279 pages, with illustrations.

Readers familiar with Nikki will welcome her back. This second installment is equally as funny as the first book.

Nikki finds herself in a dilemma: she has a date for the dance with oh-so-hot Brandon, a plan to meet her two best friends and dress alike for the Halloween party, and has a job face-painting young ballerinas at their ballet Halloween party. How will she do all three things in three places at the same time?

Nikki is hilarious in how she handles her problem, and the outcome is satisfying. Girls will love this book. Laugh out loud funny, sarcastic and snarky Nikki is such a dork that you have to love her!

Highly recommended grades 5-9.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I ordered this book from a book jobber for my library. I received no monetary compensation for this review.