Dork Diaries Books in Order
17 books by Rachel Renee Russell. Reading level: Grades 4.5–5. Middle Grades (Ages 9–12).
Series books grow with readers — but that's also the trap. Most series start at one reading level and one content intensity and drift upward over the course of the run. Dork Diaries (17 books by Rachel Renee Russell) lands at reading level Grades 4.5–5, with average content intensity 1.2/5. Intensity stays consistent across the series — a kid who can handle the first book can generally handle the rest.
The reading-order table below lists every book with per-volume reading level and intensity badges so you can spot any escalation before it catches your reader off guard. For a deeper dive into how we score text difficulty vs. emotional weight separately — and why series readers especially benefit from that split — see our methodology page.
Content Intensity Across the Series
ConsistentContent stays at a steady intensity level throughout the series.
Dork Diaries Reading Order
| # | Title | Reading Level | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Book 1 | Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life Rachel Renee Russell | Level 5 | Gentle |
| Book 2 | Dork Diaries 2: Tales from a Not-So-Popular Party Girl Rachel Renee Russell | Level 5 | Gentle |
| Book 3 | Dork Diaries 3: Tales from a Not-So-Talented Pop Star Rachel Renee Russell | Level 5 | Gentle |
| Book 4 | Dork Diaries 3 1/2 Rachel Renée Russell | Level 5 | Gentle |
| Book 5 | Dork Diaries 4: Tales from a Not-So-Graceful Ice Princess Rachel Renee Russell | Level 5 | Gentle |
| Book 6 | Tales from a not-so-smart Miss Know-It-All Rachel Renée Russell | Level 5 | Gentle |
| Book 7 | Dork Diaries 6: Tales from a Not-So-Happy Heartbreaker Rachel Renee Russell | Level 5 | Mild |
| Book 8 | Dork Diaries 7: Tales from a Not-So-Glam TV Star Rachel Renee Russell | Level 5 | Gentle |
| Book 9 | Dork Diaries 8: Tales from a Not-So-Happily Ever After Rachel Renee Russell | Level 5 | Mild |
| Book 10 | Dork Diaries 9: Tales from a Not-So-Dorky Drama Queen Rachel Renee Russell | Level 5 | Gentle |
| Book 11 | Tales From A Not-So-Perfect Pet Sitter Rachel Renée Russell, Nikki Russell, Erin Russell | Level 5 | Gentle |
| Book 12 | Dork Diaries 11: Tales from a Not-So-Friendly Frenemy Rachel Renee Russell | Level 5 | Mild |
| Book 13 | Dork Diaries: Tales from a NOT-SO-Secret Crush Catastrophe Rachel Renee Russell | Level 5 | Gentle |
| Book 14 | Dork Diaries 13: Tales from a Not-So-Happy Birthday Rachel Renee Russell | Level 5 | Gentle |
| Book 15 | Dork Diaries 14: Tales from a Not-So-Best Friend Forever Rachel Renee Russell | Level 5 | Mild |
| Book 16 | Dork Diaries 15: Tales from a Not-So-Posh Paris Adventure Rachel Renee Russell | Level 5 | Gentle |
| — | Dork Diaries 16 Rachel Renée Russell | Level 4-5 | Gentle |
All Dork Diaries Books
Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries 2: Tales from a Not-So-Popular Party Girl
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries 2: Tales from a Not-So-Popular Party Girl
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries 3: Tales from a Not-So-Talented Pop Star
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries 3: Tales from a Not-So-Talented Pop Star
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries 3 1/2
Rachel Renée Russell
Dork Diaries 3 1/2
Rachel Renée Russell
Dork Diaries 4: Tales from a Not-So-Graceful Ice Princess
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries 4: Tales from a Not-So-Graceful Ice Princess
Rachel Renee Russell
Tales from a not-so-smart Miss Know-It-All
Rachel Renée Russell
Tales from a not-so-smart Miss Know-It-All
Rachel Renée Russell
Dork Diaries 6: Tales from a Not-So-Happy Heartbreaker
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries 6: Tales from a Not-So-Happy Heartbreaker
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries 7: Tales from a Not-So-Glam TV Star
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries 7: Tales from a Not-So-Glam TV Star
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries 8: Tales from a Not-So-Happily Ever After
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries 8: Tales from a Not-So-Happily Ever After
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries 9: Tales from a Not-So-Dorky Drama Queen
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries 9: Tales from a Not-So-Dorky Drama Queen
Rachel Renee Russell
Tales From A Not-So-Perfect Pet Sitter
Rachel Renée Russell, Nikki Russell, Erin Russell
Tales From A Not-So-Perfect Pet Sitter
Rachel Renée Russell, Nikki Russell, Erin Russell
Dork Diaries 11: Tales from a Not-So-Friendly Frenemy
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries 11: Tales from a Not-So-Friendly Frenemy
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries: Tales from a NOT-SO-Secret Crush Catastrophe
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries: Tales from a NOT-SO-Secret Crush Catastrophe
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries 13: Tales from a Not-So-Happy Birthday
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries 13: Tales from a Not-So-Happy Birthday
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries 14: Tales from a Not-So-Best Friend Forever
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries 14: Tales from a Not-So-Best Friend Forever
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries 15: Tales from a Not-So-Posh Paris Adventure
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries 15: Tales from a Not-So-Posh Paris Adventure
Rachel Renee Russell
Dork Diaries 16
Rachel Renée Russell
Dork Diaries 16
Rachel Renée Russell
Questions about the Dork Diaries series
- What reading level is the Dork Diaries series?
- The Dork Diaries series by Rachel Renee Russell is at a Grades 4.5–5 reading level (average Grade 5). Intended for Middle Grades (Ages 9–12). There are 17 books in the series.
- What order should I read the Dork Diaries books?
- The reading-order table above lists all 17 books with per-volume reading level and intensity ratings. Start with book 1 and read in publication order unless the table indicates a different recommended order for newer readers.
- What age is the Dork Diaries series appropriate for?
- The Dork Diaries series is recommended for Middle Grades (Ages 9–12). The average content intensity is 1.2/5. Check the intensity trajectory above to see whether content gets heavier across the series — if it does, sensitive readers may want to stop earlier in the run.