Dork Diaries, Skating Sensation by Rachel Renee Russell

Simon and Schuster, 2012. ISBN 978-0-85707-119-4.
(Age 8-11) Recommended. SQUEEE!!! Nikki is back writing in diary number 5 about her skating experience or rather lack of skating experience. Nikki agrees to help her skating BFF's Chloe and Zoey participate in a ice skating performance to raise money for the charity, Fuzzy Friends. This charity has special meaning for Nikki as her secret heart throb Brandon is closely involved with the organisation.
The main problem is that she has no skating experience and must perform in front of a large audience. Will it end happily? This is just one of many problems for Nikki who has an annoying younger sister, embarrassing parents and the attention of the stuck up school nasty MacKenzie who constantly plots her dorky downfall.
 This is a girl's version of Wimpy Kid, full of diary entries on lined pages and sketches of all the dorky action. Strangely the drawings have an unusual habit of showing Nikki and friends with normal arms and legs but at times these are drawn in black with white mitten hands and white feet. Not sure what that's about. There are lots of OMG! ARRRGH!!! and smiley faces scattered throughout the text. Nikki does love her exclamation marks.
This is a very American text with a white Christmas and skating as the theme but Nikki's feelings and experiences will be understood by Australian pre teen and young teen girls.
I know this has appeal for many students, who enjoy this chatty, diary format told from the viewpoint of the good kid who gets a rough deal but ultimately wins in the end . . . and yes there is another diary coming soon.
Recommended for 8-12 year olds
Jane Moore