Enough Already

Dork Diaries #3:  Tales from a Not-So-Popular Talented Pop Star by Rachel Renee Russell

Adolescent Graphic Novel

This series is getting a bit repetitive.  The books do not get funnier or better in any way.  As a matter of fact, they are so exactly like the first one that if you didn't just love that one, you won't like this one much at all.  Only die-hard fans will continue to read these.  I did not love the first one and very much disliked this one.

So, Nikki is still mortified her father is an exterminator and that she is at school on a free scholarship.  To prevent that from happening, Nikki tells the principal of her school that her father can no longer fulfill the school's exterminating contract.  In the book, there was NEVER a mention about how this would affect the family's financial situation.  Nikki is the ultimate in selfsish and self-centeredness, even worse than the diva she's always complaining about.  And, because Nikki is not a braniac, she now has to figure out a way to stay at her ritzy private school because her scholarship was based on her father's bug contract.  Enter a talent competition.  How timely!  How trite and overdone!

I think I disliked this one so much because this book showcased what a shallow, selfish person the main character is.  The plot in this book sends such a poor message to young readers.  What started as a cute idea has now just gone on too long.  The main character is static and so annoying.  The plot is thin and unbelievable.  The drawings and diary format are the only parts I still like.  My students love it, though, especially my lower-level girls. and there just aren't a whole lot of other books out there for them.