Dork Diaries 15: Tales from a Not-So-Posh Paris Adventure

Author: Rachel Renée Russell
Illustrators: Rachel Renée Russell & Nikki Russell
Published September 26, 2023
Publisher: ALADDIN, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division (New York)
Genre: young adult fiction, graphic novel
Pages: 336

Synopsis

(From the publisher) Ooh là là ! Nikki Maxwell and her band are on their way to Paris, but they run into some roadblocks on the way… And Nikki’s French skills may not be as reliable as she hoped! Can she get them moving again in time to reach their destination?

My thoughts

My daughters are big fans of the bestselling series by Rachel Renée Russell and when they informed me that book 15 was set in Paris, I knew I had to read it.

In “Tales from a Not-So-Posh Paris Adventure,” Nikki, who is about 14 or 15 years old, finds herself in so many sticky situations! Fortunately, she has a core group of supportive BFFs to help her get out of them. I find it ironic that Nikki calls the book’s antagonist, MacKenzie, a “drama queen” when Nikki brings all the drama.

Maybe if I were a normal teenager, I’d relate more to Nikki, thinking the tiniest problem is ten times worse than it actually is.

But since I’m a jaded middle-ager, I find her character more melodramatic than socially-awkward-but-cute dorky. I wish I could remind her at times, “It’s not that deep!”

I do like how the dialogue between characters is realistic and written in the way that young people these days actually speak. There are references to texting, social media, and taking selfies, too.

I also like how Nikki writes in her diary some fun facts about the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Catacombs, and Arc de Triomphe. Nikki is an aspiring fashion illustrator and her trip to Paris includes a visit to Maison Sennelier, one of the oldest and most famous art stores in the world. Since 1887, the company has created paints and provided supplies for some of the world’s greatest artists, like Cézanne, Degas, Picasso, and Van Gogh. Nikki’s positive experience at the store has even inspired me to check out Maison Sennelier the next time I visit Paris!

I enjoyed reading about the wacky relationship between Nikki and her younger sister, Brianna, who happens to save the day in this book. (By the way, the next book in the series is about how Brianna gets a hold of Nikki’s diary. “Dork Diaries 16: Tales from a Not-So-Bratty Little Sister” will be published on October 15, 2024.)

The books in this series are geared toward independent readers ages 9-13, but readers age 13+, Francophiles (like moi), and graphic novel fans may also find this book entertaining. Plus, no one gets in any major trouble, there’s no foul language, and the adults in the story are surprisingly understanding. There’s mild violence, but the only casualties are inanimate objects.

This book may even pique readers’ interest in visiting the French capital or learning French. At the end of the book, there’s a glossary of all the French words and expressions that Nikki uses while on her Parisian adventure. For example, when she tries to order an iced coffee, she mistakenly says, « je voudrais que vous sentiez mes pieds » (page 197). If you’ve ever wondered how to say, “I’d like you to smell my feet” in French, well, now you know!

Overall, Dork Diaries 15: Tales from a Not-So-Posh Paris Adventure is a good one to add to a list of books to read for fun — just in time for back to school, or (as the French say) rentrée.

About the Author

Rachel Renée Russell is the author of the #1 New York Times Bestselling book series, Dork Diaries, which has spent 331 weeks on the New York Times Bestsellers list for Children’s Series. She’s an attorney who prefers writing Tween books to legal briefs mainly because books are a lot more fun, and pajama pants and bunny slippers aren’t allowed in federal court.

She first introduced us to Nikki Maxwell in 2009 and has written 18 books in the Dork Diaries series which have sold more than 55 million copies worldwide.

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