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Average Ratings (from 40 ratings)
Overall star Rating
Did your child enjoy the book?
Would you recommend this book to other Mums?
Would your child read other books in the series?
DORK DIARIES: TV STAR- Simon & Schuster book review :
4.62 out of 5 based on 41 reviews.

Published 9th July 2014


  • Dorks are the in thing

    My friend bought this for her 10 year old daughter and she loves it. She thinks it’s a really funny book and she can’t wait to get other books in the series. What a great book to encourage reluctant readers. It’s unusual as it is set out as a diary with doodles, drawings and cartoons, which makes it easy and fun to read.

    Did your child enjoy the book?
    Would you recommend this book to other Mums?
    Would your child read other books in the series?


  • Loved it and can't wait to read another book in the series.

    My 8 yr old loved the book. She loved the layout as a diary form. She never felt overwhelmed reading it. She was excited to start reading it and couldn’t wait for me to buy her another story from the series.

    Did your child enjoy the book?
    Would you recommend this book to other Mums?
    Would your child read other books in the series?


  • mother and daughters reading delight.

    My daughter’s and I enjoyed this book so much we are reading it again. After that it will be passed on to my niece. Highly recommended.

    Did your child enjoy the book?
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    Would your child read other books in the series?


  • help my kids friends want to steal this book

    My two girls loved this book they enjoyed the diary style of it but after taking it on school camp a number of friends are asking to borrow the book to read as well. What better review then children wanting to read it.

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  • Next child loving it

    My niece has now started reading this and loves it. I hear her sitting on the lounge laughing and enjoying the story.

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  • This was a great read my daughter couldn't put down!

    My 9 year old daughter was so into this book she read it in 3 days! She just couldn’t put it down! She really enjoyed the story, thought it was funny and loved reading it! She would recommend this and all the other Dork Diary books she has read!

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  • funny and smart

    Great read so far, hard to stop reading. Love the pics feels like your actually reading somebody’s diary.

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  • finished already!

    We have finished this book already and she wants the next! It’s great to see such enthusiasm to read.

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  • Easy read for young readers

    This book is a very easy read and is easy for kids to understand. We’ve had it not even a week and it’s become the new fav book to read before bed.

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  • Fun, entertaining and easy to read

    My niece is already half way through this book and loves it. She has already decided she wants to start a band and keep a journal. It’s great how it is presented as a ‘journal’ with handwriting and drawings etc. Even I enjoyed the parts I skimmed over before giving to her, I think I might need to take it back when she is done… Maybe I’ll have to get her the rest of the series for her birthday next month.

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  • Dorks rule

    What a great book. Kids love the way it is set out in diary form with lots of doodles, drawings and cartoons. It is different from most books and very funny, which encourages children to read. There are a few books in the series to continue reading. Make great presents.

    Did your child enjoy the book?
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    Would your child read other books in the series?


  • Dorks are the in thing

    My friend bought this for her 10 year old daughter and she loves it. She thinks it’s a really funny book and she can’t wait to get other books in the series. What a great book to encourage reluctant readers. It’s unusual as it is set out as a diary with doodles, drawings and cartoons, which makes it easy and fun to read.

    Did your child enjoy the book?
    Would you recommend this book to other Mums?
    Would your child read other books in the series?


  • A keeper

    This is a great book. My lovely little sister read this book and said she couldn’t put it down until she read the whole thing. Being the big sister that I am, I decided to borrow it and cannot wait to tuck into it when my little ones are all asleep. I think I’m going to be a dork and love it too

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  • A great series

    DORK DIARIES: TV STAR was the second book from the Dork Dairies series that my daughter read. She has since gone on to read the whole series.
    I think it is the way the Dork Daires are written and presented that make it a hit with independent readers.
    The font is large, the writing format used is dairy entries, making the book easy to put down or pick up as required, and there are lots of illustrations.
    For parents with tween girls in particular, who are wanting to get their kids to read more,
    the DORK DIARIES series is an excellent place to start.

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    Would your child read other books in the series?


  • Great read for kids

    My girls really loved the dork diaries. They found them easy to read and very funny. The books are great for kids aged around 7-12 years. My girls are 8 and 11 years and really liked theinclusion of drawings I the books and it is really great that there is a series of these books as there is always something to look forward to. I would recommend these books to anyone who loves a good funny read.

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  • Dork Diaries

    I applied to review books for Mom’s and was overjoyed to be chosen to review the book ‘YOU’. ‘Dork Diaries’ was also on the list. I have read the reviews for ‘Dork Diaries’ and it seems the book is a brilliant read. I have decided to get the Dork books for the kids.

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  • It appeals to the kids

    DORK DIARIES: TV STAR by Rachel Renée Russell is a great book for kids ages between 7-12 years. As with other Dork Diary books, it is written in a humorous way, engaging with the kids. I like the format of the Dork Diary books, I think it really appeals and the kids don’t find it overwhelming to read.

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  • It's a winner!

    My Eight year old is simple loving the dork diary series. She has just recently finished reading DORK DIARIES: TV STAR by Rachel Renée Russell and is very eager to read the rest of the series. I think some of the appeal is format of the book, being diary entries, the large print, and the illustrations. It’s a winner in our house.

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  • Wants to read the whole series

    DORK DIARIES: TV STAR by Rachel Renée Russell is the second book in the series of Dork Diaries that my eight year old had read. Again, she enjoyed the book immensely, reading it from cover to cover in one sitting. The large, easy to read format is ideal for early readers and the content is simple, funny and engaging for youngsters from around 7-12 years of age. My daughter is now desperately keen to read the rest of the series.

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  • Daughter has shown much more interest in the series!

    When we first won the book my Daughter – 10 read it but it was a bit of a chore. Since then she has grown to love the series and has not bought & read the whole collection!

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  • Dork Diaries for the Win

    As with the Wimpy kid diaries, my young reader is in love with the Dork Diary book. She shares them with her friends, tells me the story lines, and doesn’t argue at bedtime when it’s time for reading. Love any book that gets my kid reading and sharing with her friends.

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  • not bad

    Not bad story it i read it and it’s funny anyway but true in some ways just sort of don’t like the name of the book but good story



  • It is fun and interesting for young ones.

    I know some young teens or ‘tweens’ that have read this and enjoyed it. They can find it relatable, fun and interesting. It is also a ‘big’ book which gives them a sense of pride when they finish it. I would definitely promote this book for mothers to give to their children.

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  • Fun for kids!

    I got the DORK DIARIES: TV STAR book for my daughter and she loved it! It had kept her entertained for days while she read it. I liked that the story is aimed at kids who are not so perfect and also that it is in diary format, which is easy to read and absorbs the reader into the daily action. I’ve been asked to get more books from her series!

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  • fun book

    Its a two way book which I have realized just now. First obviously it is a book for reading. It has nice big bold black letters that makes it easy to read. Its a fun story that is hard to put down back the shelves. Plus factor is that it can be a colouring book too. Lots of pictures and its ideal for creativity.

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  • fun and interesting

    My 9 yr old loved the book. he loved that it was presented in a diary form. he enjoyed reading the book thoroughly and he has already asked me to buy more books of this kind. this is a book that he had no problems wanting to read which is good because its hard to find good books that keep a child’s attention.

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  • Great ready from start to finish

    This was brought with much saved pocket money.She almost read it in one sitting as she said it that good it was hard to put down she was hard pressed to turn the light off. We are moving slowly buying all the books in the series to read.
    I loved that fact it is written in Dairy form as we were about to start a holiday dairy so it gave her amazing examples of how to write.

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  • Loved it and can't wait to read another book in the series.

    My 8 yr old loved the book. She loved the layout as a diary form. She never felt overwhelmed reading it. She was excited to start reading it and couldn’t wait for me to buy her another story from the series.

    Did your child enjoy the book?
    Would you recommend this book to other Mums?
    Would your child read other books in the series?


  • mother and daughters reading delight.

    My daughter’s and I enjoyed this book so much we are reading it again. After that it will be passed on to my niece. Highly recommended.

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    Would your child read other books in the series?


  • this series started my Daughters love of reading

    My Daughter was obsessed with this series when she first started – age 9 I think she is just starting to develop a different taste in books hence her review below – I personally am grateful to the Author for this series started a love of reading that had not been there before-

    from my Daughter, aged 12 :
    This is number 9 in the Dork Diaries series about Nikki Maxwell, a girl who is comfortable with her individual teen dork-ness. Aimed at tween girls, this edition tells the story of Nikki and her dramas dealing with a bossy cameraman who is assigned to film her everyday life that is portrayed in her new reality TV program.
    Compared with other books in this series, parts of this book seemed confusing or irrelevant, for example the weird events of Wednesday March 12 involving the crazy karate teacher.
    Overall, I really did enjoy the book and still find the series funny

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Summer beach and pool days are core childhood memory creators, but getting the kids out the door, not so much! From wrestling wriggly toddlers into rashies to arguing with teens trying to dodge sunscreen and cramming half the house into the car, the exhaustion can kick in before we’ve even set foot on the sand!

But there are some very clever tips that will make even the most stressful summer days smooth sailing – and the Mouths of Mums community know them all! Which is why we asked our mums for their hints, hacks and tips – from sand removal to stress-free sunscreen application (we’re going to introduce you to the fabulous new Banana Boat SmartMist Sunscreen Sprays that will make your life so much easier). 

You’ll want to take note before you next hit the beach or pool!

Pack Smart, Not Big

Do you feel like you take waaayyy too much when you head to the beach or pool, and then you seem to forget a couple of key things that would have made life so much easier?

Our Mouths of Mums community swear by this fab list of essentials which should be in every mum’s beach kit, and

  • A plastic bag for wet towels and bathers
  • A dry bag for clothes
  • A bucket or basin to wash off sandy toys
  • A ‘clean zone’, sand-free blanket or mat for eating and changing
  • A pop-up tent for changing
  • Waterproof phone case
  • Talcum powder to get sticky, wet sand off little feet. Just pop it on and brush it off – it’s magic!
  • A hand-held car vac for quick sand cleanups!

“The amount of times my kids have gone home in wet chafing swimming costumes because they didn’t want anyone to see them changing is unbelievable! Our pop up tent has been life changing! We all drive home comfy and cosy! Lastly, a sand proof picnic blanket is so perfect for a sand reprieve! The sand literally falls right through them!” – MoM Member

Get Safety Sorted Before The Fun Starts

It’s pretty hard to get the kids’ attention once you’re at the beach or pool, so the safety talk should really start at home. Our mums recommend chatting to the kids about:

  • Swimming between the flags at the beach
  • Setting a meeting spot in case anyone gets separated
  • Sunscreen: Always apply sunscreen 20 minutes before heading outdoors. And set alarms to reapply every two hours throughout the day. Reapply immediately after swimming or using a towel. 

Applying sunscreen at the start of the day and regularly throughout is so important, but it usually causes the most arguments. Kids don’t want to stop, teens assure you they ‘did it already’.

That’s where Banana Boat’s new SmartMist™ Sunscreen Spray SPF50+ actually makes a difference. The iconic sunscreen brand has just launched its newest product, which turns sunscreen time into something simple and fun. It’s an easy and convenient way to tick off sun safety – which isn’t always easy when it comes to kids!

Why Banana Boat SmartMist Sunscreen Spray makes sunscreen easier

  • The Smart Control Spray gives you the choice of a short spray for tricky spots or a long spray for larger areas like those wiggly little legs, making application simple and convenient. It also sprays from any angle – just spray, rub in and you’re ready for playtime.
  • Clear, lightweight formula that absorbs fast and with no greasy feel.
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Banana Boat SmartMist makes those important sunscreen stops much easier and effective and is perfect for active Aussie families this summer.

Prep & Time It Perfectly

There’s nothing worse than kids itching to get to the beach while you’re trying to remember everything you need to pack – it makes everyone frazzled. So get prepped early – even the night before. And time your departure to minimise the amount of time in the car (and the amount of times the kids ask ‘are we there yet?!’.

“Packing the car the night before, always a huge help getting the bucket, cabana, and bag of spare clothes/towels in the boot. We usually leave straight after breakfast to avoid heavy traffic as the beach is an hour away.” – MoM Member

Pack Smart Snacks

Snacks are a must, but it can be tricky to know what’s going to survive a hot, Aussie summer day – and what’s good for hungry tummies. Here’s what our mums recommend:

  • Chopped fruit
  • Crackers
  • Boiled eggs
  • Drink bottles that have been frozen overnight

“We have a few allergies/intolerances, so being prepared with food is helpful and saves us the search and some money. I pre-chop carrots, cucumber, apples, boiled egg, in a handy separating container, a packet of chips, dip, and bring water bottles. If it’s a longer day planned at the beach I’ll bring lunch too.” – MoM Member

A chaos-free beach day. Yes please!

You don’t need a military-style plan to enjoy a sunny day out. A beach trolley, some prep, and an easy sunscreen like SmartMist™ are enough to help things run calmly – or at least calm-ish!

New Banana Boat Sport SmartMist™ Sunscreen Spray SPF50+ 200ml and Banana Boat Kids SmartMist™ Sunscreen Spray SPF50+ 200ml (RRP $28.00) are available now at leading pharmacies, supermarkets and online retailers nationwide. 


Always read the label and follow the directions for use. Wear protective clothing, a hat and sunglasses in addition to sunscreen. Reapply frequently every 2 hours or more often when sweating and immediately after swimming or using a towel. Avoid prolonged high-risk sun exposure.

Mouths of Mums is proudly working with Banana Boat to bring you this article.

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