Dork Diaries 11: Tales from a Not-So-Friendly Frenemy

Parents say
Based on 1 review
Kids say
Based on 15 reviews
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know Dork Diaries 11: Tales from a Not-So-Friendly Frenemy is part of the popular illustrated series by author Rachel Renee Russell. It's mainly about surviving mean girls, dealing with popularity, younger sibling issues, and lighthearted middle school worries. This time, eighth-grader Nikki is attending a prestigious private school for a week as part of a student exchange program and is up to her eyeballs in trouble.
Community Reviews
Mwaaa
Report this review
What's the Story?
In DORK DIARIES 11: TALES FROM A NOT-SO-FRIENDLY FRENEMY, Nikki Maxwell is back -- well, sort of. She's attending a prestigious private school for a week as part of a student-exchange program. The uniforms are cool, the school looks like Hogwarts, and she's looking forward to making new friends. The bad news is it's the same school that McKenzie Hollister attends. Nikki finds herself struggling to get through the week as she's once again the target of mean girls, has a couple friendship issues, and has a cooking drama with her little sister Briana. The one bright side for Nikki is she's in the running for a trip to Paris! Can she navigate this new school and make a good impression on the French teacher, or will she quit before the week is out?
Is It Any Good?
An easy read, this installment revisits many of the same themes and situations as previous books. Most fans will be fine with the formula in Dork Diaries 11: Tales from a Not-So-Friendly Frenemy, but some may wish that author Rachel Rene Russell would develop different types of adventures for Nikki and her friends, such as when she transported them into a fairy tale land in Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Happily Ever After.
The illustrations, as always, are a delightful and whimsical addition to the text, and the series is great for reluctant readers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how to deal with bullies like the ones in Dork Diaries 11: Tales from a Not-So-Friendly Frenemy. Do you have an adult you trust to help you navigate tough situations?
How does this installment in the Dork Diaries series measure up to previous books? Do you notice any growth or difference?
Nikki finds herself dealing with same type of mean-girl trouble as in previous books. Does she deal with the situations differently from before? How would you deal with similar situations?
Book Details
- Author: Rachel Renee Russell
- Genre: School
- Topics: Friendship, Middle School
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Aladdin
- Publication date: November 15, 2016
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 9 - 13
- Number of pages: 288
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: November 30, 2020
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love friendship and middle-grade stories
Themes & Topics
Browse titles with similar subject matter.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate