Rachel Renée Russell

Rachel Renée Russell
Born (1959-03-13) March 13, 1959 (age 67)
OccupationsAuthor, cartoonist, attorney
Children2

Rachel Renée Russell (born March 13, 1959) is an American author of the children's book series Dork Diaries and its spin-off The Misadventures of Max Crumbly.

Russell grew up in Saint Joseph, Michigan, and has four younger siblings, two sisters and twin brothers. She attended Northwestern University, then law school. As of 2013, she lives in Chantilly, Virginia.

Dork Diaries, written in a diary format, uses doodles, drawings, and comic strips to chronicle the daily life of the main character, Nikki Maxwell, as she struggles to fit in and survive middle school. The series is based on Russell's middle school experiences. Her daughter, Nikki, is the illustrator of the series. The main character, Nikki Maxwell, is named after her daughter.

The Misadventures of Max Crumbly is about a character, Maxwell Crumbly, who keeps a diary about his challenges in middle school. He is introduced in Dork Diaries: Tales From A Not-So Perfect Pet Sitter.

As of December 2025, Dork Diaries has sold over 55 million copies worldwide in 52 countries and 45 languages. It has been on the New York Times Best Sellers list in the Children's Series category for 336 weeks.

Bibliography and awards

Personal life

Russell was married to her college sweetheart until their divorce in April 2009. They shared two daughters, Erin and Nikki, who helped Russell write and illustrate her books. By 2013, she resided in Chantilly, Virginia.

References

  1. 1 2 "Meet the author". Dorkdiaries.com. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
  2. 1 2 Kaufman, Leslie (25 March 2013). "The Grown-Up Behind a Tween Phenomenon". The New York Times.
  3. ↑ "The New York Times Best Sellers: Children's Books"
  4. 1 2 "Best-Selling Books Database on USA Today"
  5. ↑ "The New York Times Best Sellers: Children's Books" on nytimes.com"
  6. ↑ "Books: Dork Diaries 4". Publisher's website. Simon and Schuster. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  7. ↑ "Books: Dork Diaries 5". Publisher's website. Simon and Schuster. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  8. ↑ "Children's Author of "The Dork Diaries", Rachel Renee Russell Teaches Girls to Journal: Who's a Dork? « Inkandescent Women magazine". Retrieved 2024-07-28.