Dork diaries: Crush catastrophe by Rachel Renee Russell

Simon & Schuster, 2017. ISBN 9781471168017
(Age: 9+) This is the 12th instalment of Dork Diaries. In this book we see Nikki Maxwell and her BFFs counting down until the end of the school year. Nikki thinks she has her summer all figured out, with lots of fun plans to hang out with her friends and her crush, Brandon. It's going to be perfect! Squeee!
But then a new boy turns up at school and shows an interest in Nikki and things become confusing super-quickly! The last thing Nikki wants to do is hurt Brandon... What do you do when you accidently crush your crush?!
Crush catastrophe will be another much-loved addition to the Dork Diaries series. It is lighthearted and as usual Nikki is dragged through embarrassment after embarrassment so the young reader does not have to experience it herself! It also opens the door to experiences the girls may encounter as they approach middle school. The cartoonish illustrations interspersed throughout the text allow for the less confident reader to tackle the novel.
Although some children younger than 9 may be able to decode the book, I think the content is really appropriate for children older than this. Another must-have book to add to the collection of Dork Diaries.
Kathryn Schumacher