TALES FROM A NOT-SO-HAPPY THANKSGIVING?!

***WARNING! THIS IS A VERY LONG BLOG POST WITH A LOT OF ARTWORK THAT TOOK ME FOREVER TO DRAW!!***

Hi, everyone! I hope you had a very happy Thanksgiving :-). My friends and I volunteered for a very special project at school. We agreed to buy, cook, and deliver a Thanksgiving turkey to our local community center that was serving FREE dinners to individuals and families in our city. Very COOL?! Right :-)!

Besides…like, how DIFFICULT could cooking a turkey be?! Seriously!

So, I recruited my BFFs Chloe, Zoey, and Brandon. And, surprisingly, MacKenzie Hollister INSISTED on helping out! I was VERY sure she just wanted to hang out with Brandon and shamelessly FLIRT with him while WE did all of the work!

But, in the spirit of the holiday and the sharing of bountiful blessings, I FINALLY agreed. Especially after MacKenzie volunteered to personally pay for the 30-pound turkey and all of our cooking supplies. OMG! Do you have ANY idea what the price of groceries is these days?!

Anyway, we all agreed to meet at my house at 8:00 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning to cook the turkey and deliver it by noon. Then, we’d have the rest of the day to celebrate and eat Thanksgiving dinner with our families. It was the PERFECT plan!

Of course, just as I expected, MacKenzie was NO HELP whatsoever! Whenever we asked her to help out with cooking, she just gave us the same LAME excuse!…

I was like, “Girlfriend, you KNEW we were COOKING! So, WHY didn’t you BRING your CHEF!” But I just said that in my head, so nobody heard it but me!

Brandon, on the other hand, helped us cook AND took photos. He said he might use them in an article for our school newspaper about the event. That’s when MacKenzie pulled out her mirror and slathered on seven layers of “Too-Cute-To-Cook” bubblegum pink lip gloss. But she still refused to actually touch any food.

It was totally disgusting watching MacKenzie brainwash my little sister, Brianna. MacKenzie actually lied about being BFFs with Princess Sugar Plum. Of course, Brianna totally lost it and BEGGED MacKenzie to take her to Baby Unicorn Island to MEET her FAV princess! Brandon actually videotaped the entire thing…

While I was putting the turkey in the oven, and MacKenzie was shamelessly flirting with Brandon, Chloe, and Zoey did the CUTEST craft project with Brianna. They made placemats with colorful handprint turkeys on them for the guests attending Thanksgiving dinner at the community center…

While the turkey was cooking in the oven, everyone pitched in to make placemats and the most adorable turkey headbands as gifts for the children.

Several hours had passed, and we were finally finishing up our craft projects when I noticed a strange smell. I rushed to the kitchen to check on the turkey with Brandon trailing close behind me. When I opened the oven, I couldn’t believe my eyes…

OMG! My poor turkey was in TERRIBLE shape! I didn’t know whether to CRY or call 911 for an ambulance to rush it to the emergency room for first-degree BURNS! And Brandon was just as UPSET as I was! He helped me pull it from the oven and set it on the counter to cool off. Then, we tried to figure out what went wrong and checked the temperature setting.

JUST GREAT! I discovered that I had accidentally set the oven to BROIL instead of BAKE :-(!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

THAT was me SCREAMING!!

Of course, MacKenzie took complete advantage of the situation! She insisted that we all take a silly selfie together so she’d “have a cherished photo as a memento of our time spent working on this very noble community service project.” But, while we were taking the pic, she actually zoomed in on my poor turkey and sneered…

Of course, I was upset because I had PROMISED to provide a TURKEY to help feed people in our community. But so had about 30 other people. So, I wasn’t really worried about there NOT being enough turkeys. I just wanted to be a mature and responsible young adult and keep my word on a commitment I had made.

“Well, I guess we don’t have a t-turkey anymore!” I sniffed and blinked back my tears. “And it’s all MY fault! I’m REALLY sorry!” I stammered.

“Nikki, it was an accident. Please don’t beat yourself up,” Brandon sighed.

“Hey, you tried your very best to help out!” Chloe said.

“That’s right!” Zoey agreed. “And I’m sure everyone will appreciate the placemats and kiddie headbands we made!”

“But, we need a TURKEY for all of the nice people!” Brianna sniffed. “Nikki, you PROMISED! Somebody needs to fix this!” Upset, she stomped out of the room, and Daisy bounded after her.

“Well, this little project was a total DISASTER!” MacKenzie smirked, rolling her eyes. “NOW you know why I refuse to COOK unless I have my personal CHEF!”

I was gathering up the placemats and headbands for Brandon to drop off when Brianna happily skipped into the kitchen with Daisy on a leash. They both took a seat at the table. It was quite obvious my bratty little sister was up to something because she had a HUGE grin on her face.

Suddenly, we noticed DAISY! And, OMG! We couldn’t BELIEVE our eyes!…

Brianna had dressed Daisy in her TURKEY costume from HALLOWEEN! And she looked absolutely ADORABLE!

So, instead of sharing a baked turkey as planned, we shared a very special, furry turkey with four legs and a tail. And she BARKED!

Everyone at the community center LOVED “Daisy the Turkey,” and she got HUGS and SNUGGLES from ALL the dinner guests!

I also gave Brianna a huge HUG and thanked her for SAVING our Thanksgiving project.

I have to admit, she’s actually PRETTY COOL to be my BRATTY little sister!

I sincerely hope YOUR Thanksgiving was as WONDERFUL as MINE :-)!

Love Your BFF,

NIKKI

PLAY THIS FUN THANKSGIVING MATCHING GAME!

Hey, Dork Diaries Superfans! Want to make your Thanksgiving a little more fun and unforgettable? If so, check out my new timed matching game I made especially for you.

Get ready for an extra fun Thanksgiving celebration with this Thanksgiving Themed Matching Game! But be quick—time is ticking since you only have 90 seconds to match all of the pairs. Good luck and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

WHICH THANKSGIVING DISH ARE YOU?

Hey there, fabulous foodies!   It’s Thanksgiving and we know how much you love dishing out fun — not just on the table, but with your friends, too! Want to know which iconic Thanksgiving dish totally matches your personality? Take our fun quiz to find out! Will you be the sweet and spiced Pumpkin Pie, the classic and dependable Mashed Potatoes or something else? 

So, grab your fav dessert, kick back and relax, and get ready to answer some questions about all things Thanksgiving—DORK DIARIES style! Take our quiz to find out which Thanksgiving dish totally matches your vibe! 

Let’s get started!

BOOK 16 SNEAK PEEK #3

I can’t believe my new Dork Diaries Book 16 will be released on Tuesday, October 15th!   It’s now just HOURS away.  SQUEEEEE !

So, here is my final SNEAK PEEK…  

I was chillaxing in my room, listening to my fav tunes, when I received several FRANTIC text messages!

What would YOU do if this situation happened to you?!

Please post your thoughts in the comments section below.

And remember to order YOUR copy of Dork Diaries Book 16 ! 

Dork Diaries Book 16: The Brat Tour

Snag cool swag, like Dork Diaries stickers, pencils, and bookmarks (while supplies last). Your favorite Dork Diaries and Max Crumbly books will be available for purchase. Don’t miss your chance to meet Rachel and Nikki and get your books autographed!

Tour Dates:

CHECK BACK SOON FOR MORE STOPS ON OUR BOOK TOUR!

BOOK 16 SNEAK PEEK #2

School is starting soon, and I’m already stressed out!  It doesn’t help matters that Chloe and Zoey are already hanging out with people from our new school. 

I was starting to feel a little down until I got an unexpected visitor.  Can you guess who it was?!  SQUEEEE !   

After you’ve read the Book 16 excerpt, please answer my… 

QUIRKY  QUESTION OF THE WEEK!     

“What are your friendships like this year at school compared to last year?”    

Same friends or different friends?  Are classmates friendlier or not as friendly?  Do you have the same BFF or a new BFF?   

Please post your comments below! 

BOOK 16 SNEAK PEEK #1

Hi, everyone!  I have some exciting news!  
My newest diary, DORK DIARIES BOOK 16: TALES FROM A NOT-SO-BRATTY LITTLE SISTER, will be released on Tuesday, October 15^th.   And right now, you can have a SNEAK PEEK!  SQUEEEEEE !  

It’s September, and I’m super stressed out about starting my new school. I’m praying I’ll have classes with my BFFs, Chloe and Zoey, and my crush, Brandon. But, to make matters worse, Brianna is being a TOTAL. SPOILED. BRAT!       

Just click on the link below to read the first installment of my SNEAK PEEK. Enjoy !   And don’t forget to check back next week for SNEAK PEEK #2! 

Happy International Friendship Day!

Today I’m celebrating International Friendship Day with my BFFs, Chloe and Zoey. OMG! I seriously have the BEST friends in the whole wide world, and I can’t imagine life without them!! Here are some fun activities you can do with your friends today (or any day) to celebrate the friendships in your life:

1. Movie Marathon: Pick a few favorite movies or binge-watch a new series together. There are so many new shows on Netflix, Hulu, Disney + and Amazon Prime Video. Don’t forget the popcorn and snacks!
2. DIY Crafts: Create friendship bracelets, personalized photo frames, or other fun crafts that symbolize your friendship.
3. Picnic or Outdoor Fun: Have a picnic in a park, go for a hike, or simply hang out outside and enjoy each other’s company.
4. Game Night: Play board games, card games, or video games that everyone enjoys.
5. Themed Party: Throw a small, themed party with decorations, music, and activities related to something you all love, like a favorite book, movie, or TV show.
6. Cook or Bake Together: Try making a new recipe or baking cookies and cupcakes together.
7. Create a Friendship Playlist: Share your favorite songs and create a playlist that represents your friendship.
8. Memory Lane: Look through old photos and share memories. You could even create a scrapbook together.
9. Random Acts of Kindness: Do something kind for others together, like making cards for people in need or helping out different service organizations in your community.
10. Spa Day: Have a relaxing spa day at home with facemasks, nail painting, and self-care activities.

Do you ever wonder what kind of friend you are to YOUR BFF? Are you the loyal companion, the fun adventurer, the empathetic listener, or the supportive cheerleader? Take my fun quiz to see what kind of friend you are! 

Question: What kind of friend are you? What fun activity will you do to celebrate International Friendship Day?

BRIANNA THE BRAT ☹!

I can’t believe this is actually happening to me!  Not only did Brianna STEAL my diary, but she also wrote in it. 

I’m so upset with her I could just…

SCREEEEEEEAM!! 

Like, what if she revealed some of my deepest, secrets!  I’m afraid to read the stuff she wrote about me. 

Take a look at the short video below to see what happened after I realized my diary was missing.  

What do you think I should do about this situation?  Has anyone ever read YOUR diary? How did you feel about it? Please post your comments below.      

NEW AMUSEMENT PARK THEMED DORK MAKER GAME

Now that we’re out of school, let’s kick off the SUMMER with our NEW AMUSEMENT PARK THEMED DORK MAKER GAME!

Ever wanted to know what you’d look like if you were a character in my book series?! I have practically everything you would need to create your summer-licious one-of-a-kind ADORKABLE character. With over a MILLION different combinations, you’ll have a ton of fun channeling your inner DORK and mixing and matching all of the cool fashions, accessories, and colorful amusement park backgrounds.

I can’t wait to go to the amusement park to ride the Monster Rollercoaster which is the BIGGEST and FASTEST ride in the park! What’s your fav thing to do at an amusement park?  What exciting plans have you made for the summer?!

Please post your answer in the comments section below!