Russell, Rachel Renée (1959-…), is an American children’s book author. She is best known for her series the “Dork Diaries,” which began with Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life (2009). The series draws inspiration from Russell’s own experiences in middle school, as well as those of her two daughters, Erin and Nikki. “Dork Diaries” is written in the form of a diary. Each volume includes doodles and drawings by Russell’s daughter Nikki. The diaries follow the main character Nikki Maxwell as she navigates life in middle school.
In the 10th book in the series, Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not-So-Perfect Pet Sitter (2015), Russell introduced the character Max Crumbly. Crumbly later became the main character in a spin-off series, “The Misadventures of Max Crumbly.” It is also written in the form of a diary. The first book in that series, The Misadventures of Max Crumbly 1: Locker Hero, was published in 2016.
Russell was born on March 13, 1959, in St. Joseph, Michigan. She earned a B.A. degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and a law degree from Wayne State University School of Law in Detroit, Michigan. She began her career as an attorney.
