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Books Written as Diaries for Children and Teens

Do you keep a journal or a diary? Some real-life diaries are published just as they were written, and the diary format is often found in works of fiction. Researchers at MSU are working to document changes in language during Covid-19 pandemic and beyond, and you can be a part of project by recording your own oral diaries. Children 3 years old and up, teens, and adults can participate in the MI Diaries project, for more information, visit https://www.mi-diaries.org/.

Library Staff
East Lansing Public Library

50 items

  • PreK-2nd Grade, fiction, this book is part of a series. "Eva Wingdale gets in over her head when she decides to create a Bloomtastic Festival at school. Even with her best friend Lucy's help, there is no way she will get everything done on…
    BookNew York, NY : Branches/Scholastic Inc., [2015] — J SERIES OWL V.1
  • PreK-2nd Grade, non-fiction. "Anne Frank was born in Germany to a loving family. But when World War II broke out, Anne and her family had to hide in a secret annex in Amsterdam. Here, Anne wrote her famous diary, describing her belief in…
    BookNew York, NY : Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2018. — J B FRANK
  • Pre-K-3rd Grade, fiction. "This is the diary . . . of a spider. Actually, he’s a lot like you. He goes to gym class and has Grandparents Day at school. But he also spins sticky webs, scales walls, and takes wind-catching lessons. Lucky for…
    BookNew York : Joanna Cotler Books, 2005. — JP FICTION CRONIN
  • Pre-K-3rd Grade, fiction. "This is the diary of a worm. This worm lives with his parents, plays with his friends, and even goes to school. But unlike you or me, he never has to take a bath, he gets to eat his homework, and because he…
    BookNew York : Joanna Cotler Books, 2003. — JP FICTION CRONIN
  • Pre-K-3rd Grade, fiction. "Even though she’s little—just like her best friends, Worm and Spider—Fly wants to be a superhero. And why not? She walks on walls, sees in all directions at once, and can already fly!" - Doreen Cronin's website
    BookNew York : Joanna Cotler Books, 2007. — JP FICTION CRONIN
  • 2nd-4th Grade, fiction. Ellie is horrified when her cat, Tuffy, drags a dead bird into the house. Then a mouse. Before long, another apparent victim arrives though the cat-door. Can softhearted Ellie get her beloved pet to change his wild,…
    Web resource
  • 2nd-5th Grade, fiction. "Mallory gets a diary from her grandma that she doesn’t want . . . until she finds she has a lot to write in it! She’s been invited to a Valentine’s party next door and rumor has it that Joey’s dad is going to…
    BookMinneapolis, MN : Carolrhoda Books, 2006. — J SERIES MAL
  • 2nd-5th Grade, fiction. "When a teacher leaves a blank book in the Writer’s Corner for her students to find, with the instructions “Please Write in this Book,” she hopes it will encourage her students to talk to one another in its pages.…
    Web resource
  • 2nd-5th Grade, fiction, this book is part of a series that take Amelia into middle school. "The hand-lettered contents of a nine-year-old girl's notebook, in which she records her thoughts and feelings about moving, starting school, and…
    Web resource
  • 2nd-7th Grade, fiction, this book is part of a series. When rule-breaking Rafe has to train his mischievous mutt at obedience school, things are about to get really ruff in this Middle School book for kids and animal lovers everywhere!
    BookNew York : Little, Brown and Company, 2018. — J SERIES DOG V.1
  • Diary of a Would-be Princess

    the Journal of Jillian James, 5B

    Green, Jessica
    3rd-6th Grade, fiction. Jillian James is not popular. She's definitely not a Princess and barely a Normal; most likely, she's a Dork. Jillian's classroom diary traces a year at Flora Heights Primary School, navigating friendships, family…
    BookWatertown, MA : Charlesbridge, 2007. — J FICTION GREEN
  • 3rd-6th Grade, fiction. "Roan's one dream is to leave home and attend Pilot Academy like his older brother, father, and grandfather. But just as Roan is mysteriously denied entrance to Pilot Academy, he is invited to attend Jedi Academy -…
    Graphic NovelNew York, NY : Scholastic Inc., 2013 — J GN STAR WARS V.1
  • 3rd-6th Grade, fiction, this book is part of a series. "One girl. One sketchbook. One week with the world's most annoying relatives. When Ellie McDougal's parents go out of town, she's forced to go on a camping trip with her aunt, uncle,…
    BookNew York : Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2007. — J SERIES ELL V.1
  • 3rd-7th Grade, fiction, this book is part of a series. "Olivia Grace Clarisse Mignonette Harrison is a completely average twelve-year-old: average height, average weight, average brown hair of average length, average brown skin and average…
    BookNew York : Feiwel & Friends, 2015. — J SERIES FRO V.1
  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid

    Greg Heffley's Journal

    Kinney, Jeff
    3rd-7th Grade, fiction, this book is part of a series. "It's a new school year, and Greg Heffley finds himself thrust into middle school, where undersized weaklings share the hallways with kids who are taller, meaner, and already shaving.…
    BookNew York : Amulet Books, c2007. — J SERIES DIA V.1
  • Dork Diaries

    Tales From a Not-so-fabulous Life

    Russell, Rachel Renee
    4th-7th Grade, fiction, this book is part of a series. "Nikki confesses all in her first diary ever: her epic battle with her mom for an iPhone, meeting her new soon-to-be BFFs Chloe and Zoey, falling for adorably sweet crush Brandon,…
    BookNew York : Aladdin, 2009/06/02 — J SERIES DOR V.1
  • Dear Dumb Diary

    the Worst Things in Life Are Also Free by Jamie Kelly

    Benton, Jim
    4th-7th Grade, fiction, this book is part of a series. "School's out for summer, and that means no more Meatloaf Thursdays, Sunday homework cramming, or teachers (way way unsucessfully) trying to act cool. It also means that Mackerel…
    BookNew York : Scholastic, c2010. — J SERIES DEA V.10
  • A Gathering of Days

    a New England Girl's Journal, 1830-32 : a Novel

    Blos, Joan W.
    4th-7th Grade, historical fiction. This is the journal of Catherine Cabot Hall. A 13 year old girl, who, over two years, secretly helps a fugitive who turns out to be a runaway slave, comes to accept her father's new wife, and experiences…
    BookNew York : Scribner, 1979. — J FICTION BLOS