The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids Books in Order
A long-running children's chapter-book series by Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones, in which a group of third-graders becomes convinced the eccentric adults around their town are secretly monsters, vampires, aliens, and other supernatural creatures. Each short mystery piles up playful "evidence" while leaving just enough doubt about whether the kids are right.
Publication order
In the order the books were originally released.
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Buy on AmazonVampires Don't Wear Polka Dots (Adventures of the Bailey School Kids, 1)
1990 · Marcia Thornton Jones
When the third-grade teacher disappears, the Bailey School welcomes a strange new substitute named Mrs. Jeepers, who wears a glowing brooch, dislikes…
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Buy on AmazonWerewolves Don't Go To Summer Camp
1991 · Debbie Dadey
The four friends head off to summer camp, where a hairy, growling counselor with an appetite for raw meat puts them on edge. As strange howls echo…
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Buy on AmazonSanta Claus Doesn't Mop Floors
1991 · Marcia Thornton Jones
A jolly new janitor named Mr. Wright arrives at Bailey Elementary just before the holidays, and he has a white beard, a hearty laugh, and an uncanny…
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Buy on AmazonLeprechauns don't play basketball
1992 · Debbie Dadey
A short, red-haired coach with a thick accent and a love of green takes over the basketball program at the rec center. When odd things start…
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Buy on Amazon1992 · Debbie Dadey
While exploring an old, supposedly haunted house, the four friends meet a peculiar man who never seems to eat and floats through the place with ease.…
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Buy on AmazonFrankenstein Doesn't Plant Petunias
1993 · Marcia Thornton Jones
A tall, lumbering new gardener with bolts on his neck and a stiff walk takes care of the grounds around Bailey School. As the friends watch him work…
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Buy on Amazon1993 · Debbie Dadey
A strange new teacher with an odd appearance, including braces and unusual habits, arrives at Bailey Elementary. The kids notice peculiar lights in…
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Buy on Amazon1994 · Debbie Dadey
The Bailey School Kids encounter a mysterious figure connected to an old lamp who seems able to grant wishes. As curious coincidences pile up, the…
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Buy on AmazonPirates Don't Wear Pink Sunglasses
1994 · Debbie Dadey
A flashy character in pink sunglasses with a love of treasure and the sea turns up around town. Eddie, Melody, Howie, and Liza start to suspect this…
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Buy on Amazon1994 · Debbie Dadey
A new gymnastics teacher with a pointy hat-like style and uncanny abilities joins the scene. The kids notice she seems to have powers that ordinary…
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Buy on Amazon1994 · Debbie Dadey
A mysterious figure connected to a band or music program seems oddly bony and pale. The Bailey School Kids begin to wonder whether they are dealing…
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Buy on Amazon1995 · Marcia Thornton Jones
Around Valentine's Day, a chubby, cheerful worker at a local burger spot seems to have a knack for bringing people together in love. The friends…
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Buy on AmazonGremlins Don't Chew Bubble Gum
1995 · Debbie Dadey
Strange mischief and mechanical trouble break out around town, and the kids notice an odd creature with rules about water and bright light. They…
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Buy on Amazon1995 · Debbie Dadey
A new soccer coach with an eerie, stiff manner takes over the team. As the players notice his unusual behavior, the Bailey School Kids wonder whether…
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Buy on AmazonDracula doesn't drink lemonade
1995 · Debbie Dadey
A pale newcomer who avoids the sun and turns down a refreshing glass of lemonade catches the friends' attention. They start to suspect this…
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Buy on Amazon1995 · Debbie Dadey
A crew of small, busy workers in hard hats shows up to do construction or repairs around town with surprising speed. The Bailey School Kids begin to…
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Buy on AmazonMartians Don't Take Temperatures
1996 · Debbie Dadey
A peculiar new school nurse with strange ideas about health and the human body unsettles the kids. As her odd behavior mounts, they begin to suspect…
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Buy on Amazon1996 · Debbie Dadey
A mysterious figure with a long beard and seemingly magical knowledge appears, getting things done without any modern technology. The friends start…
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Buy on Amazon1997 · Debbie Dadey
A new cook or pizza maker around town has a fiery temperament and scaly, unusual traits. The Bailey School Kids begin to wonder whether they are…
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Buy on Amazon1997 · Debbie Dadey
At a square dance event, the kids meet a huge, hairy stranger with enormous feet who seems out of place among the dancers. They begin to suspect this…
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Buy on AmazonMermaids Don't Run Track (The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids #26)
1997 · Debbie Dadey
A graceful new member of the track team has an unusual fondness for water and an odd way of moving on land. The Bailey School Kids start to suspect…
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Buy on Amazon1997 · Debbie Dadey
A frightening figure connected to the football field unsettles the kids with its spooky presence. They begin to wonder whether a real bogeyman is…
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Buy on AmazonUnicorns Don't Give Sleigh Rides
1997 · Debbie Dadey
Around the winter holidays, the friends encounter a beautiful, horned creature that refuses to pull a sleigh as expected. The Bailey School Kids…
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Buy on AmazonPhantoms Don't Drive Sports Cars
1997 · Debbie Dadey
A mysterious driver with a flashy sports car and a ghostly, fleeting presence appears around town. Eddie, Melody, Howie, and Liza begin to wonder…
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Buy on Amazon1997 · Debbie Dadey
On a snowy outing, the kids meet an enormous figure who seems too big and clumsy for the snowboarding slopes. They start to suspect this towering…
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Buy on Amazon1998 · Debbie Dadey
An incredibly strong newcomer, perhaps at a dentist's office or strongman event, amazes the friends with his feats of power. The Bailey School Kids…
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Buy on AmazonFrankenstein Doesn't Slam Hockey Pucks
1999 · Marcia Thornton Jones
A tall, bolt-necked hockey player or coach with surprising strength turns up at the rink. The kids start to suspect that Frankenstein's monster has…
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Buy on AmazonTrolls Don't Ride Roller Coasters
1999 · Marcia Thornton Jones
At an amusement park, the friends meet odd, gruff little creatures who refuse to ride the roller coaster. The Bailey School Kids begin to wonder…
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Buy on Amazon1999 · Marcia Thornton Jones
On a tropical-themed trip or event, the kids encounter a hairy character who growls and resists the hula dancing. They start to suspect their new…
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Buy on AmazonGoblins Don't Play Video Games
1999 · Marcia Thornton Jones
Mischievous little creatures seem to dislike or avoid the video games the kids love. Eddie, Melody, Howie, and Liza begin to suspect that goblins are…
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Buy on AmazonNinjas don't bake pumpkin pies
1999 · Debbie Dadey
Around autumn, the kids meet stealthy, black-clad figures with surprising skills who avoid ordinary kitchen tasks. The Bailey School Kids start to…
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Buy on Amazon2000 · Debbie Dadey
A pale rock-and-roll performer who shuns the sun and music styles you'd expect catches the friends' attention. They begin to suspect that this…
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Buy on AmazonSea monsters don't ride motorcycles
2000 · Debbie Dadey
Near the water, the kids encounter a huge, scaly creature that, unlike a daredevil, won't ride a motorcycle. The Bailey School Kids begin to wonder…
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Buy on AmazonThe Bride of Frankenstein Doesn't Bake Cookies
2000 · Debbie Dadey
A tall, pale woman with unusual features who avoids baking and ordinary domestic tasks arrives in town. The friends start to suspect she might be the…
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Buy on AmazonRobots Don't Catch Chicken Pox
2001 · Marcia Thornton Jones
A stiff, mechanical newcomer who never seems to get sick puzzles the kids when chicken pox spreads around. The Bailey School Kids begin to wonder…
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Buy on AmazonVikings don't wear wrestling belts
2001 · Debbie Dadey
At a wrestling event, the friends meet brawny, horn-helmeted strangers who seem more like ancient warriors than athletes. They start to suspect these…
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Buy on Amazon2001 · Marcia Thornton Jones
Out on horseback or at a ranch, the kids notice a pale, transparent rider who seems to float rather than ride. The Bailey School Kids begin to wonder…
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Buy on AmazonSea Serpents Don't Juggle Water Balloons
2002 · Marcia Thornton Jones
Near the water, the kids meet long, serpentine creatures that, unlike circus performers, won't juggle water balloons. They begin to suspect that real…
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Buy on AmazonWizards don't wear graduation gowns
2002 · Debbie Dadey
At a graduation event, a mysterious, bearded figure with seemingly magical powers refuses to dress like everyone else. The Bailey School Kids start…
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Buy on AmazonFrankenstein Doesn't Start Food Fights (Balley School Kids)
2003 · Marcia Thornton Jones
A tall, lumbering, bolt-necked figure in the cafeteria avoids the usual food-fight chaos and acts strangely stiff. The friends begin to wonder…
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Buy on Amazon2004 · Debbie Dadey
A pale newcomer who shies away from sunlight turns up at a kickball game and won't play along. The Bailey School Kids start to suspect that Dracula…
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Buy on AmazonThe Abominable Snowman Does'nt Roast Marshamallows
2005 · Marcia Thornton Jones
On a snowy adventure, the kids meet a huge, furry white creature who, unlike everyone else, won't roast marshmallows by the fire. They begin to…
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Buy on Amazon2006 · Marcia Thornton Jones
During a snowy outing, the friends encounter scaly, fire-breathing creatures who avoid the snowball fights. The Bailey School Kids begin to wonder…
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Companion & related books
Short-story collections and companion titles in this series.
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Buy on AmazonYear unknown · Debbie Dadey
The Bailey School Kids notice small, green, mischievous figures with a fondness for gold who refuse to play fetch like ordinary pets would. They…
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Buy on AmazonYear unknown · Marcia Thornton Jones
Mrs. Jeepers takes the Bailey School Kids along on a vacation full of strange surprises and spooky happenings. As odd events pile up, the friends…
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Buy on AmazonYear unknown · Marcia Thornton Jones
In this Super Special adventure, the kids find themselves caught up in an out-of-this-world journey involving Mrs. Jeepers and outer space. Eddie,…
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Buy on AmazonYear unknown · Marcia Thornton Jones
When the kids' unusual teacher Mrs. Jeepers suddenly vanishes, Eddie, Melody, Howie, and Liza set out to figure out where she has gone. Their search…
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Buy on AmazonMrs. Jeepers on Vampire Island
Year unknown · Debbie Dadey
In this Super Special, the friends travel to a mysterious island connected to Mrs. Jeepers, where eerie clues about vampires abound. Eddie, Melody,…
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Frequently asked questions
What order should I read the The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids books in?
Publication order — Widely recommended by readers and book-order catalogs (kidsbookseries, bookseriesinorder, readbooksinorder); the standalone mysteries can be read in any order, but the numbered publication sequence is the standard one. Start with “Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots (Adventures of the Bailey School Kids, 1).”
How many books are in the The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids series?
We list 43 books by Debbie Dadey , published between 1990–2006.
Where can I buy the The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids books?
Each title above links to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted an error? We continuously correct the catalog.