Ready for chapter books
Begin with Bunnicula, the original mystery narrated by Harold, and continue through the seven novels.
Book Series · 7 Books
Bunnicula Books
In order from Bunnicula to Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allan Crow.
Harold the dog narrates funny mysteries about the Monroe family's pets, especially Chester the cat's determined belief that their quiet new rabbit Bunnicula may be a vegetable-draining vampire.
Reviewed by the Bookroo Editors Updated
Reading order
How to Read the Bunnicula Books
For the original story, read the seven novels in order from Bunnicula through Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allan Crow. Each mystery can be enjoyed on its own, but the pets and family relationships carry forward.
Bunnicula and Friends is a separate six-book Ready-to-Read line for younger children. Tales from the House of Bunnicula contains Howie's six humorous monster-story spoofs. The graphic novels retell the first two original novels in a visual format rather than continuing after book #7.
Sources: Simon & Schuster's Bunnicula catalog, Simon & Schuster's Tales from the House of Bunnicula list, Simon & Schuster's Bunnicula graphic novels.
For parents
What Parents Should Know
The books use spooky ideas—vampires, ghosts, werewolves, disappearances, and suspicions about death or crime—but turn them into comic pet mysteries rather than graphic horror. Chester's dramatic certainty is usually scarier than what is actually happening.
Animal characters are sometimes frightened or in danger, and the original novels are longer and more suspenseful than the Ready-to-Read books. Children who like gentle chills and wordplay are the best fit; very young readers can begin with the shorter line instead.
Where to start
Where Should My Child Start?
Needs a shorter first read
Try The Vampire Bunny in Bunnicula and Friends. These six illustrated readers use the same pets in much shorter stories.
Prefers graphic novels
Start with Bunnicula (Graphic Novel). The visual line retells the first two original mysteries rather than adding sequels.
Where the story begins
First Book in the Series
Sale price
$858
Book #1 · Chapter Book · Ages 7–11 · 1979
Bunnicula
A family adopts a mysterious rabbit that may be a vampire, leading to a series of strange events and discoveries.
98 pages· 14,524 words· Est. 2 hour read
5.8/7 Bookroo
$8.99Save 5%
Paperback
In reading order
Bunnicula Series
7 books · Published 1979–2006
#1
Sale price
$858
Bunnicula
Chapter Book · Ages 7–11 · 1979
A family adopts a mysterious rabbit that may be a vampire, leading to a series of strange events and discoveries.
#2
Sale price
$759
Howliday Inn
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 1982
Strange howls and vanishing animals haunt a pet hotel. Can Harold and Chester solve the mystery?
#3
Sale price
$759
The Celery Stalks at Midnight
Chapter Book · Ages 8–11 · 1983
A vampire bunny is missing, and vegetables might turn into zombies. Can Chester save the town from veggie doom?
#4
Sale price
$759
Nighty-Nightmare
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 1987
Lost in the woods, friends face sinister forces and a mysterious tale.
#5
Sale price
$759
Return to Howliday Inn
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 1992
A ghostly mystery at Howliday Inn: Can the pets uncover the truth behind Rosebud's disappearance?
#6
Sale price
$759
Bunnicula Strikes Again!
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 1995
A vampire rabbit's fate hangs in the balance as friends clash over his mysterious illness.
#7
Sale price
$759
Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allan Crow
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2006
A suspicious author visit threatens the pets. Can Chester uncover the truth before it's too late?
Shorter mysteries for younger readers
Bunnicula and Friends
6 books · Published 1991–2006
Six Ready-to-Read adventures with Harold, Chester, Howie, and Bunnicula. The larger type, illustrations, and short plots make these the gentlest entry point.
#1
Sale price
$574
The Vampire Bunny
Picture Book · Ages 6–8 · 2004
A cat suspects the new pet rabbit is a vampire. Can he protect the family?
#2
Sale price
$474
Hot Fudge
Chapter Book · Ages 6–8 · 1991
Fudge turns white, then vanishes. Can Harold, Chester, and Howie catch the thief?
#3
Sale price
$474
Scared Silly
Picture Book · Ages 6–8 · 2005
A witch brews trouble on Halloween night. Can the pets save the day?
#4
Sale price
$474
Rabbit-cadabra!
Picture Book · Ages 6–8 · 1993
A magician's act threatens to unleash vampire bunnies. Can Chester stop the chaos?
#5
Sale price
$474
The Fright Before Christmas
Picture Book · Ages 6–8 · 2006
A dachshund puppy fears Santa, but strange noises hint at a scarier Christmas surprise.
#6
Sale price
$474
Creepy-Crawly Birthday
Picture Book · Ages 6–8 · 1991
Pets discover mysterious, moving suitcases at a birthday party. What's inside?
The same mysteries in graphic form
Bunnicula the Graphic Novels
1 book · Published 2022
Full-color adaptations of Bunnicula and Howliday Inn. Readers can choose these instead of the matching prose books without adding another story to the sequence.
#1
#1 in Series
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$1248
Bunnicula (Graphic Novel)
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2022
A family adopts a mysterious rabbit that may be a vampire.
Howie's humorous story spoofs
Tales from the House of Bunnicula
6 books · Published 2003–2013
Six imaginative monster and adventure stories written in Howie's playful voice. They are a separate spin-off, not the next six original novels.
#1
Sale price
$674
It Came from Beneath the Bed!
Chapter Book · Ages 7–10 · 2003
A puppy writer faces chaos when his story unleashes a hidden menace.
#2
Sale price
$574
Invasion of the Mind Swappers from Asteroid 6!
Chapter Book · Ages 7–9 · 2003
A puppy and his friend face mind-swapping aliens. Can they save the day?
#3
Sale price
$674
Howie Monroe and the Doghouse of Doom
Chapter Book · Ages 7–9 · 2003
A puppy with a mysterious pain attends a magical academy to face an unspeakable evil.
#4
Sale price
$674
Screaming Mummies of the Pharaoh's Tomb II
Chapter Book · Ages 7–10 · 2013
A dachshund puppy and friend uncover a Pharaoh's tomb mystery in ancient Egypt.
#5
Sale price
$674
Bud Barkin, Private Eye
Chapter Book · Ages 7–10 · 2003
A detective dog tackles a quirky case involving a mysterious dame and a clown with a peculiar calling card.
#6
Sale price
$674
The Odorous Adventures of Stinky Dog
Chapter Book · Ages 4–8 · 2003
A dachshund with a super stench battles city villains.
Good to know
Common Questions
How many books are in the Bunnicula series?
There are 7 books in the Bunnicula series. It began with Bunnicula in 1979, and the newest book, Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allan Crow, was published in 2006.
What order should you read the Bunnicula books in?
Start with Bunnicula and follow the series order — the books above are numbered #1 through #7.
What ages are the Bunnicula books best for?
The series is best for ages 7–12, based on the age ranges of the individual books.
The people
The Creatives Behind the Books
The people who bring Bunnicula to life.
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