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

Bunnicula
Howliday Inn
The Celery Stalks at Midnight
Nighty-Nightmare
Return to Howliday Inn
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?

Ready for chapter books

Begin with Bunnicula, the original mystery narrated by Harold, and continue through the seven novels.

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

Bunnicula
Sale price
$858
Book #1 · Chapter Book · Ages 7–11 · 1979

Bunnicula

By James Howe, Deborah Howe

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
Bunnicula
#1 in Series
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
Howliday Inn
#2 in Series
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?

#4
Nighty-Nightmare
#4 in Series
Sale price
$759

Nighty-Nightmare

Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 1987

Lost in the woods, friends face sinister forces and a mysterious tale.

#5
Return to Howliday Inn
#5 in Series
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?

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
The Vampire Bunny
#1 in Series
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
Hot Fudge
#2 in Series
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
Scared Silly
#3 in Series
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
Rabbit-cadabra!
#4 in Series
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?

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.

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.

#5
Bud Barkin, Private Eye
#5 in Series
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.

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.

01

James Howe

Author
JH
02

Deborah Howe

Author
DH
03

Lynn Munsinger

Illustrator
LM
04

Leslie Morrill

Illustrator
LM
05

Alan Daniel

Illustrator
AD
06

Eric Fortune

Illustrator
EF

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