Book Series · 2 Books

Chocolate War Books

In order from The Chocolate War to Beyond the Chocolate War.

Robert Cormier's two uncompromising novels examine what happens when students and adults at Trinity School use fear, tradition, and institutional power to demand obedience.

Reviewed by the Bookroo Editors Updated August 19, 2026

Reading order

How to Read the Chocolate War Books

Read The Chocolate War first, followed by Beyond the Chocolate War. The second novel is a direct sequel that revisits Trinity School and the consequences of the first book's coercion and violence.

Both books belong to one two-novel sequence; the sequel assumes readers already understand the students, the Vigils, and the school's power structure.

Sources: Penguin Random House's The Chocolate War page, Penguin Random House's Beyond the Chocolate War page.

For parents

What Parents Should Know

These are bleak young-adult novels about bullying, hazing, intimidation, corruption, and the abuse of power by both teenagers and adults. They include severe beatings, cruelty, threats, humiliation, revenge, and sustained psychological pressure.

The sequel addresses suicide, an attempted killing, depression, and the continuing effects of trauma. Sexual references and strong language also appear. The books deliberately resist a reassuring view that courage always wins, making them better suited to mature teens ready to discuss complicity and institutional harm.

Where the story begins

First Book in the Series

Sale price

$1049

Book #1 · Chapter Book · Ages 12–18 · 1974

The Chocolate War

By Robert Cormier

A prep school student challenges conformity, facing corruption and peer pressure.

267 pages· 51,115 words· Est. 4.5 hour read

$10.99Save 5%

Paperback

Summary: In a prestigious all-boys prep school, one student dares to defy the status quo, igniting a battle against the oppressive forces of conformity and corruption. As he navigates the treacherous waters of peer pressure and institutional power, the stakes rise, forcing him to confront the true cost of rebellion. Will he stand firm or succumb to the overwhelming forces against him? This gripping tale explores the dark side of elite education and the courage it takes to stand alone.

In reading order

Chocolate War Series

2 books · Published 1974–1985

#1 in Series

Sale price

$1049

The Chocolate War

Chapter Book · Ages 12–18 · 1974

A prep school student challenges conformity, facing corruption and peer pressure.

#2 in Series

Sale price

$759

Beyond the Chocolate War

Chapter Book · Ages 12–+ · 1985

A secret society's grip weakens as revenge brews at Trinity School.

Good to know

Common Questions

How many books are in the Chocolate War series?

There are 2 books in the Chocolate War series. It began with The Chocolate War in 1974, and the newest book, Beyond the Chocolate War, was published in 1985.