New to Nate's cases
Start with Nate the Great for the clearest introduction. If another mystery catches a child's interest first, it is usually safe to jump in because each case is self-contained.
Book Series · 32 Books
Nate the Great Books
In order from Nate the Great to Nate the Great and the Star-Spangled Parrot.
Short, illustrated mysteries in which a young detective gathers clues, asks careful questions, and solves everyday cases involving friends, pets, and missing belongings.
Reviewed by the Bookroo Editors Updated
Reading order
How to Read the Nate the Great Books
The publisher maintains one 32-book sequence, moving from Marjorie Weinman Sharmat's original cases to later stories by Andrew Sharmat. Publication order is the easiest way to follow recurring friends, but most mysteries stand on their own and can be enjoyed independently.
For parents
What Parents Should Know
Cases involve missing objects or pets, possible suspects, occasional worries about animals such as dogs or snakes, and comic misunderstandings. There is no sustained or graphic violence.
The books emphasize observation, deduction, persistence, and asking questions. Their short chapters and illustrations work especially well for many readers around ages 6–9 who are moving into independent chapter books.
Where to start
Where Should My Child Start?
Where the story begins
First Book in the Series
Sale price
$674
Book #1 · Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 1972
Nate the Great
By Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, Marc Simont (Illustrator)
Nate the Great is tasked with finding a lost picture of Annie's dog Fang.
64 pages· 1,619 words· Est. 18 min read
$6.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: Nate the Great, a young detective, faces a puzzling case when his friend Annie loses a cherished picture. With his sharp mind and keen eye for detail, Nate dives into the mystery, gathering clues and questioning suspects. As he navigates through twists and turns, will Nate uncover the truth and find the missing picture? Join Nate on this engaging adventure where every clue counts and nothing is as it seems.
In reading order
Nate the Great Series
32 books · Published 1972–2024
#1
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 1972
Nate the Great is tasked with finding a lost picture of Annie's dog Fang.
#2
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great Goes Undercover
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 1974
A detective investigates a series of mysterious garbage can tip-overs in his neighborhood.
#3
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great and the Lost List
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 1975
A young detective solves a case involving a lost grocery list
#4
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great and the Phony Clue
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 1977
A detective solves a case by finding the missing pieces of an invitation.
#5
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great and the Sticky Case
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 1978
A missing stamp baffles a young detective. Can he solve the mystery?
#6
Sale price
$574
Nate the Great and the Missing Key
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 1981
A detective solves a mystery involving a missing key and a birthday party for a dog
#7
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great and the Snowy Trail
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 1982
A detective must solve a case of a lost birthday present in the snow.
#8
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great and the Fishy Prize
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 1984
A missing prize threatens the pet contest. Can Nate solve the mystery?
#9
Sale price
$574
Nate the Great Stalks Stupidweed
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 1986
A detective hunts for a missing Superweed. Is the answer closer than he thinks?
#10
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great and the Boring Beach Bag
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 1987
A detective helps a boy find his missing beach bag.
#11
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great and the Halloween Hunt
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 1989
A detective and his dog search for a missing cat on Halloween night
#12
Sale price
$574
Nate the Great Goes Down in the Dumps
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 1989
A detective and his dog dig through dumps to find a missing money box.
#13
Sale price
$574
Nate the Great and the Musical Note
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 1990
A detective races against time to solve a musical riddle.
#14
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great and the Stolen Base
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 1992
A young detective investigates the theft of a baseball team's second base, a purple plastic octopus, and solves the case with the help of his dog Sludge
#15
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great and the Mushy Valentine
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 1993
A detective and his dog solve two Valentine's Day mysteries
#16
Sale price
$574
Nate the Great and the Pillowcase
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 1993
A detective solves a case of a missing cat's pillowcase
#17
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great and the Tardy Tortoise
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 1995
A detective follows a tortoise to uncover a garden mystery.
#18
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great and the Crunchy Christmas
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 1996
A detective solves a case of a missing Christmas card with the help of his trusty dog Sludge
#19
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great Saves the King of Sweden
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 1997
Can Nate solve an international mystery without leaving home?
#20
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great and Me: The Case of the Fleeing Fang
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 1998
A missing dog, mysterious clues, and a detective's skills are needed. Can you help solve the mystery?
#21
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great and the Monster Mess
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 1999
A young detective and his dog search for a missing recipe for Monster Cookies.
#22
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great San Francisco Detective
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2000
A lost joke book threatens the world. Can a young detective solve the case in time?
#23
Sale price
$574
Nate the Great and the Big Sniff
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2001
A young detective searches for his missing dog in a department store
#24
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great on the Owl Express
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2003
A pet owl vanishes on a train. Can a young detective solve the mystery?
#25
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great Talks Turkey
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2006
A detective and his dog try to solve the mystery of a giant turkey on the loose
#26
Sale price
$574
Nate the Great and the Hungry Book Club
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2009
A detective investigates a series of mysterious events involving torn and missing book pages
#27
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great, Where Are You?
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2014
A young detective and his dog try to escape from five cases they don't want to solve, but end up solving them anyway
#28
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great and the Missing Birthday Snake
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2018
A detective must find a missing snake at a birthday party.
#29
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great and the Wandering Word
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2018
Can Nate find the missing word before the pet concert begins?
#30
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great and the Earth Day Robot
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2021
A detective must find a missing robot before the Earth Day Fair begins.
#31
Sale price
$674
Nate the Great and the Missing Tomatoes
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2023
Tomatoes vanish before a garden contest. Can the detective solve the mystery?
#32
Sale price
$1398
Nate the Great and the Star-Spangled Parrot
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2024
Nate races to find two missing drone parrots before the 4th of July picnic.
Good to know
Common Questions
How many books are in the Nate the Great series?
There are 32 books in the Nate the Great series. It began with Nate the Great in 1972, and the newest book, Nate the Great and the Star-Spangled Parrot, was published in 2024.
What order should you read the Nate the Great books in?
Start with Nate the Great and follow the series order — the books above are numbered #1 through #32.
What ages are the Nate the Great books best for?
The series is best for ages 4–9, based on the age ranges of the individual books.
The people
The Creatives Behind the Books
The people who bring Nate the Great to life.
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