TheWell Bookshop

Series · humor

The Bad Guys

by Aaron Blabey

The Bad Guys series by Aaron Blabey has 20 known books (20 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with The Bad Guys (2015).

Books
20 known books (20 novels)
Published
20
First published
2015
Status
completed
Shelved under
Humour
Last checked

Start here: The Bad Guys (2015) — then read straight through in publication order.

Book one

Cover of The Bad Guys

The Bad Guys (2015)

Reading order

The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.

  1. The Bad Guys

    Novel

    The Bad Guys is the book that opens the Bad Guys series, written by Aaron Blabey, published in 2015 at 144 pages. It's followed here by The Bad Guys in Mission Unpluckable. Publication years reflect the original Australian edition; US editions typically followed roughly a year later.

    View book

  2. The Bad Guys in Mission Unpluckable

    Novel

    The Bad Guys in Mission Unpluckable is the 2nd book in the Bad Guys series, written by Aaron Blabey, published in 2015. It follows The Bad Guys and precedes The Bad Guys in the Furball Strikes Back in the reading order.

    View book

  3. The Bad Guys in the Furball Strikes Back

    Novel

    The Bad Guys in the Furball Strikes Back is the 3rd book in the Bad Guys series, written by Aaron Blabey, published in 2016 at 138 pages. In the reading order it follows The Bad Guys in Mission Unpluckable and precedes The Bad Guys in Attack of the Zittens.

    View book

  4. The Bad Guys in Attack of the Zittens

    Novel

    The Bad Guys in Attack of the Zittens is the 4th book in the Bad Guys series, written by Aaron Blabey, published in 2016 at 144 pages. It follows The Bad Guys in the Furball Strikes Back and precedes The Bad Guys in Intergalactic Gas in the reading order.

    View book

  5. The Bad Guys in Intergalactic Gas

    Novel

    The Bad Guys in Intergalactic Gas is the 5th book in the Bad Guys series, written by Aaron Blabey, published in 2017 at 137 pages. It follows The Bad Guys in Attack of the Zittens and precedes The Bad Guys in Alien vs Bad Guys in the reading order.

    View book

  6. The Bad Guys in Alien vs Bad Guys

    Novel

    The Bad Guys in Alien vs Bad Guys is the 6th book in the Bad Guys series, written by Aaron Blabey, published in 2017. In the reading order it follows The Bad Guys in Intergalactic Gas and precedes The Bad Guys in Do-You-Think-He-Saurus?!.

    View book

  7. The Bad Guys in Do-You-Think-He-Saurus?!

    Novel

    The Bad Guys in Do-You-Think-He-Saurus?! is the 7th book in the Bad Guys series, written by Aaron Blabey, published in 2018. In the reading order it follows The Bad Guys in Alien vs Bad Guys and precedes The Bad Guys in Superbad.

    View book

  8. The Bad Guys in Superbad

    Novel

    The Bad Guys in Superbad is the 8th book in the Bad Guys series, written by Aaron Blabey, published in 2018 at 141 pages. It follows The Bad Guys in Do-You-Think-He-Saurus?! and precedes The Bad Guys in the Big Bad Wolf in the reading order.

    View book

  9. The Bad Guys in the Big Bad Wolf

    Novel

    The Bad Guys in the Big Bad Wolf is the 9th book in the Bad Guys series, written by Aaron Blabey, published in 2019. In the reading order it follows The Bad Guys in Superbad and precedes The Bad Guys in the Baddest Day Ever.

    View book

  10. The Bad Guys in the Baddest Day Ever

    Novel

    The Bad Guys in the Baddest Day Ever is the 10th book in the Bad Guys series, written by Aaron Blabey, published in 2019. In the reading order it follows The Bad Guys in the Big Bad Wolf and precedes The Bad Guys in Dawn of the Underlord.

    View book

  11. The Bad Guys in Dawn of the Underlord

    Novel

    The Bad Guys in Dawn of the Underlord is the 11th book in the Bad Guys series, written by Aaron Blabey, published in 2020 at 192 pages. In the reading order it follows The Bad Guys in the Baddest Day Ever and precedes The Bad Guys in the One?!.

    View book

  12. The Bad Guys in the One?!

    Novel

    The Bad Guys in the One?! is the 12th book in the Bad Guys series, written by Aaron Blabey, published in 2020. It follows The Bad Guys in Dawn of the Underlord and precedes The Bad Guys in Cut to the Chase in the reading order.

    View book

  13. The Bad Guys in Cut to the Chase

    Novel

    The Bad Guys in Cut to the Chase is the 13th book in the Bad Guys series, written by Aaron Blabey, published in 2021 at 192 pages. In the reading order it follows The Bad Guys in the One?! and precedes The Bad Guys: They're Bee-Hind You!.

    View book

  14. The Bad Guys: They're Bee-Hind You!

    Novel

    The Bad Guys: They're Bee-Hind You! is the 14th book in the Bad Guys series, written by Aaron Blabey, published in 2021 at 144 pages. It follows The Bad Guys in Cut to the Chase and precedes The Bad Guys in Open Wide and Say Arrrgh! in the reading order.

    View book

  15. The Bad Guys in Open Wide and Say Arrrgh!

    Novel

    The Bad Guys in Open Wide and Say Arrrgh! is the 15th book in the Bad Guys series, written by Aaron Blabey, published in 2022. It follows The Bad Guys: They're Bee-Hind You! and precedes The Bad Guys in the Others?! in the reading order.

    View book

  16. The Bad Guys in the Others?!

    Novel

    The Bad Guys in the Others?! is the 16th book in the Bad Guys series, written by Aaron Blabey, published in 2022. In the reading order it follows The Bad Guys in Open Wide and Say Arrrgh! and precedes The Bad Guys in Let the Games Begin!.

    View book

  17. The Bad Guys in Let the Games Begin!

    Novel

    The Bad Guys in Let the Games Begin! is the 17th book in the Bad Guys series, written by Aaron Blabey, published in 2023. It follows The Bad Guys in the Others?! and precedes The Bad Guys in Look Who's Talking in the reading order.

    View book

  18. The Bad Guys in Look Who's Talking

    Novel

    The Bad Guys in Look Who's Talking is the 18th book in the Bad Guys series, written by Aaron Blabey, published in 2023. In the reading order it follows The Bad Guys in Let the Games Begin! and precedes The Bad Guys in the Serpent and the Beast.

    View book

  19. The Bad Guys in the Serpent and the Beast

    Novel

    The Bad Guys in the Serpent and the Beast is the 19th book in the Bad Guys series, written by Aaron Blabey, published in 2024. In the reading order it follows The Bad Guys in Look Who's Talking and precedes The Bad Guys in One Last Thing.

    View book

  20. The Bad Guys in One Last Thing

    Novel

    The Bad Guys in One Last Thing is the 20th book in the Bad Guys series, written by Aaron Blabey, published in 2024. It follows The Bad Guys in the Serpent and the Beast and is the final book in the series as tracked here.

    View book

About The Bad Guys

Mr. Wolf has spent his whole life being feared on sight, so he recruits fellow "scary" animals -- Mr. Snake, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Shark -- into a gang with an unlikely mission: doing good deeds to prove that bad-looking guys can be good guys too. It rarely goes to plan. Each fast-moving, mostly-dialogue graphic novel sends the gang on a chaotic heist-shaped rescue mission -- breaking into a pound to free shelter dogs, infiltrating a chicken farm, going undercover in outer space -- that inevitably spirals into slapstick disaster before landing, somehow, on the right side of good.

Aaron Blabey writes the whole thing as pure high-energy comedy: snappy back-and-forth banter, cliffhanger chapter breaks, and simple black-and-white cartoon art that reads almost like a storyboard, which makes it exceptionally friendly to younger and reluctant readers who find denser illustrated novels intimidating. Underneath the jokes is a consistent, gentle theme about first impressions being wrong and about choosing who you want to be rather than accepting the reputation you were given.

The series became a global hit and the basis of the 2022 DreamWorks animated film, and it remains one of the most reliable "gets kids reading" recommendations for the 6-10 age range, thanks to its speed, humor, and low barrier to entry.

Frequently asked questions

How many Bad Guys books are there?

20 books, published between 2015/2016 and 2024. The series is complete.

What order should I read The Bad Guys in?

Publication order, starting with The Bad Guys. The missions form one continuous, escalating story, so reading in order matters.

Is The Bad Guys finished?

Yes, the series concluded with Episode 20, One Last Thing, in 2024.

Is The Bad Guys the same story as the movie?

The 2022 DreamWorks film adapts and remixes material mainly from the earlier books rather than filming any single volume directly.

What age group is The Bad Guys good for?

Roughly ages 6-10; the low text density and comic-panel art make it especially friendly to reluctant and younger readers.

Reading order last verified .