Order of Book Series
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Jill Paton Walsh Books in Order

Jill Paton Walsh has written 48 books, published between 1965 and 2013. The first book is Wordhoard: Anglo-Saxon Stories (1965) and the newest is The Late Scholar (2013). Publication order is the reading order below.

Books
48
Published
1965–2013
Confirmed
4 of 48 titles
Pages on record
5,612 in 40 of 48 books
Reading time
94–140 hours

Reading time is an estimate, not a recorded figure: 5,612 pages at 300 words a page, read at 200–300 words a minute, covering the 40 of 48 titles with a page count on record.

See all 48 books in order Printable Jill Paton Walsh checklist

Jill Paton Walsh, 1937 to 2020, was an English novelist and children's writer, born Gillian Bliss and later Baroness Hemingford. Knowledge of Angels, nominated for the Booker Prize, stands among the best known of the work, along with the Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane mysteries that continued Dorothy L. Sayers's series. The Imogen Quy mysteries follow, with the University of Cambridge among the catalogued subjects, beside a long run of children's fiction on history and the Second World War. The catalogue lists 48 titles dated 1965 to 2013, opening with Wordhoard: Anglo-Saxon Stories (1965) and taking in Fireweed (1969), The Dolphin Crossing (1970), Goldengrove (1972) and The Emperor's Winding Sheet (1974). The Late Scholar (2013) is the last catalogued title.

How many Jill Paton Walsh books are there?

Jill Paton Walsh has 48 books, released between 1965 and 2013. They include 4 series and 24 titles listed outside any series.

Jill Paton Walsh Books in Publication Order

The table lists all 48 Jill Paton Walsh books in the order they were published, with the release year, the page count where one is on record, and how many independent book listings confirm each title. Catalogue data as of September 2026.

  1. Cover of Hengest's Tale by Jill Paton Walsh (1966)
  2. Cover of Toolmaker by Jill Paton Walsh, book 2 of the Chap series (1974)
  3. Cover of The Emperor's Winding Sheet by Jill Paton Walsh (1974)
  4. Cover of The Island Sunrise: Prehistoric Britain by Jill Paton Walsh (1975)
  5. Cover of The Butty Boy / The Huffler by Jill Paton Walsh (1975)
  6. Cover of Unleaving by Jill Paton Walsh, book 2 of the Goldengrove series (1976)
  7. Cover of Crossing to Salamis by Jill Paton Walsh, book 3 of the Chap series (1977)
  8. Cover of Persian Gold by Jill Paton Walsh, book 4 of the Chap series (1978)
  9. Cover of A Chance Child by Jill Paton Walsh (1978)
  10. Cover of Children of the Fox by Jill Paton Walsh (1978)
  11. Cover of The Green Book / Shine by Jill Paton Walsh, book 5 of the Chap series (1982)
  12. Cover of A Parcel of Patterns by Jill Paton Walsh (1983)
  13. Cover of Gaffer Samson's Luck by Jill Paton Walsh, book 7 of the Chap series (1985)
  14. Cover of Lost and Found by Jill Paton Walsh (1985)
  15. Cover of Five Tides by Jill Paton Walsh, book 8 of the Chap series (1986)
  16. Cover of Lapsing by Jill Paton Walsh (1986)
  17. Cover of Torch by Jill Paton Walsh (1988)
  18. Cover of Birdy and the Ghosties by Jill Paton Walsh, book 1 of the Gripping Tales series (1989)
  19. Cover of A School for Lovers by Jill Paton Walsh (1989)
  20. Cover of Grace by Jill Paton Walsh (1991)
  21. Cover of When Grandma Came by Jill Paton Walsh (1992)
  22. Cover of Can I Play Queenie? by Jill Paton Walsh, book 11 of the Chap series (1992)
  23. Cover of The Wyndham Case by Jill Paton Walsh, book 1 of the Imogen Quy series (1993)
  24. Cover of Matthew and the Sea Singer by Jill Paton Walsh, book 12 of the Chap series (1993)
  1. 1
    Wordhoard: Anglo-Saxon Stories1965 · confirmed 2/4
    1965–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  2. 2
    Hengest's Tale1966 · 142 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1966142
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  3. 3
    Fireweed1969 · 208 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1969208
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  4. 4
    The Dolphin Crossing1970 · 133 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1970133
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  5. 5
    GoldengroveGoldengrove #11972 · 189 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1972189
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  6. 6
    Farewell, Great King1972 · confirmed 2/4
    1972–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  7. 7
    The DawnstoneChap #11973 · confirmed 2/4
    1973–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  8. 8
    ToolmakerChap #21974 · 45 pages · confirmed 2/4
    197445
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  9. 9
    The Emperor's Winding Sheet1974 · confirmed 2/4
    1974–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  10. 10
    The Island Sunrise: Prehistoric Britain1975 · 128 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1975128
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  11. 11
    The Butty Boy / The Huffler1975 · 130 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1975130
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  12. 12
    UnleavingGoldengrove #21976 · 145 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1976145
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  13. 13
    Crossing to SalamisChap #31977 · 43 pages · confirmed 2/4
    197743
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  14. 14
    The Walls of Athens1977 · 41 pages · confirmed 2/4
    197741
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  15. 15
    Persian GoldChap #41978 · 36 pages · confirmed 2/4
    197836
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  16. 16
    A Chance Child1978 · 192 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1978192
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  17. 17
    Children of the Fox1978 · 115 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1978115
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  18. 18
    The Green Book / ShineChap #51982 · 69 pages · confirmed 2/4
    198269
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  19. 19
    BabylonChap #61982 · 32 pages · confirmed 2/4
    198232
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  20. 20
    A Parcel of Patterns1983 · confirmed 2/4
    1983–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  21. 21
    Gaffer Samson's LuckChap #71985 · 128 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1985128
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  22. 22
    Lost and Found1985 · 32 pages · confirmed 2/4
    198532
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  23. 23
    Five TidesChap #81986 · 63 pages · confirmed 2/4
    198663
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  24. 24
    Lapsing1986 · 248 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1986248
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  25. 25
    Torch1988 · 175 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1988175
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  26. 26
    Birdy and the GhostiesGripping Tales #11989 · 46 pages · confirmed 2/4
    198946
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  27. 27
    A School for Lovers1989 · 201 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1989201
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  28. 28
    Grace1991 · 256 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1991256
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  29. 29
    When Grandma Came1992 · confirmed 2/4
    1992–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  30. 30
    Can I Play Jenny Jones?Chap #91992 · 32 pages · confirmed 2/4
    199232
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK

Jill Paton Walsh series in order

The series linked below has its own reading-order page.

Jill Paton Walsh books grouped by series

Each title below is a row in the publication-order table above. None of these groups has a reading-order page of its own on this site.

Chap in order

12 books
  1. 1. The Dawnstone
  2. 2. Toolmaker
  3. 3. Crossing to Salamis
  4. 4. Persian Gold
  5. 5. The Green Book / Shine
  6. 6. Babylon
  7. 7. Gaffer Samson's Luck
  8. 8. Five Tides
  9. 9. Can I Play Jenny Jones?
  10. 10. Can I Play Wolf?
  11. 11. Can I Play Queenie?
  12. 12. Matthew and the Sea Singer

Imogen Quy in order

4 books
  1. 1. The Wyndham Case
  2. 2. A Piece of Justice
  3. 3. Debts of Dishonor
  4. 4. The Bad Quarto

Goldengrove in order

2 books
  1. 1. Goldengrove
  2. 2. Unleaving

Gripping Tales in order

2 books
  1. 1. Birdy and the Ghosties
  2. 2. Thomas and the Tinners

Standalone books

24 books

24 Jill Paton Walsh titles here are not listed as part of any series.

Do you have to read Jill Paton Walsh books in order?

You only need to read Jill Paton Walsh books in order within each series: the books listed here span 4 separate series, and each series has its own publication order.

Where to start with Jill Paton Walsh

Start with Thrones, Dominations (1998), the first Lord Peter Wimsey & Harriet Vane book. The earliest catalogued title overall is Wordhoard: Anglo-Saxon Stories (1965).

What is the newest Jill Paton Walsh book?

The Late Scholar (2013) is the newest Jill Paton Walsh book released so far.

Is there a new Jill Paton Walsh book coming?

No next Jill Paton Walsh book is announced in the catalogue, which is a gap in the listings it merges rather than a sign that the run has ended.

Awards Jill Paton Walsh has won

Wikidata records 3 awards and 2 nominations for Jill Paton Walsh. Each row states whether the title won or was shortlisted, and the year the award was given.

  • Phoenix Award1998Won
  • Nestlé Children's Book Prize1995Won
  • Nestlé Children's Book Prize1984Won
  • Nestlé Children's Book Prize1995Shortlisted
  • Booker Prize1994Shortlistedfor Knowledge of Angels

Jill Paton Walsh at a glance

Died
Jill Paton Walsh died in 2020, according to Wikidata.
Last book
The newest book credited to Jill Paton Walsh on record dates from 2013.
Release pace
Jill Paton Walsh books have appeared about one a year on average.
Length
5,612 pages across the 40 of 48 books with a recorded length, a median of 129 pages each.
Busiest decade
Most Jill Paton Walsh books, 15 of 48, were published in the 1990s.

What the Jill Paton Walsh books are about

47 of the 48 Jill Paton Walsh books carry subject tags in Open Library's catalogue. The subjects below are the ones that recur across them, most frequent first: children's fiction is tagged on 25 of 47. The subjects are cataloguers’ headings, not a plot summary.