Marcia Thornton Jones Books in Order

Marcia Thornton Jones has written 125 books, published between 1990 and 2019. The first book is Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots (1990) and the newest is Writing for Kids (2019). Publication order is the reading order below.

Books
125
Published
1990–2019
Pages on record
9,070 in 110 of 125 books
Reading time
151–227 hours

Reading time is an estimate, not a recorded figure: 9,070 pages at 300 words a page, read at 200–300 words a minute, covering the 110 of 125 titles with a page count on record.

Marcia Thornton Jones, born July 15, 1958, is an American writer of children's books and the author or co-author of more than 135 elementary chapter books, picture books and mid-grade novels. Named among them is The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids; other work was co-written with Debbie Dadey, who carries a credit on 7 of the 125 catalogued titles. The listing opens with Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots (1990) and ends with Writing for Kids (2019). Further series include Ghostville Elementary, Bailey City Monsters, Barkley's School for Dogs and Keyholders. The books are short, at a median of 75 pages, and subjects name monsters, ghosts, teachers and humorous stories.

Source: Wikidata

How many Marcia Thornton Jones books are there?

Marcia Thornton Jones has 125 books, released between 1990 and 2019. They include 8 series and 15 titles listed outside any series.

Marcia Thornton Jones Books in Publication Order

The table lists all 125 Marcia Thornton Jones 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 November 2026.

  1. 1
    Vampires Don't Wear Polka DotsAdventures of the Bailey School Kids #11990 · 78 pages · confirmed 2/4
    199078
  2. 2
    Werewolves Don't Go to Summer CampAdventures of the Bailey School Kids #21991 · 92 pages · confirmed 2/4
    199192
  3. 3
    Santa Claus Doesn't Mop FloorsAdventures of the Bailey School Kids #31991 · 70 pages · confirmed 2/4
    199170
  4. 4
    The Leprechauns Don't Play BasketballAdventures of the Bailey School Kids #41992 · 71 pages · confirmed 2/4
    199271
  5. 5
    Ghosts Don't Eat Potato ChipsAdventures of the Bailey School Kids #51992 · 67 pages · confirmed 2/4
    199267
  6. 6
    Frankenstein Doesn't Plant PetuniasAdventures of the Bailey School Kids #61993 · 57 pages · confirmed 2/4
    199357
  7. 7
    Aliens Don't Wear BracesAdventures of the Bailey School Kids #71993 · 74 pages · confirmed 2/4
    199374
  8. 81994–
  9. 9
    Genies Don't Ride BicyclesAdventures of the Bailey School Kids #81994 · 69 pages · confirmed 2/4
    199469
  10. 10
    Pirates Don't Wear Pink SunglassesAdventures of the Bailey School Kids #91994 · 80 pages · confirmed 2/4
    199480
  11. 11
    Witches Don't Do BackflipsAdventures of the Bailey School Kids #101994 · 85 pages · confirmed 2/4
    199485
  12. 12
    Skeletons Don't Play TubasAdventures of the Bailey School Kids #111994 · 80 pages · confirmed 2/4
    199480
  13. 13
    Cupid Doesn't Flip HamburgersAdventures of the Bailey School Kids #121995 · 76 pages · confirmed 2/4
    199576
  14. 14
    Gremlins Don't Chew Bubble GumAdventures of the Bailey School Kids #131995 · 80 pages · confirmed 2/4
    199580
  15. 15
    Zombies Don't Play SoccerAdventures of the Bailey School Kids #151995 · 70 pages · confirmed 2/4
    199570
  16. 16
    Dracula Doesn't Drink LemonadeAdventures of the Bailey School Kids #161995 · 71 pages · confirmed 2/4
    199571
  17. 17
    Elves Don't Wear Hard HatsAdventures of the Bailey School Kids #171995 · 70 pages · confirmed 2/4
    199570
  18. 18
    Mrs. Jeepers Is Missing!Adventures of the Bailey School Kids Super Special #11996 · 96 pages · confirmed 1/4
    199696
  19. 19
    My Mom the Frog1996 · confirmed 1/4
    1996–
  20. 21
    Triplet Trouble and the Pizza PartyTriplet Trouble #41996 · confirmed 1/4
    1996–
  21. 22
    Gargoyles Don't Drive School BusesAdventures of the Bailey School Kids #191996 · 80 pages · confirmed 2/4
    199680
  22. 23
    Wizards Don't Need ComputersAdventures of the Bailey School Kids #201996 · 63 pages · confirmed 1/4
    199663
  23. 24
    Angels Don't Know KarateAdventures of the Bailey School Kids #211996 · 67 pages · confirmed 2/4
    199667
  24. 25
    Cyclops Doesn't Roller-SkateAdventures of the Bailey School Kids #231996 · 65 pages · confirmed 2/4
    199665
  25. 26
    Shooting Star: Annie Oakley, the Legend1997 · 32 pages · confirmed 1/4
    199732
  26. 27
    The Bailey School Kids Joke BookAdventures of the Bailey School Kids Special #11997 · 74 pages · confirmed 1/4
    199774
  27. 28
    The Monsters Next DoorBailey City Monsters #11997 · 71 pages · confirmed 1/4
    199771
  28. 29
    Mrs. Jeepers' Batty VacationAdventures of the Bailey School Kids Super Special #21997 · 119 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1997119
  29. 30
    Godzilla Ate My Homework1997 · 64 pages · confirmed 1/4
    199764

Marcia Thornton Jones 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.

Adventures of the Bailey School Kids in order

42 books
  1. 1. Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots
  2. 2. Werewolves Don't Go to Summer Camp
  3. 3. Santa Claus Doesn't Mop Floors
  4. 4. The Leprechauns Don't Play Basketball
  5. 5. Ghosts Don't Eat Potato Chips
  6. 6. Frankenstein Doesn't Plant Petunias
  7. 7. Aliens Don't Wear Braces
  8. 8. Genies Don't Ride Bicycles
  9. 9. Pirates Don't Wear Pink Sunglasses
  10. 10. Witches Don't Do Backflips
  11. 11. Skeletons Don't Play Tubas
  12. 12. Cupid Doesn't Flip Hamburgers
  13. and 30 more in the table above

Ghostville Elementary in order

17 books
  1. 1. Ghost Class
  2. 2. Ghost Game
  3. 3. New Ghoul in School
  4. 4. Happy Haunting
  5. 5. Stage Fright
  6. 6. Happy Boo-Day to You!
  7. 7. Hide-and-Spook
  8. 8. Ghosts Be Gone!
  9. 9. Beware of the Blabbermouth!
  10. 10. Class Trip to the Haunted House
  11. 11. The Treasure Haunt
  12. 12. Frights, Camera, Action!
  13. and 5 more in the table above

Barkley's School for Dogs in order

10 books
  1. 2. Puppy Trouble
  2. 4. Ghost Dog
  3. 5. Snow Day
  4. 6. Blue-Ribbon Blues
  5. 7. Santa Dog
  6. 8. Sticks and Stones and Doggie Bones
  7. 9. Buried Treasure
  8. 10. Tattle Tails
  9. 11. Puppy Love
  10. 12. Puppies on Parade

Bailey City Monsters in order

9 books
  1. 1. The Monsters Next Door
  2. 2. Vampire Trouble
  3. 3. Kilmer's Pet Monster
  4. 4. Howling at the Hauntlys'
  5. 5. Double Trouble Monsters
  6. 6. Spooky Spells
  7. 7. Vampire Baby
  8. 8. Snow Monster Mystery
  9. 9. Happy Boo Day

Bailey School Kids Jr. Chapter Books in order

9 books
  1. 1. Reindeer Do Wear Striped Underwear
  2. 2. Ghosts Do Splash in Puddles
  3. 3. Pirates Do Ride Scooters
  4. 4. Wizards Do Roast Turkeys
  5. 5. Dragons Do Eat Homework
  6. 6. Cupid Does Eat Chocolate Colored Snails
  7. 7. Vampires Do Hunt Marshmallow Bunnies
  8. 8. Cavemen Do Drive School Buses
  9. 9. Snow Monsters Do Drink Hot Chocolate

Adventures of the Bailey School Kids Super Special in order

7 books
  1. 1. Mrs. Jeepers Is Missing!
  2. 2. Mrs. Jeepers' Batty Vacation
  3. 3. Mrs. Jeepers' Secret Cave
  4. 4. Mrs. Jeepers in Outer Space
  5. 5. Mrs. Jeepers' Monster Class Trip
  6. 6. Mrs. Jeepers on Vampire Island
  7. 7. Mrs. Jeepers' Scariest Halloween Ever

Adventures of the Bailey School Kids Special in order

6 books
  1. 1. The Bailey School Kids Joke Book
  2. 2. Swamp Monsters Don't Chase Wild Turkeys
  3. 3. Aliens Don't Carve Jack-O'-Lanterns
  4. 4. Mrs. Claus Doesn't Climb Telephone Poles
  5. 5. Leprechauns Don't Play Fetch
  6. 6. Ogres Don't Hunt Easter Eggs

Keyholders in order

4 books
  1. 1. The Wrong Side Of Magic
  2. 2. The Other Side Of Magic
  3. 3. This Side Of Magic
  4. 4. Inside The Magic

Triplet Trouble in order

4 books
  1. 3. Triplet Trouble and the Cookie Contest
  2. 4. Triplet Trouble and the Pizza Party
  3. 7. Triplet Trouble and the Bicycle Race
  4. 8. Triplet Trouble and the Field Day Disaster

Bailey City Monsters Super Special in order

1 book
  1. 1. The Hauntlys' Hairy Surprise

Swamp Monster in the Third Grade in order

1 book
  1. 1. Swamp Monster In The Third Grade

Standalone books

15 books

15 Marcia Thornton Jones titles here are not listed as part of any series.

Do you have to read Marcia Thornton Jones books in order?

You only need to read Marcia Thornton Jones books in order within each series: the books listed here span 8 separate series, and each series has its own publication order.

Where to start with Marcia Thornton Jones

Start with Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots (1990), the earliest published title.

What is the newest Marcia Thornton Jones book?

Writing for Kids (2019) is the newest Marcia Thornton Jones book released so far.

Is there a new Marcia Thornton Jones book coming?

No next Marcia Thornton Jones book is announced in the catalogue, which is a gap in the listings it merges rather than a sign that the run has ended.

Marcia Thornton Jones at a glance

No recent titles
The newest Marcia Thornton Jones title on record dates from 2019, 7 years ago. No later title is catalogued.
Release pace
Marcia Thornton Jones books have appeared more than one a year on average.
Length
9,070 pages across the 110 of 125 books with a recorded length, a median of 75 pages each.
Busiest decade
Most Marcia Thornton Jones books, 67 of 125, were published in the 2000s.

When Marcia Thornton Jones books were published

Publication distribution by decade, showing when Marcia Thornton Jones titles appeared. 2000s was the most productive decade with 67 titles.

1990s
55
2000s
67
2010s
3

125 books total across 3 decades. Decade reflects the year each title was first catalogued.

What the Marcia Thornton Jones books are about

117 of the 125 Marcia Thornton Jones 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 81 of 117. The subjects are cataloguers’ headings, not a plot summary.