James Preller

Author Information
James Preller's Latest Book

Newest Release

  • Bibliography:
    87 Books (5 Series)
  • First Book:
    August 1902
  • Latest Book:
    September 2024
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Full Series List in Order

The Big Idea Gang

1 - The Worst Mascot Ever (Jan-2019)
2 - Everybody Needs a Buddy (Jan-2019)
3 - Bee the Change (Aug-2019)

Exit 13

1 - The Whispering Pines (Feb-2023)
2 - The Spaces Between (Aug-2023)
3 - The Spaces In Between (Aug-2023)

Jigsaw Jones

1 - Case of Hermie the Missing Hamster (Sep-1998)
2 - Case of the Christmas Snowman (Nov-1998)
3 - Case of the Secret Valentine (Jan-1999)
4 - Case of the Spooky Sleepover (Mar-1999)
5 - Case of the Stolen Baseball Cards (Jul-1999)
6 - Case of the Mummy Mystery (Sep-1999)
7 - Case of the Runaway Dog (Nov-1999)
8 - Case of the Great Sled Race (Jan-2000)
9 - Case of the Stinky Science Project (Mar-2000)
10 - Case of the Ghostwriter (May-2000)
11 - Case of the Marshmallow Monster (Mar-2001)
12 - Case of the Class Clown (Mar-2001)
13 - Case of the Detective in Disguise (May-2001)
14 - Case of the Bicycle Bandit (Jun-2001)
15 - Case of the Haunted Scarecrow (Sep-2001)
16 - Case of the Sneaker Sneaker (Nov-2001)
17 - Case of the Disappearing Dinosaur (Mar-2002)
18 - Case of the Bear Scare (Jun-2002)
19 - Case of the Golden Key (Aug-1902)
20 - Case of the Race Against Time (Feb-2003)
21 - Case of the Rainy-Day Mystery (May-2003)
22 - Case of the Best Pet Ever (Oct-2003)
23 - Case of the Perfect Prank (May-2004)
24 - Case of the Glow-in-the-dark Ghost (Aug-2004)
25 - Case of the Vanishing Painting (Oct-2004)
26 - Case of the Double-Trouble Detective (Feb-2005)
27 - Case of the Frog-jumping Contest (May-2005)
28 - Case of the Food Fight (Sep-2005)
29 - Case of the Snowboarding Superstar (Jan-2006)
30 - Case of the Kidnapped Candy (Jan-2007)
31 - Case of the Spoiled Rotten Spy (Apr-2007)
32 - Case of the Groaning Ghost (Aug-2007)
33 - The Case from Outer Space (Aug-2017)
34 - The Case of the Hat Burglar (Aug-2019)

Jigsaw Jones Super Special

1 - Case of the Buried Treasure (Jan-2002)
2 - Case of the Million Dollar Mystery (Nov-2002)
3 - Case of the Missing Falcon (Jan-2004)
4 - Case of the Santa Claus Mystery (Oct-2006)
5 - Case of the Four-Leaf Clover ()
6 - Case of the Wild Turkey Chase (2008)

Scary Tales

1 - Home Sweet Horror (Jul-2013)
2 - I Scream, You Scream! (Jul-2013)
3 - Good Night, Zombie (Oct-2013)
4 - Nightmareland (Jun-2014)
5 - One-Eyed Doll (Sep-2014)
6 - Swamp Monster (Jul-2015)

Book List in Order: 87 titles

  • Case of the Golden Key

    Jigsaw Jones - 19

    Creepy attics, cobwebs, creaky floors...top detective Jigsaw Jones has seen it all. So when the new boy in town finds an old key hidden in his house, Jigsaw is ready to solve the mystery. But the clues are stacked against him. Will the key lead Jigsa...

  • Maxx Trax II

  • The Fox and the Hound

  • Pee-Wee and the Circus

    More than anything, Pee-Wee wants to join the circus! But what can he do? He tries everything - the trapeze, the sideshow, even the cannon - but nothing works out right. Poor Pee-Wee! Will he ever make it into the circus?...

  • Wake Me in Spring

  • Hiccups for Elephant

  • In Search of the Real Tasmanian Devil

  • Bugs Bunny in Space

  • Space Jam

    Refusing to take their abduction by aliens lying down, Bugs Bunny challenges the aliens to a game of basketball that will determine the freedom of the Looney Tunes, and he enlists the help of Michael Jordan. Original. Movie tie-in....



  • NBA Book of Big and Little

  • Cardinal and Sunflower

    On a winters day, a mother and child take a stroll through the park, tossing sunflower seeds along the way. Unbeknownst to them, these seeds start an entire cycle of life around them. One stray seed sprouts into a sunflower, while a pair of cardinals...

  • Godzilla: A Storybook

  • Case of Hermie the Missing Hamster

    Jigsaw Jones - 1

    Wingnut's hamster is missing! Jigsaw and his partner, Mila, are on the case. They are searching for clues and piecing together the mystery. This is a job for Jigsaw Jones, Private Eye....

  • Case of the Christmas Snowman

    Jigsaw Jones - 2

    Lucy is in trouble. She gave her father's rare coin to Bigs Maloney. Now the coin is missing! Jigsaw and Mila are on the hunt for clues. This is a real cool mystery with a few snowy suspects! Jigsaw puzzles are like mysteries -- you've got to look...

  • Case of the Secret Valentine

    Jigsaw Jones - 3

    Someone is secretly sending Jigsaw valentines. When Jigsaw thinks about each valentine as a clue, the case starts come together. It's a red-hot mystery for Jigsaw and Mila, the best detectives in the second grade. Jigsaw puzzles are like mysteries...

  • Case of the Spooky Sleepover

    Jigsaw Jones - 4

    Jigsaw Jones is no fraidy-cat detective. When Ralphie Jordan thinks his house is haunted, Jigsaw takes the case. The only way to trap the ghost is for Jigsaw to spend the night. With Mila's help, the clues are pieced together to tell a story... a spo...

  • Case of the Stolen Baseball Cards

    Jigsaw Jones - 5

    Yeesh! Eddie brought his baseball cards to school and now they are missing. It's time for Jigsaw to step up to the plate. He's no rookie detective! Solving this case is sure to send Jigsaw and Mila straight to the Detectives' Hall of Fame....

  • Case of the Mummy Mystery

    Jigsaw Jones - 6

    Detective Jigsaw Jones and his friend, Mila, have a new case to solve after they happen upon a genuine mummy at the class Halloween party. Original....

  • Case of the Runaway Dog

    Jigsaw Jones - 7

    It's almost Thanksgiving. But Jigsaw isn't feeling thankful. His dog, Rags, is missing. Did Rags wander off, or was he dog-napped? Great detectives don't solve mysteries by lying around. Jigsaw and Mila are sniffing out clues. And they won't stop unt...



  • The Case of the Stolen Baseball Card

  • Case of the Great Sled Race

    Jigsaw Jones - 8

    Let it snow! When it snows, there's sledding, snowballs, and snow days! But things get frosty when someone steals Bigs Maloney's sled two days before the great sled race. Jigsaw and Mila are on the case. They need to keep Bigs cool and find his sled....

  • The NBA Book of Opposites

  • Case of the Stinky Science Project

    Jigsaw Jones - 9

    Bobby Solofsky fooled Sally-Ann with a phony magic trick. It was a rotten trick. But that's not all that stinks. Something smelly is spoiling science time in Ms. Gleason's class. Gould Bobby be the culprit? Jigsaw and Mila are hot on the case....

  • Case of the Ghostwriter

    Jigsaw Jones - 10

    A surprise author is coming to Ms. Gleason's class! It's a real mystery. Ms. Gleason won't say the name of the writer. Some kids think it might be a ghostwriter! The class hires detectives Jigsaw and Mila to solve the case. They are on the trail of t...

  • Case of the Class Clown

    Jigsaw Jones - 12

    Athena Parker has been slimed! And she doesn''t think it''s funny. Someone in Ms. Gleason''s class is playing practical jokes. And it''s up to Jigsaw and Mila to catch the clown. This could be their stickiest case yet....

  • Case of the Marshmallow Monster

    Jigsaw Jones - 11

    Jigsaw is excited about a camping trip with his friends. No school. No detective work. But a full moon and a campfire story about a lake creature get Jigsaw back to business. Danika is sure a Marshmallow Monster is haunting the lake. Jigsaw and Mila ...

  • Case of the Detective in Disguise

    Jigsaw Jones - 13

    Someone is stealing brownies from Mike and Mary¹s sandwich shop. Jigsaw is piecing together the clues‹one crumb at a time. But no one is going to snatch a brownie while a detective is watching. Time for Jigsaw to go undercover and catch this brown...

  • Case of the Bicycle Bandit

    Jigsaw Jones - 14

    Someone stole Ralphie Jordan's rusty old bicycle. Jigsaw and Mila hit the trail to track down the thief. But one piece of the puzzle doesn't fit. Who would take a hand-me-down bike? Solving this case is an uphill ride for ace detectives Jigsaw and Mi...

  • Case of the Haunted Scarecrow

    Jigsaw Jones - 15

    When Jigsaw takes a new case, he becomes the key witness. But he can't believe his eyes. Scarecrows don't walk, do they? It's a case of private eye turned eyewitness. And it's got Jigsaw and Mila scared silly. Jigsaw puzzles are like mysteries -- ...



  • Case of the Sneaker Sneaker

    Jigsaw Jones - 16

    James Preller's wry, witty, Jigsaw Jones chapter book mysteries are once again available to inspire the next generation of young readers, featuring both new titles and classroom classics!The Case of the Smelly SneakerIt's girls versus boys in the big...

  • Case of the Buried Treasure

    Jigsaw Jones Super Special - 1

    Featuring friendship, school, family, and a diverse community, these early illustrated chapter books from James Preller have it all. Got a mystery to solve? Jigsaw Jones is on the case. When Bigs Maloney finds a cryptic note in room 201 that supposed...

  • Case of the Disappearing Dinosaur

    Jigsaw Jones - 17

    Now you see it, now you don't! Danikia is doing a magic act at Big's birthday party. For her biggest trick, she makes Big's favorite toy disappear. Poof! It's gone! But where did it go? Even Danikia doesn't know! Time for Jigsaw and Mila to use their...

  • Case of the Bear Scare

    Jigsaw Jones - 18

    Featuring friendship, school, family, and a diverse community, these early illustrated chapter book Jigsaw Jones Mysteries from James Preller have it all.Is there a bear loose in the woods by Jigsaw Jones' town? For once this second-grade detective a...

  • Case of the Million Dollar Mystery

    Jigsaw Jones Super Special - 2

    Top Secret The Detective Journal of Jigsaw Jones, Private Eye Case: The Case of the Million-Dollar My$tery Client: Eddie Becker Show him the money! Jigsaw's class is learning about inventions, and Eddie Becker thinks he has a million-dollar idea....

  • Case of the Race Against Time

    Jigsaw Jones - 20

    Jigsaw is in big-time trouble! For a dollar a day, Jigsaw and Mila make problems go away. But now Jigsaw has some trouble of his own. He lost his grandfather's watch! Can Jigsaw and Mila find the watch before time runs out?...

  • Case of the Rainy-Day Mystery

    Jigsaw Jones - 21

    Jigsaw Jones is a, puzzle fanatic detective who deals with all kinds of cases. He knows that mysteries are like jigsaw puzzles--you've got to look at all the pieces to solve the case.

    Missing hamsters, lost coins, haunted houses...Jigsaw Jones...

  • Case of the Best Pet Ever

    Jigsaw Jones - 22

    Featuring friendship, school, family, and a diverse community, these early illustrated chapter books from James Preller have it all.Got a mystery to solve? Jigsaw Jones is on the case. When Bobby Solofsky is accused of stealing the grand prize for a ...

  • Case of the Missing Falcon

    Jigsaw Jones Super Special - 3

    Jigsaw and Mila's new case is totally tricky! Elana Wonderly "accidentally" sold her brother's favorite falcon statue at a garage sale. And she's hired Jigsaw and Mila to get it back. But there's more to little Miss Wonderly than meets the eye. Can J...

  • Case of the Perfect Prank

    Jigsaw Jones - 23

    Looking for intriguing mysteries, great friendship stories, and quality early chapter books for beginning readers? Look no further: Jigsaw and Mila are the BEST elementary detectives on the market!

    Mysteries are like jigsaw puzzles...you've go...



  • Case of the Glow-in-the-dark Ghost

    Jigsaw Jones - 24

    James Preller's wry, witty, Jigsaw Jones chapter book mysteries are once again available to inspire the next generation of young readers, featuring both new titles and classroom classics!The Case of the Glow-in-the-Dark GhostGlow-in-the-dark footprin...

  • Case of the Vanishing Painting

    Jigsaw Jones - 25

    Featuring friendship, school, family, and a diverse community, these early illustrated chapter book Jigsaw Jones Mysteries from James Preller have it all.It's the biggest -- okay the most stressful -- night of the year . . . Parents' Night! And Geeth...

  • Case of the Double-Trouble Detective

    Jigsaw Jones - 26

    Jigsaw Jones is the best detective around. Until his friend Reggie becomes a super spy! Reggie uses cool spy toys like night vision goggles to solve mysteries. But toys don't make the detective. It's time for a showdown. May the best detective win! ...

  • Case of the Frog-jumping Contest

    Jigsaw Jones - 27

    RRRRRib-bit! Jigsaw and his friend Stringbean are in a frog-jumping contest. The frog with the longest jump wins. It's grrr-eat... until the champion frog disappears! Jigsaw is only a hop, skip, and a jump away from catching the frog-napper. But then...

  • Case of the Food Fight

    Jigsaw Jones - 28

    Looking for intriguing mysteries, great friendship stories, and quality chapter books for beginning readers? Look no further: Jigsaw and Mila are the best detectives on the market!

    FOOD FIGHT! When someone starts a food fight in the school caf...

  • Case of the Snowboarding Superstar

    Jigsaw Jones - 29

    Swish! Swoosh! Shush! Jigsaw and his family bond during a wintry weekend getaway complete with snowboarding and sledding -- but a real detective, like Jigsaw Jones, is never truly off-duty. When trouble hits the slopes, Jigsaw gears up to solve a pu...

  • Jigsw Jones' Detective Tips

    • / General Fiction
    • Buy Buy

  • Case of the Santa Claus Mystery

    Jigsaw Jones Super Special - 4

    Ho, ho, ho! Jigsaw and Mila are pros at cracking tough cases. But this time, Sally Ann Simms wants to meet Santa Claus, and she won't take no for an answer. Now Jigsaw has to pull even more detective skills from his bag of goodies. Can he and Mila se...

  • Case of the Kidnapped Candy

    Jigsaw Jones - 30

    This case is no sweet treat! It’s almost Valentine's Day, and Ms.Gleason's class is writing poems about all the things they love: pets, practical jokes, surprises, and candy! But then the class's Valentine's Day candy stash disappears. There's more...

  • Case of the Spoiled Rotten Spy

    Jigsaw Jones - 31

    Lights, camera -- disaster! The coolest show on TV, Spy Guy, is filming an episode in Jigsaw's town. When Jigsaw lands a role as an extra, he gets to go behind the scenes. He even meets Chase Jackson, the show's spoiled star, who plays a junior spy. ...



  • Case of the Groaning Ghost

    Jigsaw Jones - 32

    Got a mystery to solve? Who you gonna call? Jigsaw Jones! But not this time. When ghosts start haunting Jigsaw's classmates close to Halloween, there's a new ghost-buster in town -- Bobby Solofsky! He's stealing Jigsaw's clients right and left. N...

  • Ghost Cat and Other Spooky Tales

    A new collection of spooky, funny, and mysterious short stories for young readers from popular children's author James Preller.

    A scary new house.
    A horrible monster hiding in the closet.
    An imaginary friend that does very bad things. <...

  • Case of the Wild Turkey Chase

    Jigsaw Jones Super Special - 6

    Jigsaw Jones has always been the best detective in town. But cracking one easy case after another can be a drag. This Thanksgiving, Jigsaw would be thankful for just one good mystery. Then strange notes and tricky puzzles start showing up: Solve t...

  • Six Innings

    A Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the YearA game in the life of a Little League team playing their championship game â€" and two best friends whose bond is put to the test.Two teams, six innings, one game.A lively cast of characters -- baseball...

  • Along Came Spider

    Can their friendship survive the fifth grade?Spider Stevens and Trey Cooper have lived next door to each other their entire lives. Their houses are on the odd-numbered side of Maple Street, which seems just about right. Because, well, Trey Cooper is ...

  • Mighty Casey

  • Bystander

    Eric is the new kid in seventh grade. Griffin wants to be his friend. When you're new in town, it's hard to know who to hang out with -- and who to avoid. Griffin seems cool, confident, and popular. But something isn't right about Griffin. He alwa...

  • A Pirate's Guide to First Grade

    Arr! It’s the first day of first grade, and it’s all hands on deck for a young pirate and his crew. How much trouble can they get into? What will they do at recess? And, most important, what treasure awaits them at school?...

  • Justin Fisher Declares War!

    At Spiro Agnew Elementary, the fifth graders rule the school. And class clown Justin Fisher rules them all. Or, at least, he did. Justin has always been the funniest kid in school. But this year, his new teacher isn't amused. And when Justin ge...

  • Before You Go

    The summer before his senior year, Jude (yes, he’s named after the Beatles song) gets his first job, falls in love for the first time, and starts to break away from his parents. Jude’s house is kept dark, and no one talks much -- it’s been that...

  • A Pirate's Guide to Recess

    Ahoy, mateys! It’s time for recess, and the schoolyard is teeming with young pirates ready for action. Who will rule the stormy seas of the playground? Recess has never been such an adventure!...

  • Home Sweet Horror

    Scary Tales - 1

    Welcome. Have a seat. Let us tell you a story. But be warned. Home Sweet Horror isn’t just any tale. This is a Scary Tale. Meet Liam Finn, who’s just moved into a new home with his father and sister. But this old house that seems empty, isnâ€...

  • I Scream, You Scream!

    Scary Tales - 2

    Welcome. Take a seat. Buckle up, nice and tight. We’ve got a story to tell. But be warned. I Scream, You Scream! isn’t just any tale. This is a Scary Tale, from James Preller. Meet Sam Carver, an ordinary kid with a very special ticket in her...

  • Good Night, Zombie

    Scary Tales - 3

    Welcome. Have a seat. Ignore the shambling undead outside. Let us tell you a story. But be warned. Good Night, Zombie isn’t just any tale. This is a Scary Tale. Meet Carter, Esme, and Arnold, three students accidentally locked together inside a...

  • Nightmareland

    Scary Tales - 4

    Welcome. Have a seat. The wolves will wait. Let us tell you a story. But be warned. Nightmareland isn't just any tale. This is a Scary Tale. Meet Aaron Wheeler, who just got a strange, new video game. A game that sucks Aaron right in. All alone, c...

  • One-Eyed Doll

    Scary Tales - 5

    Welcome. Have a seat. The doll will move if you ask nicely. She's got a story to tell. But be warned. "One-Eyed Doll" isn't just any tale. This is a "Scary Tale." Meet Malick Rice and his sister, Tiana. Two kids who love to hunt for hidden treasu...

  • Swamp Monster

    Scary Tales - 6

    Welcome. Pull up a chair. Don't worry about the watching eyes. Let us tell you a story. But be warned. Swamp Monster isn't just any tale. This is a Scary Tale. The brothers have been dreaming of a new pet for a while, but the monster they find in...

  • The Fall

    From James Preller, the author of Bystander, another unflinching book about bullying and its fallout. The summer before school starts, Sam's friend and classmate Morgan Mallen kills herself. Morgan had been bullied. Maybe she kissed the wrong boy....

  • The Courage Test

    Will has no choice. His father drags him along on a wilderness adventure in the footsteps of legendary explorers Lewis and Clark--whether he likes it or not. All the while, Will senses that something about this trip isn't quite right. Along the jo...

  • The Case from Outer Space

    Jigsaw Jones - 33

    Jigsaw Jones is back! Jigsaw and his crew―Mila, Joey, and Danika―find a clue that implies an alien may be about to visit their school! Can it be true? And what does the Little Free Library have that aliens from outer space might want? (Hint: T...

  • Better Off Undead

    After becoming undead, a boy tries to survive middle school. Adrian Lazarus has met with a curious fate. He’s returned from the dead (after a bad bike accident, no helmet), yet not a lot has changed. He’s always been an outcast. But it’s not...

  • Everybody Needs a Buddy

    The Big Idea Gang - 2

    The Big Idea Gang is back at it in this exciting new chapter book series on how to make a claim and back it up, by the author of Jigsaw Jones! It's pirate ship vs. buddy bench! When third-graders Deon, Kym, Lizzy, and Connor formed the Big Ide...

  • The Worst Mascot Ever

    The Big Idea Gang - 1

    Four friends put their heads together to convince their school to get a new mascot in The Big Idea Gang -- an exciting new chapter book series on how to make your claim and back it up, by the author of Jigsaw Jones! It's armadillos vs. dragons! ...

  • Bee the Change

    The Big Idea Gang - 3

    The Big Idea Gang is buzzing with excitement! They're going to show Clay Elementary just how important bees can be in this chapter book series about making a case -- and making a difference -- by the author of Jigsaw Jones. After Kym and Lizzi...

  • The Case of the Hat Burglar

    Jigsaw Jones - 34

    Jigsaw Jones is back! A brand new original mystery, The Case of the Hat Burglar is the newest installment of the Jigsaw Jones chapter book series by James Preller. Someone’s been stealing from the lost and found. But the strangest part of this m...

  • Blood Mountain

    Carter and his older sister Grace thought the hike with their dad and their dog would be uneventful. If anything, they figured it was Dad’s way of getting them off their screens for a while. But the hike on Blood Mountain turns ominous, as the s...

  • All Welcome Here

  • Upstander

    Girl bullies, internet bullying, and substance use are themes in this James Preller middle grade standalone companion to Bystander Mary O’Malley is tired of keeping secrets. Secrets like her older brother, Jonny’s, drug use. Starting seventh gra...

  • Nightmare Land

  • Fairy House

    4th Bestselling Children's Book Series of all Time —The New Yorker When you wish for your own fairy, you're a bit surprised when Bert the Below Average shows up. But there's nothing average about the magical adventures in this gamebook from the ...

  • The Whispering Pines

    Exit 13 - 1

    Welcome to the EXIT 13 Motel!Pets welcome!And don't worry, we've been waiting for you, so stay as long as you like.With black-and-white comic pages throughout, EXIT 13 is perfect for mystery and horror loving kids everywhere!The McGinns were supposed...

  • The Spaces Between

    Exit 13 - 2

    Welcome back to the EXIT 13 Motel!We are so so happy you decided to return.After all, why would you ever want to leave? IF you'd like, we can even make sure that your stay is... permanent.With black-and-white comic pages throughout, EXIT 13 is perfec...

  • The Spaces In Between

    Exit 13 - 3

    Welcome back to the EXIT 13 Motel! We are so so happy you decided to return. After all, why would you ever want to leave? If you'd like, we can even make sure that your stay is... permanent. With black-and-white comic pages throughout, EXIT 13 is per...

  • Scary Tales Bindup

    Three books in the spectacularly spooky Scary Tales series, now available in one volume!Welcome. Have a seat. These are Scary Tales.In One-Eyed Doll, meet Malick Rice and his sister, Tiana. Two kids who love to hunt for hidden treasure and are about ...

  • Shaken

    Kristy Barrett is a soccer star. She's been a star since elementary school, and now is so good that she's been told she may someday make the women's Olympic team.Everything changes in an instant, when a blow to her head during a game results in a sev...

  • Two Birds . . . and a Moose

    From award-winning author James Preller comes the first book in a Level 1 Ready-to-Read series about a moose looking for birds of a feather!Moose really wants to join two birds at the top of a tree. But how does a moose climb up a tree, and what will...

  • Case of the Four-Leaf Clover

    • / Mystery
    • Buy Buy
    Jigsaw Jones Super Special - 5

  • Jigsaw Jones Mysteries, Volume 2

    • / General Fiction
    • Buy Buy

    Missing hamsters, lost coins, haunted houses...Jigsaw Jones has seen it all before. With his top-secret detective journal, eye for detail, and ace partner Mila, Jigsaw is always ready to take each new case....

Award-Winning Books by James Preller

Home Sweet Horror
2013 Cybils -- Early Chapter Books


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

James Preller has published 87 books.

The next book by James Preller, Shaken, will be published in September 2024.

The first book by James Preller, Case of the Golden Key, was published in August 1902.

Yes. James Preller has 5 series.
Author Series
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