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Jigsaw Jones — by James Preller
Jigsaw Jones Series in Order: 34 books
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Case of Hermie the Missing Hamster
Book - 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....
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Case of the Christmas Snowman
Book - 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...
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Case of the Secret Valentine
Book - 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...
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Case of the Spooky Sleepover
Book - 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...
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Case of the Stolen Baseball Cards
Book - 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....
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Case of the Mummy Mystery
Book - 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....
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Case of the Runaway Dog
Book - 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...
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Case of the Great Sled Race
Book - 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....
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Case of the Stinky Science Project
Book - 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....
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Case of the Ghostwriter
Book - 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...
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Case of the Marshmallow Monster
Book - 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 ...
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Case of the Class Clown
Book - 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....
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Case of the Detective in Disguise
Book - 13
Someone is stealing brownies from Mike and Mary�s 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 browni...
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Case of the Bicycle Bandit
Book - 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...
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Case of the Haunted Scarecrow
Book - 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 -- ...
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Case of the Sneaker Sneaker
Book - 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...
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Case of the Disappearing Dinosaur
Book - 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...
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Case of the Bear Scare
Book - 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...
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Case of the Golden Key
Book - 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...
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Case of the Race Against Time
Book - 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?...
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Case of the Rainy-Day Mystery
Book - 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
Book - 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 ...
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Case of the Perfect Prank
Book - 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
Book - 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...
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Case of the Vanishing Painting
Book - 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...
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Case of the Double-Trouble Detective
Book - 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! ...
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Case of the Frog-jumping Contest
Book - 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...
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Case of the Food Fight
Book - 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
Book - 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...
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Case of the Kidnapped Candy
Book - 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 t...
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Case of the Spoiled Rotten Spy
Book - 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. ...
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Case of the Groaning Ghost
Book - 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...
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The Case from Outer Space
Book - 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...
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The Case of the Hat Burglar
Book - 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 mys...
Series Premise
The series follows Theodore "Jigsaw" Jones, a sharp second-grader who runs a detective business out of his bedroom, charging a dollar a day (plus expenses) to solve mysteries for classmates and neighbors—everything from missing pets and lost items to puzzling school incidents like vanishing homework or secret admirers. With his trusted partner Mila Yeh, Jigsaw uses logic, clues, interviews, and clever tricks (like decoding notes or spotting patterns) to crack each case, always emphasizing fair play, kindness, and learning from mistakes along the way. The stories highlight everyday childhood curiosities—friendship squabbles, holiday surprises, classroom antics, or neighborhood oddities—while teaching subtle lessons about honesty, listening, and the satisfaction of helping others.
The series is best enjoyed in publication (or chronological) order to follow the subtle growth of the characters and the natural flow of the school year across seasons and holidays. While each book stands alone as a complete, self-contained mystery with its own setup, investigation, and cheerful resolution—allowing readers to jump in anywhere without confusion—sequential reading enhances enjoyment through recurring classroom dynamics, evolving friendships, seasonal references, and occasional callbacks to past cases that add familiarity and depth; out-of-order reading works perfectly well for casual dips but misses some of the cozy continuity that makes the world feel like an ongoing school adventure.
Jigsaw Jones Series Characters
Theodore "Jigsaw" Jones anchors the series as the quick-thinking, self-assured protagonist—a second-grader with a sharp eye, a love of puzzles, and a business card that reads "Jigsaw Jones, Private Eye." Confident yet fair-minded, he narrates most stories in first person, sharing his thought process and occasional doubts, making him an engaging guide for young readers. His indispensable partner Mila Yeh is smart, observant, and level-headed—a loyal best friend who balances Jigsaw's enthusiasm with practical ideas, often providing key insights or decoding skills. The supporting cast brings the classroom to life: a diverse group of classmates with distinct personalities, such as the energetic Bigs, artistic Lucy, shy Bobby, mischievous Joey, or dramatic Athena, each contributing quirks that spark cases or add humor. Mrs. Gleason appears as the warm, understanding teacher who encourages curiosity without interfering too much. Jigsaw's family—supportive parents and siblings—offer home-base warmth, while occasional guest characters (neighbors, pets, or relatives) expand the world briefly. The ensemble feels like a real classroom: friends who tease but stick together, with emphasis on inclusion, kindness, and the fun of group dynamics.
Setting of the Jigsaw Jones Series
The stories unfold in a cozy, contemporary suburban elementary school environment, primarily in and around Jigsaw's second-grade classroom under the kind guidance of Mrs. Gleason. The school buzzes with familiar details: colorful bulletin boards, recess on the playground, art projects, show-and-tell, holiday decorations, and the hum of daily routines like lining up or passing notes. Jigsaw's detective headquarters is his bedroom at home—complete with a sign, files, and a makeshift office—while cases often spill into the neighborhood: backyards, local parks, apartment buildings, or nearby streets where kids ride bikes or play after school. The setting feels timeless yet grounded in late-20th/early-21st-century childhood— no heavy technology, just everyday objects like lunchboxes, sneakers, trading cards, or class pets that become central to mysteries. Seasonal touches add charm: snowy winters with snowman capers, spring with outdoor fun, fall with Halloween hints, summer breaks with occasional tie-ins—creating a comforting sense of the school year's rhythm that mirrors real kids' experiences.
Tone & Themes of the Jigsaw Jones Series
Preller's tone is lighthearted, funny, and reassuringly positive, striking the perfect balance for young readers between gentle suspense and zero real danger. Mysteries feel exciting yet safe—cases revolve around low-stakes kid problems like a missing hamster, a stolen lunch, or a classroom ghost rumor—never venturing into scary or mean-spirited territory. Humor shines through Jigsaw's witty narration (often delivered in first-person with a cheeky, confident voice), silly misunderstandings, playful banter with Mila, and the quirky behaviors of classmates. There's plenty of encouragement for readers to think like detectives—many books include puzzles, codes, or "clue" moments where kids can pause and guess along—paired with warm messages about friendship, fairness, and the joy of figuring things out together. Emotional beats stay gentle: a bit of worry when something's lost, brief frustration during dead ends, and always a satisfying "aha!" moment followed by celebration. Overall, the vibe is upbeat and empowering—like chatting with a clever older kid who's excited to share his detective secrets—fostering curiosity, confidence, and a love of reading without ever feeling preachy.
The Jigsaw Jones series remains a timeless favorite in early chapter-book mysteries for its clever, kid-powered sleuthing, gentle humor, and celebration of friendship and problem-solving in an everyday school world. James Preller crafts stories that spark imagination, build reading confidence, and show young readers that mysteries—and life—are best tackled with curiosity, teamwork, and a sense of fun. Perfect for budding detectives who love cracking codes, spotting clues, and cheering for fair resolutions, the series delivers consistent delight and encouragement, leaving kids eager to turn the page or start their own investigations. It's a joyful invitation to see the wonder in ordinary days and the satisfaction in helping others—one puzzle at a time.
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