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Black Lagoon Adventures — by Mike Thaler

Black Lagoon Adventures Series in Order: 28 books

  • The Class Trip from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 1

    Take a trip to the Black Lagoon! BRUSH YOUR TEETH WITH SHOE POLISH. THEN SURVIVE A RIDE WITH MR. FENDERBENDER, THE SCARY BUS DRIVER. AFTERWARD, SWAT MOSQUITOES AS LARGE AS COUNT DRACULA. FINALLY, TRY HAVING FUN WHEN YOUR TEACHER IS MEAN MRS. GREEN...

  • The Talent Show from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 2

    STAR IN THE DOOMED BLACK LAGOON! IT'S TIME FOR THE SCHOOL TALENT SHOW. TOO BAD YOUR BEST TALENT IS SQUIRTING MILK FROM YOUR NOSE. EVEN WORSE, YOUR MOM MAKES YOU TAKE PIANO LESSONS FROM SMELLY MRS. FUMBLE. AND NO ONE SAID THAT THERE WOULD BE MILLIONS...

  • The Class Election from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 3

    Be the President of the Black Lagoon! EVERYONE HAS TO RUN FOR SOMETHING IN THE CLASS ELECTION. BUT YOU'D RATHER RUN FOR YOUR LIFE! EVEN WORSE, YOU'RE RUNNING AGAINST DORIS, WHO'S BOUGHT THE WHOLE CLASS'S VOTES WITH ICE CREAM-EVEN YOUR FRIENDS. AND I...

  • The Science Fair from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 4

    Try surviving the science fair from the Black Lagoon! EVERYONE HAS TO INVENT SOMETHING FOR THE SCIENCE FAIR, BUT YOU'D RATHER INVENT A WAY TO GET OUT OF IT! YOU'RE TRYING TO DECIDE BETWEEN CLONING YOURSELF OR BUILDING A LAUGH MACHINE. BUT YOU'D BETTE...

  • The Halloween Party from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 5

    Get ready to scream, because it's Halloween! YOU'D SCREAM, TOO, IF YOU HAD NO COSTUME FOR THE SCARIEST HALLOWEEN PARTY EVER. TOO BAD YOU CAN'T JUST GO AS THE INVISIBLE MAN AND STAY AT HOME. PLUS, THERE WILL BE A TON OF MONSTERS AT THE PARTY. BETTE...

  • The Field Day from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 6

    There's just one week until field day at the Black Lagoon and Hubie is going to be ready! But getting in shape in one week is harder than he thinks -- especially when the workout kit he has seems to be for chickens. Why else would he be developing...

  • The School Carnival from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 7

    Become the carnival king of the Black Lagoon! EVERY CLASS HAS TO COME UP WITH AN IDEA FOR A BOOTH AT THE SCHOOL CARNIVAL. TOO BAD YOUR CLASS HAS CHOSEN YOUR IDEA: A DUNKING BOOTH. AND THEY WANT YOU TO BE THE ONE WHO GETS DUNKED! BOY ARE YOU SUNK--...

  • The Valentine's Day from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 8

    LOVE STRIKES IN THE BLACK LAGOON! EVERYONE HAS TO MAKE A CARD FOR VALENTINE'S DAY. AND EVEN WORSE YOU HAVE TO GIVE IT TO SOMEONE IN YOUR CLASS. PLUS, YOU CAN'T DRAW A GREEN-COLORED SQUARE OR A DINOSAUR. YOU MUST DRAW A PINK OR RED HEART OR A CUPID. ...

  • The Christmas Party from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 9

    It's time to party in the Black Lagoon! AT THE CLASS CHRISTMAS PARTY, EVERYONE HAS TO EXCHANGE GIFTS. DOESN'T SOUND TOO BAD? WELL, YOU HAVE TO GET ONE FOR A GIRL! AND YOU HAVEN'T EVEN SAVED UP THREE DOLLARS. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? TIME IS TICKI...



  • The Little League Team from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 10

    Hubie just HAS to make the Little League team this spring! But to make the team he needs a new mitt. Thankfully, his mom buys him one. Hubie practices day and night to get ready for the tryouts -- and nobody better lay their mitts on his mitt! But wi...

  • The Snow Day from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 11

    These fun-filled chapter books mix school, monsters, and common kid problems with hilarious results. You'll scream with laughter!When a blizzard hits, Hubie knowsd that doesn't mean a snow day, it means a "no day"--nothing moves, nothing happens. Aft...

  • April Fools' Day from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 12

    It's the end of March, and Hubie is struggling to prepare his pranks for the big day. The whoopee cushion, the rubber tarantula, and the fly in the ice cube just aren't good enough anymore -- not when the worst joke comes from the place he least expe...

  • Back-To-School Fright From The Black Lagoon

    Book - 13

    SUMMER VACATION IS OVER AND THAT MEANS ONE THING-BACK TO SCHOOL. FOR HUBIE, GETTING READY TO GO BACK IS WORSE THAN ACTUALLY GOING TO CLASS. HIS MOM PICKS OUT ALL THE WRONG CLOTHES, HE GETS BACK-TO-BACK SHOTS FROM HIS DOCTOR, AND THERE ARE RUMORS OF A...

  • The New Year's Eve Sleepover from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 14

    These fun-filled chapter books mix school, monsters, and common kid problems with hilarious results. You'll scream with laughter! Eric is having a New Year's Eve sleepover, but Hubie has never spent the night away from home. He's going to be in a str...

  • The Spring Dance from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 15

    These fun-filled chapter books mix school, monsters, and common kid problems with hilarious results. You'll scream with laughter!It's spring and Hubie's class is having a dance. Everyone has to go. Everyone has to dance...with girls! But Hubie has tw...

  • The Thanksgiving Day from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 16

    These fun-filled chapter books mix school, monsters, and common kid problems with hilarious results. You'll scream with laughter! November is here and Hubie's class is giving thanks for the things they enjoy most: football, turkey, and vacation. They...

  • Summer Vacation from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 17

    Going on vacation? Summer better than others. EVERYBODY LOVES THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL, BUT FEW REALIZE THE DANGERS OF THE FIRST DAY OF SUMMER. HUBIE IS BORED. WHAT CAN HE DO WITH ALL THIS FREE TIME? HIS FRIENDS ARE AWAY, MOM HAS CHORES FOR HIM, AN...

  • The Author Visit From the Black Lagoon

    Book - 18

    These fun-filled chapter books mix school, monsters, and common kid problems with hilarious results. You'll scream with laughter! A real author is coming to visit Mrs. Green's class. That means Hubie needs to read her books. But how can he pick one w...

  • St. Patrick's Day from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 19

    Go Green! It's St. Patrick's Day and Hubie needs to find something green to wear for the big class parade. Leprechauns, four-leaf clovers, pickles - how can he possibly make a decision with all these great options? He better decide quickly, becau...



  • The School Play from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 20

    Break a leg?!? MRS. GREEN ANNOUNCES THAT THE CLASS WILL BE PUTTING ON A SCHOOL PLAY. ALL THE KIDS ARE EXCITED TO AUDITION FOR "THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW" EXCEPT FOR HUBIE. THE ONLY PART THAT HE WANTS IS IN THE AUDIENCE! BUT YOU CAN'T BE FAMOUS I...

  • The 100th Day of School from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 21

    It's been 100 days already?!? HUBIE'S CLASS IS CELEBRATING THE 100TH DAY OF SCHOOL BY HAVING EACH STUDENT BRING IN 100 OF SOMETHING. BUT HUBIE HAS NO IDEA WHAT TO CHOOSE. SHOULD HE GO WITH 100 HAIRS ON HIS HEAD? 100 BASEBALL CARDS? WHAT CAN HUBIE PI...

  • The Class Picture Day from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 22

    Picture Day is here. But Hubie's hair won't stay in place, he doesn't know which pose to choose, and he can't tell which is his good side. Will Hubie be ready to say "CHEESE"? ...

  • Earth Day from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 23

    Hubie's working on an Earth Day project about water pollution, but when he learns what's happened all over the planet, he turns over a new leaf....

  • The Summer Camp from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 24

    Hubie is being sent far away to summer camp and he can't even bring his TV or computer. Will he survive his vacation?...

  • Friday the 13th from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 25

    It's Friday the 13th at the Black Lagoon Will this be Hubie's unluckiest day ever?...

  • The Big Game from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 26

    Hubie's class has to play a football game against the older kids in school. Can anything save them?...

  • The Amusement Park from the Black Lagoon

    Book - 27

    Is Hubie ready to take a ride on Galactic Disaster, Boom of Doom, and Dead Man's Drop? ...

  • The Book Report From The Black Lagoon

    This Book Report won't feel like homework! HUBIE IS VERY UNHAPPY WITH HIS LATEST ASSIGNMENT. HE HAS TO DO A REPORT ON A FULL BOOK. NOT A COMIC BOOK. NOT A PICTURE BOOK. A REAL BOOK WITH CHAPTERS! HOW IS HE EVER GOING TO GET THROUGH ALL THOSE PAGES...

Series Premise

The core premise follows Hubie Brown, a worry-prone student at Hardy Elementary School, as he dreads upcoming school activities like class trips, talent shows, science fairs, elections, holidays, and sports days. Fueled by rumors, wild stories from classmates, or his own anxious thoughts, Hubie envisions each event spiraling into catastrophe—teachers as terrifying creatures, classmates as villains, and simple tasks as life-or-death ordeals. His overactive mind conjures absurd, exaggerated horrors complete with dramatic consequences, yet when the big day arrives, everything turns out surprisingly normal (and often enjoyable), with the adults kind and supportive. Each book builds suspense through Hubie’s frantic preparations and imaginative doomsday scenarios before delivering a satisfying, feel-good resolution that pokes fun at unfounded fears.

Black Lagoon Adventures Series Reading Order

🟡 Mostly Standalone · Start Anywhere

Mostly standalone stories with recurring characters in a shared setting.

The series thrives on standalone readability—order doesn't strictly matter. Each adventure focuses on a single school event or challenge with self-contained humor, setup, and payoff. Characters remain consistent without major growth arcs or cliffhangers, so kids can jump in anywhere and still grasp Hubie's personality, his worries, and the familiar cast. That said, subtle familiarity builds if read sequentially (starting from the earliest class-trip tales onward), as recurring gags, school routines, and side characters become more enjoyable with repetition.

Explanation of reading order types



Black Lagoon Adventures Series Characters

Hubie Brown anchors every story as the anxious, imaginative protagonist—a skinny, wide-eyed kid with a knack for catastrophizing who narrates his own spiraling thoughts in first-person style. His best friends Eric and Doris provide grounding (and occasional teasing), while classmates like the boastful Randy or the know-it-all Penny add flavor to the group dynamics. Teachers and staff—Mrs. Green (the kind classroom teacher), Mr. Frank (the gruff but fair custodian), Coach Kong (the enthusiastic gym teacher), Principal Cranium, Nurse Boom, and others—appear repeatedly, always revealed as perfectly nice (if quirky) people despite Hubie's monstrous visions. Hubie's mom pops up for home scenes, offering practical advice that he often ignores in his panic. No true villains exist; the "antagonists" are Hubie's own fears and the exaggerated rumors that spark them.

Setting of the Black Lagoon Adventures Series

The setting is the everyday world of Hardy Elementary, a typical American school with classrooms, playgrounds, gym, cafeteria, auditorium, and field-trip destinations like farms, museums, or beaches. The "Black Lagoon" exists purely in Hubie's head as a metaphorical swamp of dread, contrasting sharply with the bright, mundane reality of school life. This grounded environment makes the humor hit home—readers recognize their own classrooms and activities, making the contrast between Hubie's fantasies and what actually happens even funnier.

Tone & Themes of the Black Lagoon Adventures Series

The tone is lighthearted, silly, and reassuringly funny, never venturing into genuine scariness despite the "Black Lagoon" moniker. Thaler's writing crackles with exaggeration, wordplay, and kid-relatable anxiety turned comedic gold, while Lee's illustrations—wild expressions, monstrous daydreams, and chaotic action—double the laughs on every page. It's wholesome entertainment that gently mocks overthinking while celebrating the joy of discovery. Themes highlight conquering fears through experience, the gap between imagination and reality, the normalcy hiding behind "scary" rumors, friendship amid chaos, and the idea that most grown-ups (and school events) aren't as monstrous as they seem. Underlying it all is an empowering message: facing the unknown often proves far less dreadful—and sometimes downright fun—than anticipated.

In the end, the Black Lagoon Adventures series delights as a riotous reminder that the scariest monsters are often the ones we invent ourselves. Mike Thaler and Jared Lee team up to turn school jitters into comedy gold, proving that laughter is the best antidote to worry. For young readers, these books offer giggles, comfort, and a sneaky lesson: step into the unknown, and you'll usually find it's not a lagoon of doom but a perfectly ordinary (and often awesome) day. The series leaves kids smiling, a little braver, and eager for the next "adventure" that’s sure to be way less frightening than Hubie fears.



Books in this series fall into the following genres

Age Level

Genres

Themes

People / Creatures

Click on any of the links above to see more series and books in these genres.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

There are 28 books in the Black Lagoon Adventures series.

The Black Lagoon Adventures series does not have a new book coming out soon. The latest book, The Amusement Park from the Black Lagoon (Book 27), was published in June 2014.

The first book in the Black Lagoon Adventures series, The Class Trip from the Black Lagoon, was published in January 2002.

The Black Lagoon Adventures series primarily falls into the General Fiction genre. This chapter book series was written for ages 7-10, but some older readers may still like to read these books.
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