Mac Barnett (Jory John) Books in Order

Mac Barnett and Jory John write together the way two skilled pranksters might plan a stunt, trading ideas back and forth until something bigger and funnier than either would attempt alone. The books highlighted in this series are the ones where that partnership is front and center.

Their flagship collaboration is the Terrible Two quartet, a set of novels about Miles Murphy and Niles Sparks, sworn rivals who become best friends once they realize they share the same talent for elaborate pranks. In The Terrible Two, Miles moves to the cow obsessed town of Yawnee Valley planning to be the new school prankster, only to discover someone has already claimed the title. By the end of the book, he and Niles have joined forces and pulled off a stunt involving an entire herd of cows and a humiliated principal.

The Terrible Two Get Worse raises the stakes. A new principal, also named Barkin, takes over and decides that fun itself is the enemy. Rules tighten, punishments stiffen, and Miles and Niles have to rethink what it means to disrupt without causing real harm. Their friendship is tested as their secret work becomes riskier.

In The Terrible Two Go Wild, school lets out and the action shifts to a summer camp in the woods. The pranksters are out of their usual environment, surrounded by rigid routines and tough counselors, including their old nemesis. Here the books lean into classic camp story territory while still making room for absurd twists and carefully plotted chaos.

The final volume, The Terrible Two’s Last Laugh, finds Miles and Niles facing their last year at Yawnee Valley Science and Letters Academy. Former and current principals clash, their reputations have grown, and the question becomes what sort of farewell prank could possibly top everything that has come before. There is a little more reflection amid the jokes as the boys think about what comes after their legendary run.

Throughout the series, the collaboration between Barnett and John shows up not just in the jokes but in the pacing. Chapters often end on cliffhangers or punchlines, and the narration balances mock seriousness with genuine affection for its characters. Kevin Cornell’s illustrations underline that energy, giving the cast rubbery faces and big reactions that match the text.

This page is built for readers who already like one of these authors and are curious about what happens when they team up. It pulls their joint work into one place, explains how the books connect, and offers a clear reading path through the escalating pranks, while also pointing back toward the picture books and other series where their comedic styles first took shape.