Michael Buckley Books in Order
Explore Michael Buckley books in order, with quick summaries, series background, and easy suggestions for where to start reading.
Last updated: July 14, 2026
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Michael Buckley books in publication order
28 books
The Fairy Tale Detectives
by Michael Buckley
2005
After their parents vanish, Sabrina and Daphne Grimm are sent to Ferryport Landing, where their grandmother reveals that fairy tales are real. When giants attack, the sisters must become detectives and face their family's strange legacy.
The Unusual Suspects
by Michael Buckley
2005
Sabrina and Daphne start school in Ferryport Landing, but Sabrina's teacher is found murdered in a giant spiderweb. The sisters investigate a frightening case that pits humans and Everafters against each other.
The Problem Child
by Michael Buckley
2006
Sabrina and Daphne finally find a lead on the people who kidnapped their parents. With the Scarlet Hand and the Jabberwocky closing in, they need magic, family help, and a legendary weapon to fight back.
Magic and Other Misdemeanors
by Michael Buckley
2007
When magical objects vanish across Ferryport Landing, Sabrina and Daphne take on their first case without Granny Relda. Their investigation tangles with time travel and a grim future they are desperate to change.
Once Upon a Crime
by Michael Buckley
2007
A trip to New York City turns deadly when Puck's father, King Oberon, is murdered. Sabrina and Daphne must find the killer among the city's fairy-tale residents while confronting a painful secret about their mother.
Tales From the Hood
by Michael Buckley
2008
Mr. Canis, also known as the Big Bad Wolf, is put on trial for old crimes. Sabrina and Daphne dig into the real story of Little Red Riding Hood before their friend is condemned for good.
NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue and Defense Society
by Michael Buckley
2009
Former popular kid Jackson Jones discovers that the school's outcasts are secretly enhanced spies. When Dr. Jigsaw captures the team, Jackson, now Agent Braceface, must prove he can help save the world.
The Everafter War
by Michael Buckley
2009
The Grimm sisters' parents awaken at last, but their reunion is interrupted by war in Ferryport Landing. With the Scarlet Hand and Prince Charming's rebels fighting, the family faces betrayal and its most dangerous enemy yet.
M is for Mama's Boy
by Michael Buckley
2010
A former NERDS agent teams up with a computer genius and his overbearing mother to strip the young spies of their powers. Duncan "Gluestick" Dewey and the team must rely on courage and brains instead.
The Inside Story
by Michael Buckley
2010
Sabrina, Daphne, and Puck chase the Master into the Book of Everafter to rescue their baby brother. Moving through famous tales, they must avoid the book's guardians and stop a villain from changing destinies.
Miniature Men
by Michael Buckley
2011
A collection of adult short fiction that moves from strained family relationships to offbeat speculative scenarios. The stories include imaginative romances involving ninjas and robots, alongside smaller, uneasy moments of everyday life.
The Cheerleaders of Doom
by Michael Buckley
2011
Matilda "Wheezer" Choi must infiltrate a cheerleading squad to stop a former NERDS agent. A machine that opens doors to alternate worlds is putting reality at risk, and Matilda's disguise is not exactly comfortable.
The Sisters Grimm Ultimate Guide
by Michael Buckley
2011
This illustrated companion opens up Ferryport Landing with character files, maps, family history, case notes, and extra details about the Everafters. It is a handy guide for readers who want to spend more time in the Grimm world.
Kel Gilligan's Daredevil Stunt Show
by Michael Buckley
2012
Kel Gilligan, the Boy Without Fear, treats getting dressed, eating broccoli, and taking a bath like death-defying stunts. This interactive picture book turns ordinary childhood tasks into a loud and silly performance.
The Council of Mirrors
by Michael Buckley
2012
The final battle for Ferryport Landing begins as the Master targets the Grimm family. Sabrina and Daphne seek help from magical mirrors and unlikely allies to protect their town, their family, and the world beyond it.
The Villain Virus
by Michael Buckley
2012
A strange virus turns people in Arlington into brilliant criminal masterminds, including members of the NERDS team. Hyperactive agent Flinch must shrink down and enter a former teammate's body to destroy the infection at its source.
Attack of the BULLIES
by Michael Buckley
2013
When the president's daughter joins a rival team of enhanced agents, Ruby "Pufferfish" Peet leads NERDS into a time-travel crisis. The BULLIES plan to erase NERDS from history, one teammate at a time.
Undertow
by Michael Buckley
2015
After ocean warriors called the Alpha come ashore at Coney Island, Lyric Walker tries to hide that she is part Sirena. Assigned to teach an Alpha prince, she is drawn into a violent conflict between two worlds.
Raging Sea
by Michael Buckley
2016
Declared a terrorist after violence at Coney Island, Lyric goes on the run with Bex and Alpha warrior Arcade. Their search for Lyric's family leads toward a secret Texas facility and a widening war.
Heart of the Storm
by Michael Buckley
2017
Lyric emerges from the sea with news of a new threat more dangerous than the Rusalka or Undine. As past and present collide, she must uncover Alpha secrets and survive the final fight for humanity's future.
Lenny the Lobster Can't Stay for Dinner
by Michael Buckley
2019
Lenny the lobster arrives at a fancy dinner party with gifts and good manners, then notices the boiling pot and lobster bibs. Readers help decide whether he stays, escapes, or faces a very awkward evening.
Finn and the Intergalactic Lunchbox
by Michael Buckley
2020
Finn Foley accidentally opens a wormhole hidden in his sister's unicorn lunchbox and meets a robot from another world. With alien invaders targeting Earth, Finn, Lincoln, and Julep are pulled into a galaxy-sized fight.
Finn and the Time-Traveling Pajamas
by Michael Buckley
2021
An older Finn sends Finn, Lincoln, and Julep on a time-travel mission to fight the Paradox and locate Finn's father. Their special pajamas malfunction, sending the friends into one dangerous era after another.
Finn and the Subatomic Slip-And-Slide
by Michael Buckley
2022
After time travel rewrites the present, Finn returns to an Earth ruled by the Plague. To set things right, he and his changed friends shrink into the Subatomic world to find Finn's father and stop the invasion.
The Weirdies Get Weirder
by Michael Buckley
2022
The Weirdie triplets are settling in with Miss Emily when their supposedly dead parents return and demand them back. To keep their new family together, the children face courtrooms, fundraising, and an alarming number of raccoons.
Maybe This Is a Bit Too Weird
by Michael Buckley
2025
Barnacle, Garlic, and Melancholy search Deadeye Manor for a lost family fortune, only to wake vengeful spirits. Meanwhile, Miss Emily takes an absurdly risky path to rescue them from Mr. Weirdie and the Enchantress.
The Weirdest One of All
by Michael Buckley
2025
When Miss Emily's beloved lawyer proposes, the Weirdie triplets react badly and head out on a chaotic cross-country mission. Trouble follows them everywhere as Mr. Weirdie and the Enchantress hold Miss Emily captive.
The Weirdies
by Michael Buckley
2025
When Barnacle, Garlic, and Melancholy Weirdie are left behind at Deadeye Manor, the pampered triplets must survive without their enormous household staff. Their darkly funny misfortunes lead them toward orphanage life and a new home.
Where to start with Michael Buckley
For fairy-tale mysteries: The Fairy Tale Detectives → The Unusual Suspects → The Problem Child → Once Upon a Crime
For funny kid-spy action: NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue and Defense Society → M is for Mama's Boy → The Cheerleaders of Doom
For middle-grade science fiction: Finn and the Intergalactic Lunchbox → Finn and the Time-Traveling Pajamas → Finn and the Subatomic Slip-And-Slide
For teen dystopian adventure: Undertow → Raging Sea → Heart of the Storm
Michael Buckley sub-series and character series
Finniverse books in order
Explore this seriesNERDS books in order
Explore this series
NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue and Defense Society
by Michael Buckley
2009NERDS, Book 1
M is for Mama's Boy
by Michael Buckley
2010NERDS, Book 2
The Cheerleaders of Doom
by Michael Buckley
2011NERDS, Book 3
The Villain Virus
by Michael Buckley
2012NERDS, Book 4
Attack of the BULLIES
by Michael Buckley
2013NERDS, Book 5
NERDS books in chronological order

NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue and Defense Society
by Michael Buckley
2009NERDS, Book 1
M is for Mama's Boy
by Michael Buckley
2010NERDS, Book 2
The Cheerleaders of Doom
by Michael Buckley
2011NERDS, Book 3
The Villain Virus
by Michael Buckley
2012NERDS, Book 4
Attack of the BULLIES
by Michael Buckley
2013NERDS, Book 5
Sisters Grimm books in order
Explore this series
The Fairy Tale Detectives
by Michael Buckley
2005Sisters Grimm, Book 1
The Unusual Suspects
by Michael Buckley
2005Sisters Grimm, Book 2
The Problem Child
by Michael Buckley
2006Sisters Grimm, Book 3
Magic and Other Misdemeanors
by Michael Buckley
2007Sisters Grimm, Book 5
Once Upon a Crime
by Michael Buckley
2007Sisters Grimm, Book 4
Tales From the Hood
by Michael Buckley
2008Sisters Grimm, Book 6
The Everafter War
by Michael Buckley
2009Sisters Grimm, Book 7
The Inside Story
by Michael Buckley
2010Sisters Grimm, Book 8
The Council of Mirrors
by Michael Buckley
2012Sisters Grimm, Book 9
Sisters Grimm books in chronological order

The Fairy Tale Detectives
by Michael Buckley
2005Sisters Grimm, Book 1
The Unusual Suspects
by Michael Buckley
2005Sisters Grimm, Book 2
The Problem Child
by Michael Buckley
2006Sisters Grimm, Book 3
Once Upon a Crime
by Michael Buckley
2007Sisters Grimm, Book 4
Magic and Other Misdemeanors
by Michael Buckley
2007Sisters Grimm, Book 5
Tales From the Hood
by Michael Buckley
2008Sisters Grimm, Book 6
The Everafter War
by Michael Buckley
2009Sisters Grimm, Book 7
The Inside Story
by Michael Buckley
2010Sisters Grimm, Book 8
The Council of Mirrors
by Michael Buckley
2012Sisters Grimm, Book 9
The Weirdies books in order
Explore this seriesUndertow Trilogy books in order
Explore this seriesMichael Buckley collections, short stories, and related book types
Author bio
Michael Buckley grew up in Akron, Ohio, and came to writing by way of several jobs that sound like they belong in different lives. Before college, he tried stand-up comedy and sang in a punk band. He later attended Ohio University, graduating with honors, then moved to New York City.
His first foothold there was an internship with The Late Show with David Letterman. It led to work in television, including documentaries and programming connected with Discovery, MTV, and Nickelodeon. The work was fast, collaborative, and built around getting ideas on the page.
Comedy never really left the picture.
Buckley eventually shifted from television writing to books for young readers. His first novel, The Fairy-Tale Detectives, introduced Sabrina and Daphne Grimm, two sisters who learn that the stories collected by the Brothers Grimm were based on real people, creatures, and crimes. The book launched the long-running Sisters Grimm series, set largely in the strange town of Ferryport Landing.
The series mixes fairy-tale characters with mysteries, family trouble, and plenty of jokes. Sabrina is skeptical and quick-tempered, while younger sister Daphne is cheerful, fearless, and unusually ready to accept that giants, witches, and talking mirrors might be part of the neighborhood. Their missing parents give the adventures an emotional thread that runs through the books.
Then came spies with braces, allergies, inhalers, and other schoolyard problems turned into superpowers. In the NERDS books, a team of unpopular fifth graders works as secret agents, using science to transform their supposed weaknesses into abilities. The stories are packed with gadgets, villains, school drama, and the kind of humor that treats a dangerous mission and an embarrassing class assignment as equally serious emergencies.
He also writes science fiction for different age groups.
For teens, the Undertow trilogy follows Lyric Walker after ocean-dwelling warriors arrive at Coney Island, turning her home into a tense and divided place. For middle-grade readers, the Finniverse books send Finn Foley, his friends, a unicorn lunchbox, robots, and alien invaders across space, time, and even a microscopic world. Kel Gilligan's Daredevil Stunt Show takes a smaller-scale problem, everyday childhood tasks, and turns it into a very loud stunt performance.
Buckley has also worked in animation. With Joe Deasy, he cocreated, wrote, and executive produced the Cartoon Network series Robotomy. That background shows in his books, which often move quickly, cut from one ridiculous danger to another, and make room for visual jokes.
He lives in New York City with his wife, literary agent Alison Fargis, and their son, Finn. His books keep returning to misfits, siblings, kids who are underestimated, and ordinary people dropped into very unordinary trouble. The result is a body of work that makes room for monsters, mayhem, and a lot of heart.
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