If you are planning to read Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, knowing the correct book order is important. The series follows one continuing story, meaning new readers should read the main novels in publication order rather than jumping around.
The series begins with Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an eerie fantasy novel that combines time travel, supernatural abilities, mysterious photographs, and a hidden world populated by people known as Peculiars.
There are six books in the main Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series, along with companion books that expand the mythology and history of the Peculiar world. Penguin Random House currently lists the six novels as the complete main series.
Below is the complete Miss Peregrine books in order, followed by everything readers should know before starting the series.
Miss Peregrine’s Books in Order
The six main Miss Peregrine books should be read in this order:
- Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
- Hollow City
- Library of Souls
- A Map of Days
- The Conference of the Birds
- The Desolations of Devil’s Acre
There are also two major companion books:
For first-time readers, the easiest approach is to read all six main novels in order before diving deeper into the companion books.
1. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
The series begins with Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, the novel that introduces readers to Jacob Portman and the strange world he is about to discover.
After a devastating family tragedy, sixteen-year-old Jacob travels to a remote island off the coast of Wales. His grandfather had spent years telling him incredible stories about children with unusual abilities who lived in a mysterious orphanage.
Jacob initially believes those stories were nothing more than fantasies.
But when he begins exploring the ruins of Miss Peregrine’s home, he discovers that his grandfather may have been telling the truth.
The children who once lived there possessed remarkable abilities, and some of them may still be alive.
One of the features that immediately made the novel stand out was Ransom Riggs’ use of vintage photographs throughout the story. The images aren’t merely decorative. Many are incorporated directly into the characters and mysteries Jacob encounters.
The first book has sold more than ten million copies, has been translated into dozens of languages, and was eventually adapted into a movie directed by Tim Burton.
For anyone starting the series, this is unquestionably where you should begin.
2. Hollow City
Jacob’s adventure continues immediately in Hollow City.
After the events of the first novel, Jacob and the Peculiar children are forced to leave the safety of their island and travel toward London.
Their mission becomes increasingly urgent because Miss Peregrine is trapped in bird form and desperately needs help.
Unfortunately, reaching safety isn’t easy.
The group must travel through a dangerous Britain during World War II while avoiding enemies hunting Peculiars.
Hollow City expands the world significantly. Instead of focusing mostly on one mysterious location, readers begin learning just how large the Peculiar world actually is.
The novel also continues the combination of fantasy storytelling and vintage photography that became a defining feature of the series.
Because the story begins shortly after the first book ends, readers should definitely avoid skipping ahead.
3. Library of Souls
The first major story arc reaches its climax in Library of Souls.
Jacob and Emma face an increasingly dangerous rescue mission as they try to save their friends and protect Miss Peregrine.
By this point in the series, Jacob has learned significantly more about his abilities, but he is still discovering exactly what he is capable of doing.
Their journey takes them through dangerous locations, introduces new allies, and brings Jacob closer to understanding his role within the Peculiar world.
Riggs once again uses vintage photographs throughout the novel, with the book containing more than 50 new Peculiar images.
Readers who only want to experience the original arc could theoretically stop after Library of Souls. However, Jacob’s story continues for another trilogy beginning with A Map of Days.
The Second Miss Peregrine Trilogy
The first three books form a relatively complete story arc.
Books four through six open up another chapter in Jacob’s life and significantly expand the Peculiar universe, particularly by introducing readers to Peculiar America.
For anyone reading the complete series, continue directly with A Map of Days.
4. A Map of Days
A Map of Days begins a new adventure for Jacob and his friends.
After everything they survived during the original trilogy, Jacob returns to Florida.
This time, however, he isn’t alone.
Miss Peregrine, Emma, and several of his Peculiar friends have come with him.
Jacob soon discovers a hidden bunker that belonged to his grandfather Abe. What they find inside reveals that Abe’s secret life was much more complicated than Jacob realized.
The discovery sends Jacob and his friends into the largely unexplored world of American Peculiardom.
Unlike the Peculiar communities they previously encountered, America contains different rules, organizations, dangers, and traditions.
The novel essentially begins the second major story arc of the series and gives Riggs an opportunity to dramatically expand the mythology surrounding Peculiars.
5. The Conference of the Birds
Jacob’s mission becomes even more dangerous in The Conference of the Birds.
He is given responsibility for protecting Noor Pradesh, a newly discovered Peculiar who has become the subject of an ancient prophecy.
Noor is being hunted, and Jacob must bring her to a mysterious operative known only as V.
Finding V proves extremely difficult.
At the same time, the prophecy surrounding Noor begins pointing toward a potentially catastrophic future for Peculiardom.
Jacob therefore finds himself caught between enemies pursuing them and a mystery that could determine the fate of Peculiars everywhere.
The stakes become significantly larger in this installment, setting up the final confrontation of the series.
6. The Desolations of Devil’s Acre
The main Miss Peregrine series concludes with The Desolations of Devil’s Acre.
Jacob, Noor, Miss Peregrine, and the other Peculiars face their greatest threat when Caul returns.
As terrifying events known as desolations begin appearing throughout Devil’s Acre, it becomes clear that an enormous confrontation is approaching.
Jacob and his friends must unravel the remaining mysteries surrounding Noor’s prophecy while preparing for a final battle that could determine the future of Peculiardom.
Penguin Random House and Riggs’ official site describe The Desolations of Devil’s Acre as the concluding adventure of the main Peculiar Children series.
That makes this the sixth and final book you need to read to complete Jacob Portman’s main story.
Miss Peregrine Companion Books
There are also books set within the Miss Peregrine universe that aren’t part of the six-book main storyline.
They aren’t required to understand Jacob’s adventures, but they offer additional history, folklore, characters, and information about Peculiar society.
Tales of the Peculiar
Tales of the Peculiar is essentially a collection of folklore from within the Peculiar universe.
The stories include legends, fairy tales, historical accounts, and clues connected to Peculiar history and time loops.
The book contains stories ranging from unusual Peculiar royalty to some surprisingly dark legends involving Peculiar abilities.
Riggs presents the collection as a book that exists inside the fictional universe itself.
When Should You Read Tales of the Peculiar?
You have several options.
Readers can technically enjoy it separately, but I recommend reading it after Library of Souls.
At that point, you will understand enough about Peculiar society for the stories and references to carry more meaning without interrupting the momentum of the original trilogy.
Miss Peregrine’s Museum of Wonders
Miss Peregrine’s Museum of Wonders is another companion book rather than the seventh installment of Jacob’s story.
Presented as a guide written by Miss Peregrine herself, the book explores numerous aspects of the Peculiar universe.
Readers learn more about subjects including:
- Peculiar history
- Famous Peculiars
- Time loops
- Peculiar customs
- Dangerous enemies
- Important places
- Rules of Peculiar society
The book also contains additional vintage photographs and expands upon parts of the world that the novels only briefly explore.
This is best read after finishing the six main novels, especially if you want to dive deeper into the mythology after completing Jacob’s story.
The Best Miss Peregrine Reading Order
If you want to include everything while keeping the story flowing naturally, I recommend this reading order:
- Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
- Hollow City
- Library of Souls
- Tales of the Peculiar
- A Map of Days
- The Conference of the Birds
- The Desolations of Devil’s Acre
- Miss Peregrine’s Museum of Wonders
However, there is nothing wrong with reading the six main novels first and saving both companion books until afterward.
In fact, that is probably the simplest reading order for new fans.
How Many Miss Peregrine Books Are There?
There are six novels in the main Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series by Ransom Riggs:
- Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
- Hollow City
- Library of Souls
- A Map of Days
- The Conference of the Birds
- The Desolations of Devil’s Acre
There are also companion books, most notably Tales of the Peculiar and Miss Peregrine’s Museum of Wonders.
Is the Miss Peregrine Series Finished?
The main story told across the six Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children novels concludes with The Desolations of Devil’s Acre.
The novel brings the major conflict surrounding Jacob, Noor, Miss Peregrine, and Caul to its conclusion and is officially described as the final adventure in the Peculiar Children series.
Riggs has continued exploring Peculiar mythology through companion material, so the fictional universe itself extends beyond the six novels.
That distinction is useful for new readers: the core six-book story has an ending, even though there are additional books set within its world.
Do You Have to Read the Miss Peregrine Books in Order?
Yes.
You should definitely read the Miss Peregrine books in publication order.
Each main novel continues storylines established in previous books. Characters, relationships, villains, abilities, and major revelations carry directly from one installment into the next.
Starting with Hollow City or A Map of Days, for example, would reveal major events from previous books.
Fortunately, the publication order is also the correct chronological reading order for the main novels, which makes the series easy to follow.
What Genre Is Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children?
The Miss Peregrine books combine several genres, including:
- Young adult fantasy
- Dark fantasy
- Historical fantasy
- Time travel
- Mystery
- Adventure
- Supernatural fiction
The photographs give the books an eerie atmosphere that occasionally makes them feel like horror novels, but the series is primarily fantasy and adventure rather than outright horror.
Readers who enjoy mysterious hidden worlds, supernatural powers, time travel, unusual characters, and dark fairy-tale storytelling will probably find a lot to enjoy here.
What Age Is the Miss Peregrine Series For?
The books are primarily marketed toward young adult readers, with Penguin Random House listing titles such as A Map of Days for readers ages 12 and up.
However, the series has developed a large adult readership as well.
Some scenes can become violent or frightening, and the vintage photographs often add a creepy atmosphere, so younger readers who are sensitive to darker material may find certain moments intense.
Overall, it is a good series for teens and adults who enjoy darker fantasy without wanting full-fledged horror.
Is Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children Worth Reading?
If you enjoy fantasy novels that feel different from traditional magical-world stories, this series is definitely worth considering.
Riggs combines several interesting ideas that don’t normally appear together: supernatural powers, time loops, historical settings, bizarre creatures, found photographs, and secret communities hidden alongside the ordinary world.
But the vintage photography may be the series’ most distinctive feature.
Instead of simply illustrating scenes that have already happened, the photographs often feel like artifacts discovered alongside Jacob. That creates an unusual reading experience where visual clues become part of the story itself.
The world also becomes much larger as the books progress.
What begins as one boy investigating his grandfather’s unbelievable stories eventually becomes an enormous adventure involving generations of Peculiars, secret organizations, time loops scattered throughout history, and conflicts capable of reshaping their entire society.
Miss Peregrine Books in Order: Final Thoughts
Ransom Riggs created one of the more distinctive young adult fantasy series of the past decade with Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children.
The combination of eerie vintage photography, supernatural abilities, time travel, historical settings, and fantasy adventure gives the books an identity that is immediately recognizable.
New readers should start with Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and continue through all six novels in order:
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children → Hollow City → Library of Souls → A Map of Days → The Conference of the Birds → The Desolations of Devil’s Acre.
After finishing the main storyline, readers who want even more Peculiar history can explore Tales of the Peculiar and Miss Peregrine’s Museum of Wonders.
Whether you’re discovering Jacob Portman’s strange world for the first time or returning for another trip through its time loops, reading the Miss Peregrine books in order is easily the best way to experience the series.
FAQ
How many Miss Peregrine books are there?
There are six novels in the main Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series, plus companion books including Tales of the Peculiar and Miss Peregrine’s Museum of Wonders.
What order should I read the Miss Peregrine books?
Read the six main novels in publication order, beginning with Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and ending with The Desolations of Devil’s Acre.
Is the Miss Peregrine series finished?
Yes. The primary six-book storyline concludes with The Desolations of Devil’s Acre, although companion books further explore the Peculiar universe.
Should I read Tales of the Peculiar in order?
It isn’t required to understand the main storyline. Reading it after Library of Souls works particularly well.
Is Miss Peregrine’s Museum of Wonders Book 7?
No. It is a companion guide to the Peculiar universe rather than the seventh installment of Jacob Portman’s main story.
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