Bunny vs Monkey Books in Order: A Clear, Simple Guide

Bunny vs Monkey by Jamie Smart has become one of the most-loved kids’ graphic novel series for chaotic humour and tremendous artwork. That said, if you are a parent, teacher, librarian, or an alien looking to buy these for the young humans you’re responsible for, working out the order can be surprisingly confusing. Between bind‑ups, renumbered editions and ‘the lost adventures’, it’s easy to get lost in the woods. (see what I did there…)

But fear not… I’ve got you.

The Quick Answer

The Bunny vs Monkey reading order has two main formats. The Modern Run (published by David Fickling Books) consists of 11 chunky, numbered volumes starting with the green ‘Bunny vs Monkey’ (Book 1). And the Original Run consisting of 7 slim paperbacks.

Bunny vs Monkey Books in Order (Modern Run)

These are the books currently found in most UK bookshops/libraries that you’ve no doubt came across already which look like your standard graphic novel.

1. Book 1: Bunny vs Monkey (The Green “Remastered” Starter)
2. Book 2: Bunny vs Monkey and the Human Invasion
3. Book 3: Bunny vs Monkey and the League of Doom!
4. Book 4: Bunny vs Monkey and the Supersonic Aye-Aye
5. Book 5: Bunny vs Monkey: Rise of the Maniacal Badger
6. Book 6: Bunny vs Monkey: Machine Mayhem
7. Book 7: Bunny vs Monkey: Multiverse Mix-Up!
8. Book 8: Bunny vs Monkey: The Impossible Pig
9. Book 9: Bunny vs Monkey: Bunny Bonanza!
10. Book 10: Bunny vs Monkey: The Great Big Glitch
11. Book 11: Bunny vs Monkey: Intergalactic Monkey Business!

The Original Run. The “Lost” Adventures (Not in the New Numbered Run)

These are early paperback editions. Important: (and this is where some of the confusion sets in) The first two books in this run ‘Let the Mayhem Begin‘ and ‘Journey to the centre of the Eurg-th‘ have been smooshed together to form Book 1 (the green one) in the modern run, but the others (Books 3–7) are standalone adventures that are not currently part of the main 1-11 numbering.

• Original Book 1: Let the Mayhem Begin! (Inside Modern Book 1)
• Original Book 2: Journey to the Centre of the Eurg-th (Inside Modern Book 1)
• Original Book 3: The Stench (Standalone)
• Original Book 4: The Wobbles (Standalone)
• Original Book 5: Destructo (Standalone)
• Original Book 6: Apocalypse (Standalone)
• Original Book 7: The Floating Cow Catastrophe! (Standalone)

Now here is a swanky graphic to show you what I mean about how book 1 and 2 from the original set are ‘smooshed’ together to form book 1 of the modern run…

PRO TIP FOR PARENTS: Don’t stress about finding the slim Books 3–7 unless your child becomes a total superfan. They are more expensive and much more difficult to find and not needed for story continuity. The Modern Run (1–11) you’ve seen in the shops is the smoothest, most exciting way to experience the story as Jamie Smart intended.

The Master Map: Every Book & How They Fit Together

This table shows how the entire history of the woods fits into one timeline for the “Stoom Squad” purists.

Master Order	Title	Modern Run Number	Original Run Number	Format
1	Let the Mayhem Begin!	Book 1 (Part 1)	Book 1	Original/Chunky
2	Journey to the Centre of the Eurg-th	Book 1 (Part 2)	Book 2	Original/Chunky
3	The Stench	N/A	Book 3	Slim Paperback
4	The Wobbles	N/A	Book 4	Slim Paperback
5	Destructo	N/A	Book 5	Slim Paperback
6	Apocalypse	N/A	Book 6	Slim Paperback
7	The Floating Cow Catastrophe!	N/A	Book 7	Slim Paperback
8	The Human Invasion	Book 2	N/A	Chunky Only
9	The League of Doom!	Book 3	N/A	Chunky Only
10	The Supersonic Aye-Aye	Book 4	N/A	Chunky Only
11	Rise of the Maniacal Badger	Book 5	N/A	Chunky Only
12	Machine Mayhem	Book 6	N/A	Chunky Only
13	Multiverse Mix-Up!	Book 7	N/A	Chunky Only
14	The Impossible Pig	Book 8	N/A	Chunky Only
15	Bunny Bonanza!	Book 9	N/A	Chunky Only
16	The Great Big Glitch	Book 10	N/A	Chunky Only
17	Intergalactic Monkey Business!	Book 11	N/A	Chunky Only

Do You Need to Read Bunny vs Monkey in Order?

Honestly, no. Bunny vs Monkey is made up of short, self‑contained strips, each with its own setup and punchline, originally published in The Phoenix Comic. Every book works as a bundle of episodes, so most children can pick up almost any volume and enjoy it without knowing the entire backstory.

There is, however, a loose continuity that rewards reading in order. Characters drift in over time, running jokes become funnier when you’ve seen them more than once, and the stakes quietly ramp up from petty forest squabbles to apocalypses, multiverses and outer space. Casual readers can dip in anywhere, but if a child really connects with the series, reading in order makes the world feel bigger and more satisfying.

If your child’s set matches the stack below, nothing is missing or broken. It is simply the modern, condensed collection that assumes the bind‑up as the starting point and treats the earlier slim titles as optional extras. Here’s how the entire collection should look…

At a Glance: Best Starting Points

• Best starting point for most new readers
  The 2020 Bunny vs Monkey remastered bind‑up, which collects the first two story collections into one chunky volume.
• Best purist starting point
  The original slim paperback Bunny vs Monkey: Let the Mayhem Begin!, if you can still find it.
• Best “jump‑in” options
  Bunny vs Monkey and the Human Invasion, Bunny vs Monkey: Multiverse Mix‑Up!, or Bunny vs Monkey: The Impossible Pig… all have big, clear hooks and work well even if you have not read the earlier books.

What should my kid read if…

Not every reader wants to start at page one of Book one. If you’re looking for a specific “hook” to get a reluctant reader started, try one of these:

• Read Book 3: The League of Doom! IF… your kid loves superheroes, villains, and “Team-up” stories. It’s a hilarious parody of the Avengers/Justice League.
• Read Book 5: Rise of the Maniacal Badger IF… they like a “proper” villain. The Badger is more serious and devious than Monkey, making the stakes feel much higher.
• Read Book 7: Multiverse Mix-Up! IF… they are obsessed with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse or Minecraft. It’s full of “What If” scenarios and reality-bending art.
• Read Book 6: Machine Mayhem IF… you have a gadget-lover or a future engineer. It’s packed with Weasel’s malfunctioning inventions and robotic chaos.
• Read Book 8: The Impossible Pig IF… they prefer the “underdog” or the cute/funny side-characters. Pig is the heart of the forest, and this volume gives him the spotlight he deserves.

Bunny vs Monkey Books in Publication Order

This section gives a more detailed look at the series, including the “big idea” behind each book and how friendly it is as a first read.

• 1 – Bunny vs Monkey: Let the Mayhem Begin!
  Year: 2014
  Big idea: Monkey crash‑lands in the woods after an experiment goes wrong and decides he has been sent to rule the forest.
  Good first book? Yes – it introduces the main characters and the core Bunny vs Monkey feud.
  
• 2 – Bunny vs Monkey: Journey to the Centre of the Eurg‑th
  Year: 2015
  Big idea: A sinkhole drags Bunny, Monkey and friends underground, leading to subterranean chaos.
  Good first book? Works brilliantly as Book 2 once readers are used to the tone.
  
• 3 – Bunny vs Monkey: The Stench
  Year: 2016
  Big idea: A mysterious, unbearable smell sends the forest into panic and forces everyone to work out what went wrong.
  Good first book? Fine as an early read, better if children already know the cast.
  
• 4 – Bunny vs Monkey: The Wobbles
  Year: 2017
  Big idea: Strange “Wobbles” appear and mess with the usual rules, giving Monkey new chaos to exploit.
  Good first book? Fun mid‑series book once the running jokes are familiar.
  
• 5 – Bunny vs Monkey: Destructo
  Year: 2018
  Big idea: Weasel builds an indestructible robot, Destructo, which of course does not behave as planned.
  Good first book? Great for robot‑obsessed kids, works well as a later early pick.
  
• 6 – Bunny vs Monkey: Apocalypse
  Year: 2019
  Big idea: Monkey’s schemes tip over into full‑blown “end of the forest” territory, with apocalyptic levels of mayhem.
  Good first book? Better once readers are invested so the escalation lands.
  
• 7 – Bunny vs Monkey: The Floating Cow Catastrophe!
  Year: 2020
  Big idea: The discovery of a floating cow creates a new power‑struggle in the woods.
  Good first book? A fun mid‑series jump‑in that still works if you have not read everything before.
  
• 8 – Bunny vs Monkey and the Human Invasion
  Year: 2021
  Big idea: Humans arrive with diggers and plans, shaking up the forest and giving Monkey new opportunities.
  Good first book? Yes – big, easy‑to‑understand stakes and a very clear hook.
  
• 9 – Bunny vs Monkey and the League of Doom!
  Year: 2021
  Big idea: Monkey forms his own supervillain team, the League of Doom, with predictably incompetent results.
  Good first book? Best read after Human Invasion so the “team‑up” feels earned.
  
• 10 – Bunny vs Monkey and the Supersonic Aye‑Aye
  Year: 2022
  Big idea: A lightning‑fast aye‑aye speeds up the chaos and becomes Monkey’s latest hope for victory.
  Good first book? Fine standalone, but richer if you already know the usual dynamic.
  
• 11 – Bunny vs Monkey: Rise of the Maniacal Badger
  Year: 2022
  Big idea: A more serious villain, the Maniacal Badger, threatens the forest and even overshadows Monkey.
  Good first book? Better once readers are familiar enough to feel the shift in threat.
  
• 12 – Bunny vs Monkey: Machine Mayhem
  Year: 2022
  Big idea: Weasel’s inventions and gadgets completely take over, with machinery running wild.
  Good first book? Great entry for gadget‑loving kids who like tech and robots.
  
• 13 – Bunny vs Monkey: Multiverse Mix‑Up!
  Year: 2023
  Big idea: The characters are flung into multiple alternate universes, meeting different versions of themselves.
  Good first book? Yes – big, high‑concept hook that is still easy to follow.
  
• 14 – Bunny vs Monkey: The Impossible Pig
  Year: 2023
  Big idea: Pig may or may not have gained super‑powers, and chaos follows either way.
  Good first book? Lovely for Pig fans, but slightly funnier if you already care about him.
  
• 15 – Bunny vs Monkey: Bunny Bonanza!
  Year: 2024
  Big idea: A huge Bunny festival becomes Monkey’s latest opportunity for mischief.
  Good first book? Best once readers like Bunny enough to enjoy the focus on him.
  
• 16 – Bunny vs Monkey: The Great Big Glitch
  Year: 2024
  Big idea: A strange glitch warps reality, bending the rules of the woods in wild ways.
  Good first book? Works as a late‑series romp when children already love the world.
  
• 17 – Bunny vs Monkey: Intergalactic Monkey Business!
  Year: 2025
  Big idea: A new Little Monkey leads the gang into outer space and beyond the woods.
  Good first book? Excellent finale‑style read once kids are firmly hooked.

Best Reading Paths for Different Readers

There is no single correct way to read Bunny vs Monkey, so it helps to choose a path that suits the child in front of you. For example…

Path A: For the New Reader: Use the Modern Run

For many families, the easiest path is to treat the 2020 Bunny vs Monkey bind‑up as Book 1. From there, move straight into the bigger volumes in order: Human Invasion → League of Doom → Supersonic Aye‑Aye → Maniacal Badger → Machine Mayhem → Multiverse Mix‑Up → Impossible Pig → Bunny Bonanza → Great Big Glitch → Intergalactic Monkey Business. The sausage early slim books then become bonus adventures you can loop back to once the child is hooked.

Path B: Jump‑In Books for Reluctant or Busy Readers

If you are trying to tempt a reluctant reader, sometimes it is best to skip straight to a high‑concept, high‑hook volume if that works better for the individual.

• Bunny vs Monkey and the Human Invasion // humans, diggers and construction in the forest make the stakes obvious and relatable.
• Bunny vs Monkey: Multiverse Mix‑Up! // alternate universes and wild variations of the characters keep the pages visually exciting.
• Bunny vs Monkey: The Impossible Pig // Pig’s “maybe super‑powers” plot is easy to explain and instantly funny.

From there, you can always work backwards or forwards depending on what they ask for next.

Path C: Start from the Very Beginning (Completists and Superfans)

This route is perfect for school libraries, classroom collections and serious fans. Start with Let the Mayhem Begin! (or the 2020 bind‑up if that is what you can get) and follow the publication order right through to Intergalactic Monkey Business!. You see the cast grow, the jokes layer up, and the mayhem escalate in a really satisfying way.

The Teacher’s Corner: Using Bunny vs Monkey in the Classroom

If you’re a teacher or librarian, you already know that Bunny vs Monkey is one of the hottest graphic novels out right now. But how do you handle the “chaos” of the series in a structured school setting?

1. The “Visual Literacy” Argument

When the BOFSTED “Inspectrons” ask why your pupils are reading comics, remind them that graphic novels require multi-modal decoding. Students must synthesise text, subtext, and visual cues simultaneously. Jamie Smart’s use of expressive “eye-acting” and panel pacing is a masterclass in inference.

2. Bridging the Gap for Reluctant Readers

For children who find a wall of text intimidating or off-putting, the episodic nature of The Phoenix strips are the perfect quick-win.

• The 5-Minute Win: Each strip is a complete story arc. It’s perfect for “Guided Reading” fillers or as a reward for finishing a task.
• Vocabulary Expansion: Don’t let the slapstick fool you, the series is packed with sophisticated vocabulary (words like catastrophic, delusional, interdimensional) that kids absorb naturally because of the visual context.

3. Classroom Activity Idea: “The Weasel Workshop”

Have your kids design their own “failed invention” for Monkey.

• The Task: Draw the invention and write a “Product Pitch” explaining what it was supposed to do versus the chaos it actually causes.
• The Goal: Encourages creative writing, persuasive language, and humour.

🍎 Calling All Educators: Are you a “Stoom Squad” teacher? We are looking for Founding Testimonials to showcase how graphic novels are changing the reading culture in UK schools. Leave a comment or [Contact me here] to share your story.

What Age Are the Bunny vs Monkey Books For?

Most children reading Bunny vs Monkey independently will be somewhere around 7–10, with younger children enjoying them as shared read‑alouds. The humour leans heavily on slapstick, ridiculous gadgets and over‑the‑top reactions, with some comic peril but nothing truly dark or realistic.

Compared with something like Dog Man, the pages are a little denser, with more panels and background detail. That can be a joy for confident readers who love poring over the art, but it might mean some newly independent readers do better with shared reading at first before tackling the books entirely on their own.

How Bunny vs Monkey Compares to Other Kids’ Graphic Novels

If your child already loves other series, it helps to know how Bunny vs Monkey fits in.

You can compare it to:

• Dog Man / Cat Kid // similarly silly, anarchic energy and more woodland chaos than school‑based drama.
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid–style hybrids // Bunny vs Monkey is more visual, with full comic pages rather than prose‑plus‑doodles, so it is a good next step for children who want “proper” comics.

FAQs About the Bunny vs Monkey Reading Order

• Do I have to read Bunny vs Monkey in order? No. Because the books are episodic collections of comic strips, you can jump in anywhere. However, reading in order helps you follow the introduction of new characters and the escalation of the story’s “chaos.”
• Which Bunny vs Monkey book should I buy first as a gift? The best starting point is the 2020 Remastered ‘Green’ Bind-up (Book 1). It’s the thickest book and contains the original origin story.
• Are any Bunny vs Monkey books too scary for younger readers? No. While there is “apocalyptic” mayhem and silly monsters, it is all handled with slapstick humour. It’s perfectly safe for ages 6 and up.
• Is Bunny vs Monkey finished? No! Jamie Smart is still producing strips for The Phoenix Comic, and Book 11: Intergalactic Monkey Business is the next major release in the modern run.

🎁 WIN THE BOOK 11 HARDBACK!

To celebrate the launch of this guide, I’m giving away my Hardback edition of Intergalactic Monkey Business.

The Challenge: I have hidden one completely random word somewhere in the text of this article. It’s a word that definitely should not be where it is.

How to Claim: The first person to find the word and [DM me on Instagram @Stoomioofficial / Email me at eddy@stoomio.com] with the secret word wins the book.

Note: UK entries only. One winner takes the prize! Good luck, Stoom Squad.

Over to You: Which Bunny vs Monkey Book Worked Best as a Starting Point?

This guide pulls together the Bunny vs Monkey books in order, but every family and classroom discovers the series in a slightly different way. Some readers fall in love with the very first crash‑landing; others are hooked by a floating cow, a multiverse or Pig being accidentally brilliant.

If you have tried the series, it would be genuinely useful to hear what worked. Which Bunny vs Monkey book did you start with, how old were your readers, and would you choose the same starting point again? Share your experience in the comments, and send this guide to any teacher, librarian or fellow parent who is currently puzzling over the Bunny vs Monkey reading order.