Jill Paton Walsh Reading Order
10 series Β· 50 books Β· Born 1937
Jill Paton Walsh was a prolific English author renowned for her contributions to both adult and children's literature. With a career spanning from 1965 to 2013, she penned around 50 books across 10 series, including notable works such as the Goldengrove series, Gripping Tales, and the continuation of the Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane mysteries. Her most recognized novel, Knowledge of Angels, earned her a nomination for the prestigious Booker Prize.
Anthologies Series
Complete2 books (1980β1989)
Start with Travellers in Time: Past, Present, and to Come and read in order.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Travellers in Time: Past, Present, and to Come 1980Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | Out of Time 1989Buy πΊπΈ |
Chapbooks Series
Complete12 books (1973β1993)
Start with The Dawnstone, the first of 12 books in the Chapbooks series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Dawnstone 1973Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | Toolmaker 1974Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | Crossing to Salamis 1977Buy πΊπΈ |
| 4 | Persian Gold 1978Buy πΊπΈ |
| 5 | Babylon 1982Buy πΊπΈ |
| 6 | The Green Book / Shine 1982Buy πΊπΈ |
| 7 | Gaffer Samson's Luck 1985Buy πΊπΈ |
| 8 | Five Tides 1986Buy πΊπΈ |
| 9 | Can I Play Jenny Jones? 1992Buy πΊπΈ |
| 10 | Can I Play Queenie? 1992Buy πΊπΈ |
| 11 | Can I Play Wolf? 1992Buy πΊπΈ |
| 12 | Matthew and the Sea Singer 1993Buy πΊπΈ |
Collections Series
Complete1 book (1965β1965)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Wordhoard: Anglo-Saxon Stories(With: Kevin Crossley-Holland) 1965Buy πΊπΈ |
Goldengrove Series
Complete2 books (1972β1976)
Start with Goldengrove and read in order.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Goldengrove 1972Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | Unleaving 1976Buy πΊπΈ |
Gripping Tales Series
Complete2 books (1989β1995)
Start with Birdy and the Ghosties and read in order.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Birdy and the Ghosties 1989Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | Thomas and the Tinners(With: Alan Marks) 1995Buy πΊπΈ |
Imogen Quy Series
Complete4 books (1993β2007)
Start with The Wyndham Case, the first of 4 books in the Imogen Quy series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Wyndham Case 1993Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | A Piece of Justice 1995Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | Debts of Dishonor 2006Buy πΊπΈ |
| 4 | The Bad Quarto 2007Buy πΊπΈ |
Lord Peter Wimsey & Harriet Vane Series
Complete4 books (1998β2013)
Start with Thrones, Dominations, the first of 4 books in the Lord Peter Wimsey & Harriet Vane series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Thrones, Dominations 1998Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | A Presumption of Death 2002Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | The Attenbury Emeralds 2010Buy πΊπΈ |
| 4 | The Late Scholar 2013Buy πΊπΈ |
Non-Fiction Series
Complete1 book (1975β1975)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Island Sunrise: Prehistoric Britain 1975Buy πΊπΈ |
Picture Series
Complete4 books (1992β1997)
Start with When Grandma Came, the first of 4 books in the Picture series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | When Grandma Came 1992Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | Pepi and the Secret Names 1995Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | Connie Came to Play 1996Buy πΊπΈ |
| 4 | When I Was Little Like You 1997Buy πΊπΈ |
Standalone Novels Series
Complete18 books (1966β2000)
Start with Hengest's Tale, the first of 18 books in the Standalone Novels series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Hengest's Tale 1966Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | Fireweed 1969Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | The Dolphin Crossing 1970Buy πΊπΈ |
| 4 | Farewell, Great King 1972Buy πΊπΈ |
| 5 | The Emperor's Winding Sheet 1974Buy πΊπΈ |
| 6 | The Butty Boy / The Huffler(With: Juliette Palmer) 1975Buy πΊπΈ |
| 7 | The Walls of Athens 1977Buy πΊπΈ |
| 8 | A Chance Child 1978Buy πΊπΈ |
| 9 | Children of the Fox 1978Buy πΊπΈ |
| 10 | A Parcel of Patterns 1983Buy πΊπΈ |
| 11 | Lost and Found(With: Mary Rayner) 1985Buy πΊπΈ |
| 12 | Lapsing 1986Buy πΊπΈ |
| 13 | Torch 1988Buy πΊπΈ |
| 14 | A School for Lovers 1989Buy πΊπΈ |
| 15 | Grace 1991Buy πΊπΈ |
| 16 | Knowledge of Angels 1994Buy πΊπΈ |
| 17 | The Serpentine Cave 1997Buy πΊπΈ |
| 18 | A Desert in Bohemia 2000Buy πΊπΈ |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Jill Paton Walsh written?
- Jill Paton Walsh has written 50 books across 10 series. Their published works span from 1965 to 2013.
- What is the first book in each Jill Paton Walsh series?
- Here are the first books in Jill Paton Walsh's series: Anthologies: Travellers in Time: Past, Present, and to Come; Chapbooks: The Dawnstone; Goldengrove: Goldengrove; Gripping Tales: Birdy and the Ghosties; Imogen Quy: The Wyndham Case.
- What order should I read Jill Paton Walsh's books?
- We recommend reading Jill Paton Walsh's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Are Jill Paton Walsh's series complete?
- Jill Paton Walsh has 10 completed series.

