This series is about a group of kids in the third grade at Bailey Elementary in Bailey City, who keep encountering people who may or may not be mythological or supernatural creatures in disguise. It all starts when they get a new teacher, Mrs. Jeepers, who may or may not be a vampire. There are strong hints that she really is, but the kids are never able to prove it for certain. Part of her power seems to center around the strange green brooch that she always wears. It glows when she’s angry.

Other books in the series follow a similar concept, having characters who seem to have the qualities of werewolves, ghosts, aliens, and other strange creatures or characters from stories. Yet, after all of their adventures, the children are left not being sure if their theories about these people are right. Mrs. Jeepers is the only supernatural creature who remains with them throughout the entire series. Most of the others move on after only one book, although there are a few recurring characters, like Frank (who may be Frankenstein and has been an assistant at the science museum, a snack bar employee, and a hockey coach), Frank’s girlfriend Electra, and Mr. Drake (the school’s guidance counselor and playground monitor, who may actually be Dracula).

In spite of the ghosts and other supernatural creatures in this series, it isn’t really scary. Mostly, it’s funny as the kids try to prove or disprove some of the things they suspect are going on. The end results often get a little predictable, once you realize that the kids will never get complete proof of anything, but they’re still a lot of fun.

The four main children in the stories are Eddie, Howie, Liza, and Melody. Eddie is a goof-off and trouble-maker at school. Liza and Melody have been best friends since they were in kindergarten. Liza sometimes gets nose bleeds when she’s upset. Melody is black and wears her hair in pigtails. Howie’s father works for the Federal Aeronautics Technology Station, and he likes studying science and outer space. The kids take turns being the ones who suspect some of the odd people around them, wanting to investigate, and being the skeptics who think that there must be some other explanation for the adults’ weirdness. In spite of their previous experiences, they meet each new creature with at least some skepticism.

The books usually take place either at school or at Camp Lone Wolf, the summer camp that the kids attend. Even though the kids go to summer camp more than once throughout the series, they still remain in the third grade with Mrs. Jeepers as their teacher.

The authors of the series are Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones. In the back of the books, the About the Author section says that Jones was a teacher and Dadey was a school librarian at the same school, which is where they got the idea for this series. There are some super specials and holiday specials in this series and a related spin-off series called The Bailey City Monsters. Other series by the same authors include Ghostville Elementary, Triplet Trouble, and Barkley’s School for Dogs.

Books in the Series:

#1 Vampires Don’t Wear Polka Dots (1990)

The kids in the third grade class at Bailey Elementary School have been pretty hard on their teachers. Their last teacher resigned when she suffered a nervous breakdown due to their misbehavior and pranks. Now, the kids have a new teacher, Mrs. Jeepers. Mrs. Jeepers has just moved to their city from Transylvania, and everyone in class agrees that she’s not a normal teacher. Could Mrs. Jeepers really be a vampire?

#2 Werewolves Don’t Go to Summer Camp (1991)

Mr. Jenkins, the new director at Camp Lone Wolf, is really hairy, eats his meat extra rare, and seems obsessed with wolves. Could he be the werewolf from camp legends?

#3 Santa Claus Doesn’t Mop Floors (1991)

Mr. Jolly, the new janitor at school, shows up shortly before Christmas, and the kids suspect that he might really be Santa Claus.

#4 Leprechauns Don’t Play Basketball (1992)

A visiting basketball coach has a mysterious treasure to hide.

#5 Ghosts Don’t Eat Potato Chips (1992)

Eddie is helping out his Great Aunt Mathilda while she’s sick, and he becomes convinced that his Great Uncle Jasper may be haunting her attic.

#6 Frankenstein Doesn’t Plant Petunias (1993)

On a field trip to the science museum, the kids discover a secret laboratory. They begin to suspect that the curator of the museum, Dr. Victor, is actually Dr. Frankenstein and that his assistant Frank is his monster.

#7 Aliens Don’t Wear Braces (1993)

The art teacher at school mysteriously disappears and is replaced by a strange, pale woman who may be an alien, out to steal all of their colors!

#8 Genies Don’t Ride Bicycles (1994)

Some of the kids find and open a strange, old bottle. Soon after, they meet a guy named Eugene, and everything they wish for seems to come true. Is Eugene actually the genie of the bottle, granting their wishes?

#9 Pirates Don’t Wear Pink Sunglasses (1994)

The kids suspect that the boating instructor at Camp Lone Wolf may actually be a pirate looking for buried treasure.

#10 Witches Don’t Do Backflips (1994)

The new gymnastics teacher, Mrs. Brewbaker, may be witch.

#11 Skeletons Don’t Play Tubas (1994)

Mr. Belgrave, the new band teacher, seems to be trying to teach a skeleton named Claude to play the tuba.

#12 Cupid Doesn’t Flip Hamburgers (1995)

The kids believe that the new lunch lady may be Cupid because she makes all kinds of heart-shaped food and people are falling in love all over the place . . . even Mrs. Jeepers!

#13 Gremlins Don’t Chew Bubble Gum (1995)

For some reason, things always seem to go haywire whenever the new school secretary is around.

#14 Monsters Don’t Scuba Dive (1995)

There’s something strange about Camp Lone Wolf’s new swimming instructor, Nessie.

#15 Zombies Don’t Play Soccer (1995)

The kids think that their soccer coach, Coach Graves, is a zombie.

#16 Dracula Doesn’t Drink pink Lemonade (1995)

The new guidance counselor at school, Drake, seems oddly pale and seems to know Mrs. Jeepers from somewhere. Could he really be Count Dracula?

#17 Elves Don’t Wear Hard Hats (1995)

Liza thinks that the construction workers building the new playground at school may be Santa’s elves.

#18 Martians Don’t Take Temperatures (1995)

The new school nurse has an uncanny ability to heal people with her strange green band-aids.

#19 Gargoyles Don’t Drive School Buses (1996)

After one of the gargoyles disappears from the roof of the public library, the kids get a new bus driver who looks suspiciously like the gargoyle.

#20 Wizards Don’t Need Computers (1996)

Howie is doing a report about Camelot for school and can’t help but notice that the new library assistant resembles Merlin.

#21 Mummies Don’t Coach Softball (1996)

The school softball team can’t seem to win a game. Are they under some kind of curse? Things seem worse since Mr. Tuttle took over as coach . . .

#22 Cyclops Doesn’t Roller-Skate (1996)

The strange eye doctor who comes to the school to check the children’s vision never takes off that weird light he wears on his head that makes him look like he has a single eye.

#23 Angels Don’t Know Karate (1996)

Is the new karate instructor really a guardian angel? She always seems to be there at the right time to save people.

#24 Dragons Don’t Cook Pizza (1996)

A new Medieval-themed pizza restaurant opens in town, and the kids suspect that the owner, George, is using a dragon to cook the pizza.

#25 Bigfoot Doesn’t Square Dance

#26 Mermaids Don’t Run Track

#27 Bogeymen Don’t Play Football

#28 Unicorns Don’t Give Sleigh Rides

#29 Knights Don’t Teach Piano (1997)

Mr. Lott, who gives piano lessons, lives in a castle-like house with lots of suits of armor.

#30 Hercules Doesn’t Pull Teeth

#31 Ghouls Don’t Scoop Ice Cream

#32 Phantoms Don’t Drive Sportscars

#33 Giants Don’t Go Snowboarding

#34 Frankenstein Doesn’t Slam Hockey Pucks (1999)

The former assistant from the science museum returns to coach the hockey team.

#35 Trolls Don’t Ride Roller Coasters

#36 Wolfmen Don’t Hula Dance

#37 Goblins Don’t Play Video Games

#38 Ninjas Don’t Bake Pumpkin Pies

#39 Dracula Doesn’t Rock and Roll (2000)

The kids think that Mr. Drake, the school guidance counselor, is the singer in a vampire rock band.

#40 Sea Monsters Don’t Ride Motorcycles

#41 The Bride of Frankenstein Doesn’t Bake Cookies (2000)

Electra, who is Dr. Victor’s niece and works at the snack bar at the skating rink, might be the perfect girlfriend for Frank.

#42 Robots Don’t Catch Chicken Pox

#43 Vikings Don’t Wear Wrestling Belts

#44 Ghosts Don’t Ride Wild Horses

#45 Wizards Don’t Wear Graduation Gowns (2002)

The kids find out that the new assistant principal may be a wizard who wants to turn the kids at school into animals.

#46 Sea Serpents Don’t Juggle Water Balloons (2002)

Eddie’s new math tutor is also a juggler for the Summer Festival. He’s a good tutor, but there is something strange about him.

#47 Frankenstein Doesn’t Start Food Fights (2003)

Frank is back with his new cookie-making machine.

#48 Dracula Doesn’t Play Kickball (2004)

Mr. Drake becomes the school’s playground monitor.

#49 Werewolves Don’t Run for President (2004)

Mr. Youngblood, a candidate running for President of the United States, comes to Bailey City on his campaign tour. The kids think that he might be a werewolf.

#50 The Abominable Snowman Doesn’t Roast Marshmallows (2005)

A stranger comes to town for the Winter Carnival, and the kids suspect that he might be the Abominable Snowman.

#51 Dragons Don’t Throw Snowballs (2006)

A mad scientist might have brought a snow sculpture dragon to life.

Super Specials

The Super Special books in the series contain puzzles and activities as well as a story.

#1 Mrs. Jeepers is Missing! (1996)

Mrs. Jeepers invites her students to her house for a summer barbecue. When a storm arrives, the power goes out and the kids can’t find Mrs. Jeepers. What is going on her spooky house, and will the kids finally have proof that she is a vampire?

#2 Mrs. Jeepers’ Batty Vacation (1997)

Mrs. Jeepers takes her class on a trip to a Transylvanian castle, where they meet some of her relatives.

#3 Mrs. Jeepers’ Secret Cave (1998)

Mrs. Jeepers takes her students on a summer trip to explore caves.

#4 Mrs. Jeepers in Outer Space (1999)

Mrs. Jeepers takes the class to Space Camp.

#5 Mrs. Jeepers’ Monster Class Trip (2000)

Mrs. Jeepers takes the class on a trip to study geology, but the kids worry that they’re surrounded by rock monsters.

#6 Mrs. Jeepers on Vampire Island (2002)

Mrs. Jeepers takes her class on a trip to Discovery Island, but a storm leaves them stranded on an island of strange people who might be vampires. Mrs. Jeepers seems oddly at home there.

#7 Mrs. Jeepers’ Scariest Halloween Ever (2005)

Halloween is spooky in Bailey City with all the strange people/monsters who live there, but the kids get really scared when it seems like children are going into Mrs. Jeepers’ house and not coming back out. What is she doing to them?

#8 Mrs. Jeepers’ Creepy Christmas (2007)

Under the influence of the new library volunteer, Grandpa Vamps, Eddie suddenly becomes interested in reading. His friends wonder if his newfound interest could be because he’s under the spell of a vampire.

Holiday Specials

The Holiday Specials also contain puzzles and activities.

#1 Swamp Monsters Don’t Chase Wild Turkeys (2001)

The kids become suspicious of the scientist who is helping the class with an ecology project.

#2 Aliens Don’t Carve Jack-O’-Lanterns (2002)

The party planner for the school’s Halloween party might be out to steal chocolate as a source of energy.

#3 Mrs. Claus Doesn’t Climb Telephone Poles (2002)

An unusual woman is helping to repair wires in Bailey City after a blizzard.

#4 Leprechauns Don’t Play Fetch (2003)

A strange pet store owner has a way of talking people into things that they don’t really want.

#5 Ogres Don’t Hunt Easter Eggs (2003)

The man who is supposed to be fixing up the park for the Easter egg hunt actually seems to be messing it up.

The Bailey City Monsters

This spin-off series focuses on different children from the ones in the main series (Annie, Ben, and Jane) and a family of monsters called the Hauntly family. The Hauntlys own a small inn that they call the Hauntly Manor Inn. The guests at the inn are all pretty spooky!

#1 The Monsters Next Door (1997)

The Hauntly family moves from Transylvania to Bailey City and open an inn in a spooky old house that they call the Hauntly Manor Inn.

#2 Howling at the Hauntlys’ (1998)

A teenager named Fangs comes to stay at the Hauntly Manor Inn.

#3 Vampire Trouble (1998)

Madame Hauntly comes to town. She’s Mrs. Jeepers’ mother.

#4 Kilmer’s Pet Monster (1999)

Kilmer, the Hauntlys’ son, is excited to enter the town’s pet contest, but he’s being very mysterious about what his pet is.

#5 Double Trouble Monsters (1999)

Professor E. Gore comes to the inn to work on a secret project with Hilda Hauntly, the resident mad scientist.

#6 Spooky Spells (1999)

Great Uncle Nilrem, who is staying at the inn, offers Annie a spell to help her in the spelling bee.

#7 Vampire Baby (1999)

The Hauntlys have a new member of the family!

#8 Snow Monster Mystery (1999)

The kids think that a sudden snow storm might be connected to the Hauntlys’ new visitor, Uncle Yetta.

#9 Happy Boo Day (2000)

It’s Kilmer’s birthday, but a special guest for his party might want to stay permanently.

Super Special

#1 The Hauntlys’ Hairy Surprise (1998)

The Hauntly family throws a birthday party for Hilda. The book includes special puzzles and activities.