Whatever After Books in Order

How to Read the Whatever After Series

Sarah Mlynowski’s bestselling Whatever After series has captured the imaginations of young readers since its debut in 2012. The series follows siblings Abby and Jonah, who discover a magic mirror in their new basement that transports them directly into classic fairy tales. Once inside, they inevitably end up accidentally messing up the original storyline—leaving them to scramble, use their wits, and rewrite the ending so everyone can still live happily (or uniquely) ever after.

For the best reading experience, it is highly recommended to read the series in publication order. Because the books follow Abby and Jonah’s ongoing sibling relationship, their moving adjustments from Chicago to Smithville, and recurring magical rules about their basement mirror, reading them in order helps you appreciate the character growth and running jokes. However, since each book focuses on a self-contained fairy tale rescue mission, readers can easily jump into individual books if they have a specific favorite story they want to explore first.

Whatever After Main Series in Publication Order

The main series consists of 17 novels. Below is the complete list of the main titles, the years they were published, and the classic fairy tales they fracture:

1. Fairest of All (2012) – Abby and Jonah fall into the story of Snow White, accidentally stopping her from eating the poisoned apple, only to realize they've disrupted her chance at meeting the prince.
2. If the Shoe Fits (2012) – The siblings journey into Cinderella, where they accidentally break the famous glass slipper and must find a way to get Cinderella to her happy ending without it.
3. Sink or Swim (2013) – Abby and Jonah find themselves in The Little Mermaid, trying to keep the mermaid from making a terrible deal with the sea witch.
4. Dream On (2013) – The duo enters Sleeping Beauty, but they accidentally wake the princess up too early, ruining the magic spell.
5. Bad Hair Day (2014) – A trip into Rapunzel leads to Abby accidentally cutting Rapunzel's long locks, requiring a creative rescue plan to get her out of the tower.
6. Cold as Ice (2014) – Abby and Jonah visit the frosty kingdom of The Snow Queen, where they must save their dog, Prince, and help a warm-hearted princess.
7. Beauty Queen (2015) – The siblings try to help the characters in Beauty and the Beast, but they accidentally prevent Beauty from falling in love with the Beast.
8. Once Upon a Frog (2015) – A dive into The Frog Prince gets complicated when the princess refuses to kiss the frog, forcing Abby and Jonah to intervene.
9. Genie in a Bottle (2016) – Transported into Aladdin, the siblings try to help the resourcefulness of the characters but end up mixed up with a tricky genie.
10. Sugar and Spice (2016) – Abby and Jonah try to rescue the children in Hansel and Gretel before they reach the gingerbread house.
11. Two Peas in a Pod (2018) – The siblings land in The Princess and the Pea, where they must help a princess pass the royal sleeping test.
12. Seeing Red (2018) – A trip into Little Red Riding Hood finds the siblings trying to keep both Red and her grandmother safe from the Big Bad Wolf.
13. Spill the Beans (2019) – Abby and Jonah climb into Jack and the Beanstalk, attempting to help Jack secure his treasures without getting caught by the giant.
14. Good as Gold (2021) – The duo meets the gold-spinning character of Rumpelstiltskin and must solve a tricky royal riddle.
15. Just Dance (2022) – The siblings sneak into The Twelve Dancing Princesses and try to solve the mystery of where the princesses go to dance every night.
16. Liar, Liar (2024) – Abby and Jonah tumble into the wooden world of Pinocchio, helping the puppet learn the value of honesty.
17. Mirror Mirror (2025) – In the seventeenth book, the siblings return to where it all began, crossing back into the world of Snow White to resolve ongoing magical mysteries.

Whatever After Special Editions

In addition to the main numbered books, Sarah Mlynowski has penned three Special Edition novels. Rather than classic European fairy tales, these special editions take Abby and Jonah into beloved children's fantasy classics. They are longer, contain extra interactive content (such as quizzes and games), and can be read at any point in your journey. If you want to read them where they fit chronologically by publication, here is where they slide in:

• Abby in Wonderland (2017) – A magical twist on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Read this between Sugar and Spice (Book 10) and Two Peas in a Pod (Book 11).
• Abby in Oz (2020) – Abby and Jonah follow the yellow brick road in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Read this between Spill the Beans (Book 13) and Good as Gold (Book 14).
• Abby in Neverland (2023) – The siblings fly off with Peter Pan to Neverland. Read this between Just Dance (Book 15) and Liar, Liar (Book 16).

Whatever After Graphic Novel Adaptations

For readers who prefer visual storytelling, Scholastic has adapted the early books of the series into full-color graphic novels. These adaptations feature the same beloved humor and storylines but bring them to life with vibrant illustrations:

• Fairest of All: A Graphic Novel (Illustrated by Anu Chouhan)
• If the Shoe Fits: A Graphic Novel (Illustrated by Bethany Crandall)
• Sink or Swim: A Graphic Novel (Illustrated by Bethany Crandall)

What to Know Before You Start

The series is targeted primarily at readers aged 8 to 12 (grades 3 to 7), making it a staple of middle-grade fantasy. One of the strongest elements of Whatever After is its feminist and modern revisionist approach to classic folklore. Instead of passive princesses waiting to be rescued by a prince, Mlynowski’s fractured tales show the princesses learning self-reliance, pursuing hobbies and careers, and making their own choices. Abby, the pragmatic older sister, and Jonah, her enthusiastic younger brother, offer a realistic and warm sibling dynamic that grounds the magical elements in everyday family life.

Spin-Offs and Companion Series

If your young reader has finished all 17 books and is looking for more magical adventures, Sarah Mlynowski has created several fantastic companion projects:

• Best Wishes Series: A magical chapter-book series featuring a mysterious traveling bracelet that passes from girl to girl, granting unexpected wishes. Each book is co-authored by Mlynowski and a guest writer, such as Debbie Rigaud, Christina Soontornvat, and Hena Khan.
• Upside-Down Magic: Co-authored with Lauren Myracle and Emily Jenkins, this popular series (which was adapted into a Disney Channel Original Movie) follows children at a magical academy whose powers don't work quite right.