Where to Start Reading Ben Miller's Books
As a beloved British actor, comedian, and author, Ben Miller has built a reputation for writing children's books that are bursting with warmth, magic, science, and humor. While most of his novels are self-contained adventures, he has written a few distinct series and character duologies. For new readers, the best starting point depends on what you are looking for:
- For Festive Magic: Start with his debut novel, The Night I Met Father Christmas (2018). It is the perfect introduction to his whimsical tone and serves as the conceptual blueprint for his festive North Pole stories.
- For Classic Fairytale Wonder: Begin with The Day I Fell Into a Fairytale (2020), which kicks off the adventures of sibling duo Lana and Harrison.
- For Younger Readers (Ages 6+): Choose Diary of a Big Bad Wolf (2024), the opening installment of his highly accessible, illustrated Fairytale Woods series.
- For Adult Readers: Pick up A Very Dangerous Pursuit (2026), his historical spy thriller prequel to the classic The Thirty-Nine Steps.
The Christmas Elf Series (Tog's Adventures)
Miller's festive books are closely linked by theme and setting. While The Night I Met Father Christmas acts as a foundational story for his festive universe, the Christmas Elf books form a direct trilogy centered around a young elf named Tog who works in Father Christmas's workshop. They are best read in order of publication:
- Diary of a Christmas Elf (2021)
- Secrets of a Christmas Elf (2022)
- Adventures of a Christmas Elf (2023)
The Lana and Harrison Duology
Two of Miller's standalone books are closely connected because they share the same main characters—a young brother and sister named Harrison and Lana. While these books can be enjoyed independently, reading them in order lets you follow the siblings' growth and their relationship with magic:
- The Day I Fell Into a Fairytale (2020) – Lana and Harrison discover a magical portal hidden inside a new supermarket.
- The Night We Got Stuck in a Story (2022) – The siblings climb a hollow tree and find themselves trapped in a storybook world ruled by an evil Spider Queen.
The Fairytale Woods Series
Designed for younger children (ages 6 and up), the Fairytale Woods (or Fairytale Diaries) series takes a humorous, diary-style look at classic fairy-tale creatures and villains, showing that there are always two sides to every story. They feature gorgeous illustrations and can be read in any order, though the publication order is:
- Diary of a Big Bad Wolf (2024)
- Diary of a Puss in Boots (2025)
- Diary of a Wicked Witch (2025)
- Diary of a Dreadful Dragon (2026)
Standalone Children’s Novels
If you prefer to pick up a one-off story, Miller has written several highly praised standalone children's novels. These require no background knowledge and cover topics ranging from time travel to magic libraries and animal transformations. In order of publication, they are:
- The Night I Met Father Christmas (2018)
- The Boy Who Made the World Disappear (2019)
- How I Became a Dog Called Midnight (2021)
- Once Upon a Legend (2023)
- Robin Hood Aged 10 3/4 (2024)
Adult Fiction: The Richard Hannay Adventures
In 2026, Ben Miller expanded his bibliography to write his first novel for adults. A Very Dangerous Pursuit is a fast-paced historical adventure set in 1912. It serves as a prequel to John Buchan's famous spy novel The Thirty-Nine Steps, following a young Richard Hannay as he travels across Europe on the Orient Express and the Titanic to protect a secret code.
What to Know Before You Start
Before diving in, here are a few practical tips to help you get the most out of Ben Miller's books:
- The Illustration Style: Most of Miller's children's books are beautifully brought to life with illustrations by Elisa Paganelli, which helps keep younger readers engaged.
- The Science Connection: Before turning to writing and comedy, Miller studied natural sciences and began a PhD in solid-state physics at Cambridge. He frequently weaves this background into his fiction. For example, The Boy Who Made the World Disappear uses a miniature black hole as a plot device. He also wrote a non-fiction science book for adults, It's Not Rocket Science (2012).
- Standalone Nature: Beyond the Christmas Elf trilogy and the Lana & Harrison books, you do not need to worry about strict reading order. Feel free to choose the plot that sounds most exciting!