The Bad Guys Series Books 1–20 Collection Set by Aaron Blabey (20 Books)

Why it's worth it

Aaron Blabey's wolf, shark, piranha and tarantula spend twenty books failing to become heroes. Cartoon art and speech bubbles support emerging readers, and the action-movie parody is genuinely funny to whoever's reading along.

The Bad Guys sits in the same territory as Dog Man — heavy art, short text, comic timing — but the jokes are built on movie parody rather than potty humor. If that distinction matters in your house, this is the version to buy. Owners consistently describe kids laughing out loud on their own, which is not something most books manage.

Twenty books is a lot of runway for a format kids read this fast. Parents report finishing one a night at bedtime, which means a child who loves these has weeks of reading without a single trip to the store. Several owners note the same thing: a child who wasn't a reader before got pulled in by this set specifically.

From our review of 8 chapter books for early readers ages 6 to 8, by Genevieve Dubois, Home & Living Expert

What we like

• +The Bad Guys sits in the same territory as Dog Man — heavy art, short text, comic timing — but the jokes are built on movie…
• +Twenty books is a lot of runway for a format kids read this fast
• +One honest note from owners: the plots get strange
• +The books stand up physically, which matters for a set that's going to be read and reread and stuffed in a backpack

What to know

• –Slapstick is the entire premise
• –There's essentially no educational content
• –A few owners have reported the last books in the set arriving separately and later than the rest