Wayward Children Books in Order

The short answer

Seanan McGuire · 11 books

How many books?
There are 11 books in the Wayward Children series, published 2016–2026.
Is it finished?
No — it's ongoing, with book 12 on the way.
Next book
A Song of Sugar Sparrows, due 12 January 2027.See all upcoming releases →
Where to start
Start with Every Heart a Doorway (2016).

About 2,000 pages — roughly 30 hours of reading

by Seanan McGuire · 11 books · ★ 4.3 average rating · Updated

Fantasy

A boarding school for children who have returned from portal-fantasy worlds and can't find their way back.

Here is the complete Wayward Children reading order — all 11 books by Seanan McGuire, in the order you should read them:

Reading order

  1. Every Heart a DoorwayNancy arrives at Miss West's school, where every student has been somewhere impossible — and wants to go home.2016176 pages
  2. Down Among the Sticks and BonesThe twins Jack and Jill, and the Moors they called home.2017187 pages
  3. Beneath the Sugar SkyA girl from a candy world travels to bring back her mother.2018188 pages
  4. In an Absent DreamLundy and the Goblin Market — a world of Fair Value and terrible debts.2019208 pages
  5. Come Tumbling DownJack returns to the school with a crisis that will cost her everything.2020200 pages
  6. Across the Green Grass FieldsRegan's horse-world adventure among Hooflands.2021208 pages
  7. Where the Drowned Girls GoThe rival school for wayward children — and what it costs to attend.2022184 pages
  8. Lost in the Moment and FoundA girl named Antoinette visits the Shop Where the Lost Things Go.2023160 pages
  9. Mislaid in Parts Half-KnownA quest across multiple portal worlds to find what was taken.2024160 pages
  10. Adrift in Currents Clean and ClearNadya, who lost an arm and found a family of turtles through her Drowned World door, searches tidal rivers for a way home.2025
  11. Through Gates of Garnet and GoldA new resident of Eleanor West's school confronts a door into a world of ornate, dangerous royal court intrigue.2026

Good news: for this series, reading order and publication order are the same — just read straight down the list.

Upcoming: the next book, A Song of Sugar Sparrows, releases on 12 January 2027. BookBinge Pro can notify you the day it drops.

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Frequently asked questions

How many Wayward Children books are there?

There are 11 books in the Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire, from Every Heart a Doorway (2016) to Through Gates of Garnet and Gold (2026). Book 12, A Song of Sugar Sparrows, is due 12 January 2027. Together they run to about 2,000 pages.

Is the Wayward Children series finished?

No. Seanan McGuire is still writing it: book 12, A Song of Sugar Sparrows, is due 12 January 2027, following Through Gates of Garnet and Gold (2026).

What is the first Wayward Children book?

Every Heart a Doorway (2016) is book one, at 176 pages. Nancy arrives at Miss West's school, where every student has been somewhere impossible — and wants to go home.

Should I read the Wayward Children series in publication order?

Yes. For the Wayward Children series, reading order and publication order are the same — Every Heart a Doorway (2016) through Through Gates of Garnet and Gold (2026).

How long does it take to read all Wayward Children books?

About 2,000 pages across 11 books — roughly 30 hours at a page a minute. The longest is In an Absent Dream (208 pages); the shortest is Lost in the Moment and Found (160 pages).

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