Martha Freeman books

Martha Freeman is an American children's book author known for the First Kids mystery series, Chickadee Court Mysteries, The Secret Cookie Club, and her Trouble With... series about a girl and her pets.

Chapter Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Mrs. Wow Never Wanted a Cow 2006 Buy
Goldilocks, Go Home! 2019 Buy

Chickadee Court Mysteries Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Who Is Stealing the 12 Days of Christmas? 2003 Buy
Who Stole Halloween? 2005 Buy
Who Stole Uncle Sam? 2008 Buy
Who Stole Grandma’s Million-Dollar Pumpkin Pie? 2009 Buy
Who Stole New Year’s Eve? 2013 Buy
Who Stole New Year’s Eve?: A Chickadee Court Mystery 2013 N/A

First Kids Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
The Case of the Rock ’n’ Roll Dog 2010 Buy
The Case of the Diamond Dog Collar 2011 Buy
The Case of the Ruby Slippers 2012 Buy
The Case of the Piggy Bank Thief 2012 Buy
The Case of the Bug on the Run 2013 Buy
The Case of the Missing Dinosaur Egg 2013 Buy

Picture Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
If You’re Going to a March 2018 Buy
Born Curious 2020 Buy
Kitty vs. Kindergarten 2025 Buy

Standalone Novels

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Stink Bomb Mom 1996 Buy
The Year My Parents Ruined My Life 1997 Buy
The Polyester Grandpa 1998 Buy
Fourth Grade Weirdo 2000 Buy
The Spy Wore Shades 2001 Buy
1,000 Reasons Never to Kiss a Boy 2007 Buy
The Orphan and the Mouse 2014 Buy
Strudel’s Forever Home 2016 Buy
Effie Starr Zook Has One More Question 2017 Buy
Zap! 2018 Buy
Little Red Hoodie 2020 Buy
Noah McNichol and the Backstage Ghost 2021 Buy
Trashed! 2023 Buy
Title Published Buy on Amazon
The Secret Cookie Club 2015 Buy
Campfire Cookies 2016 Buy
P.S. Send More Cookies 2018 Buy

Trouble With… Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
The Trouble with Cats 2000 Buy
The Trouble with Babies 2002 Buy
The Trouble with Twins 2007 Buy

Martha Freeman has been writing children’s books since the mid-1990s, with a focus on mysteries, school stories, and the everyday adventures that feel enormous when you’re eight or nine years old. Her First Kids series puts the president’s children at the center of mysteries set in the White House, while the Chickadee Court Mysteries follow kids solving holiday-themed crimes in their neighborhood.

Freeman’s range covers everything from picture books like Kitty vs. Kindergarten and If You’re Going to a March to middle-grade novels like Effie Starr Zook Has One More Question. Her writing is warm without being saccharine, and she has a knack for capturing the way children think and talk.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Martha Freeman written?

Martha Freeman has written 36 books across seven series.

What was Martha Freeman's first book?

Martha Freeman’s first book is Stink Bomb Mom, published in 1996.

What age group does Martha Freeman write for?

Martha Freeman writes primarily for children and middle-grade readers, roughly ages 6 to 12. Her books range from chapter books for younger readers (the Trouble With… series, Mrs. Wow Never Wanted a Cow) to middle-grade mysteries (Chickadee Court, First Kids) to longer standalone novels for older kids (Effie Starr Zook Has One More Question, Noah McNichol and the Backstage Ghost).

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