Bad Girls Books in Order
Bad Girls is a 4-book series by Cynthia Voigt for ages 9+, at a grades 4–6 reading level, with gentle to moderate content (HootRated intensity 1–3 out of 5).
- Books
- 4
- By publication date
- Content intensity
- Gentle to moderate
- HootRated 1–3 out of 5 · avg 2
Bad Girls Reading Order
Series numbers aren't available for most Bad Girls books, so they're listed by publication date (oldest first).
| # | Title | Reading Level | Ages | Content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bad, badder, baddest 1997 | Level 5-6 | 9-12 | Moderate |
| 2 | It's not easy being bad 2000 | Level 5-6 | 9-12 | Gentle |
| 3 | Bad girls in love 2002 | Level 4-5 | 9-12 | Mild |
| 4 | When bad things happen to bad people 2006 | Level 5-6 | 11+ | Mild |
Content Intensity Across the Series
VariesContent intensity ranges from Gentle to Moderate across the series.
Series books grow with readers — but that's also the trap. Most series start at one reading level and one content intensity and drift upward over the course of the run. Bad Girls (4 books by Cynthia Voigt) lands at a grades 4–6 reading level, with average content intensity 2/5. Intensity varies from book to book, so check individual ratings in the list above.
The reading-order table above lists every book with per-volume reading level, age and intensity ratings so you can spot any escalation before it catches your reader off guard. For a deeper dive into how we score text difficulty vs. emotional weight separately — and why series readers especially benefit from that split — see our methodology page.
All Bad Girls Books
Bad, badder, baddest
Cynthia Voigt
Bad, badder, baddest
Cynthia Voigt
It's not easy being bad
Cynthia Voigt
It's not easy being bad
Cynthia Voigt
Bad girls in love
Cynthia Voigt
Bad girls in love
Cynthia Voigt
When bad things happen to bad people
Cynthia Voigt
When bad things happen to bad people
Cynthia Voigt
Series Like Bad Girls: What to Read Next
Similar reading level, content intensity and themes.
- Boss Lady Bios; Alternator Books by Heather E. Schwartz 4 books · Grade 5 · gentle to mild content
- Gateway Biographies by Heather E. Schwartz 20 books · Grades 2–8 · gentle to intense content
- Understanding Issues by Gail Stewart 8 books · Grades 4–6 · mild to intense content
- Little League Baseball by Matt Christopher 4 books · Grades 4–5 · gentle to mild content
- Baseball Legends by John F. Grabowski 4 books · Grades 6–7 · gentle to mild content
- African American Library; Journey to Freedom by Joseph D. McNair 5 books · Grades 4–6 · gentle to mild content
Questions about the Bad Girls series
- What reading level is the Bad Girls series?
- Bad Girls books are at a grades 4–6 reading level (average grade level 5.2), and HootRated recommends the series for ages 9+. There are 4 books in the series.
- What order should I read the Bad Girls books?
- Series numbers aren't available for most Bad Girls books, so HootRated lists them by publication date: Bad, badder, baddest (1997); It's not easy being bad (2000); Bad girls in love (2002); When bad things happen to bad people (2006).
- What age is the Bad Girls series appropriate for?
- HootRated recommends Bad Girls for ages 9+. Content is gentle to moderate (HootRated intensity 1–3 out of 5). Intensity varies from book to book, so check individual ratings in the list above.