BOOK REVIEW: The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier, illustrated by Douglas Holgate

Stephanie O'Connell | 6 November 2015 | 2 Replies

BOOK REVIEW: The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier, illustrated by Douglas Holgate

Egmont
November 2015
Paperback, $16.95 AUD
Reviewed by Steph O’Connell

9/10

I remember thinking, ‘UM… THIS CAN’T BE REAL. IT MUST BE A PRANK. A JOKE. A REALITY SHOW. RIGHT?!?’
So I said to Quint, ‘UM… THIS CAN’T BE REAL. IT MUST BE A PRANK. A JOKE. A REALITY SHOW. RIGHT?!?’
But it wasn’t.

Meet Jack Sullivan. Zombie hunter, monster slayer, late-blooming, slow-developing 13-year-old. He’s riding out the monster apocalypse from his tree house, and is doing his best to keep busy.

He’s set himself achievements, like:

Mad Hatter! – Steal the hats off five zombies.
Outrun! – Beat a zombie in a footrace.
Say Cheese! – Take a photo with someone you knew before they got zombified.
House Hunter – Explore 50 different abandoned houses.

And, most importantly:

Damsel in Distress – Find and rescue love interest, June Del Toro.

Of course, he needs to get back in touch with his best (only) friend Quint, and avoid being eaten by Blarg – the giant, intelligent monster that is hunting him down – but those are just details.

He’s Jack Sullivan, Post-Apocalyptic Action Hero. He’s got this.

The Last Kids on Earth is a middle-grade book for all ages. It’s a story full of action, adventure, self-deprecating humour, and plenty of fun, with a few jokes for the adults thrown in.

Legs that just won’t quit (no idea what that means, I heard it in a movie. I guess her legs are resilient?).

But underneath that humour, there’s plenty of heart.

Everything I was ever jealous of – everything those other kids had, when I felt like a crummy orphan. Well, now I have it.
Sure, it took the freaking MONSTER APOCALYPSE for me to get it. But there’s no way I’m losing it now.
Not to this big jerk.

This is a book that will keep you turning the pages, regardless of your age, and is a fantastic book for reluctant readers. It’s easily accessible, it’s funny, and there’s plenty of monster action.

This is my new go-to suggestion for parents trying to get their kids to enjoy reading, and I am not ashamed at all to say that I await the next installment impatiently.

Yes, I’m twenty-eight. What’s your point?