Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Little Apocalypse: A Creepy Middle Grade Debut Where a Girl Home Alone Uncovers Monster Hunters After an Earthquake

Rate this book
Monsters aren’t real. Everyone knows that.

When a sudden earthquake strands Celia’s parents out of town, she finds herself on her own in a shaken city. She tries to reach out to other kids around her apartment building. Some of them, like the sad boy named Demetri, seem wary of letting her too close. The others call themselves Hunters. They claim the earthquake was caused by monsters only kids can see. And they think Celia is destined to save the city.

Celia doesn’t feel destined to save anything—but for the first time, she feels like maybe she’s seeing things as they really are….

336 pages, Hardcover

First published March 12, 2019

8 people are currently reading
1845 people want to read

About the author

Katherine Sparrow

18 books44 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
44 (36%)
4 stars
43 (36%)
3 stars
26 (21%)
2 stars
4 (3%)
1 star
2 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
Profile Image for Darla.
4,848 reviews1,247 followers
February 22, 2019
4.5 stars for this debut novel that highlights kids battling monsters only they can see. Celia is home alone for the weekend and an earthquake hits her town taking out the electricity and isolating their community from the outside world. She is just thirteen and alone. As she ventures out of her apartment she finds herself drawn into a world where monsters are very real, they keep kids (Littles) as slaves and use them to add more kids to their team. The hunters are regular kids who train to take on those monsters. A prophesy seems to indicate that Celia will play a key role in the outcome of the current crisis. She does not know who to trust or what to expect. Kids reading this book will find themselves contemplating the monsters in their lives and how to keep from becoming one.

Fans of Percy Jackson will like this series as the monsters are vividly described and quirky at times. One has a pizza box for a heart and is made of dumpster trash. I must deduct a star for making a unicorn into a monster. This is not cool.

Thank you to HarperCollins and Edelweiss for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Celia.
Author 7 books538 followers
March 19, 2019
Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for the e-arc!

If you're looking for a creepy, atmospherical, Miyazaki-type book, this is the one. I'm not just saying that because the protagonist has my name, but it helps.

What is it about?

Celia is home alone when an earthquake strikes her city. Going against her parent's wishes, she ventures out to reach out to survivors in her apartment building and encounters a boy named Demetri. After talking to the strange boy, she decides to stray outside to find herself in a peculiar world where Hunters chase Monsters called Bigs and the children they turn into weird little creatures called Littles. All of this, nobody can see except Celia and the children she meets. After the Hunters recruit Celia, she discovers there's more to the Bigs and Littles than meets the eye. She finds herself in the center of a battle that could destroy her.

What interested me:

The concept of Bigs and Littles was unique. Some of the Littles formed a hideaway where they vowed never to turn children into one of them, creating a sort of rebellion against the Bigs. Not becoming monsters draws parallels to the real world where we all must fight against evil. I think children will take to this. I also loved the monsters and the sometimes quirkiness of them. It reminded me a lot of Miyazaki's films like Spirited Away and Howls Moving Castle where monsters co-exist and are often misunderstood. The writing did not feel too "young" for me, a thirty-something adult, but I think the book would still appeal to its target audience. Strong characters and strong world-building really tie this novel together. I haven't read many books that relate to this one so I cannot give similar titles as recs, but if you're looking for a fun, original story, this is the one for you!

The ending was very open-ended so I'm wondering if there's a sequel in the works. It's the only part of the book that disappointed me as a reader. Maybe it was because I'm used to happy endings in Middle-Grade fiction. I also think it could use a better cover. Think epic monster fighting! ;)
1,537 reviews24 followers
May 6, 2019
My name is Celia, and an earthquake has left me stranded in my apartment building. I met a boy named Dimitri up on my roof, sitting in a circle with some other kids. I'm not sure why his touch left a black mark on my cheek. Later, I met two Hunters named Ruby and Amber who told me about Littles and Bigs, and they said I'm at the center of a prophecy to stop these monsters. Littles are controlled by the Bigs that created them, and Bigs are the most evil and dangerous creatures. Littles have an unending obsession to touch children and change them into monsters. Now, I'm hearing about someone named Krawl, and her name makes Dimitri become enraged. She's searching for Dimitri, and Dimitri wants to find her. I don't want to be around when they meet, but I think I'm going to end up in the middle of it.

The earthquake abruptly changed the story, but uncovering the truth of the conflict took too long. The plot moved a little slowly for me, as some of the events were overly described. Actually, I understood the characters and what was going on well before the author allowed Celia to understand what was happening. With that being said, I really enjoyed the final product. Celia only wanted to find friends, and she felt the characters were using her because of the prophecy. She became hurt and angry until she realized which ones actually cared about her. The search for companionship was a main conflict, along with the looming battle between Dimitri and Krawl. The hunters' mission was to capture Littles and kill or control the Bigs. They were under orders from the Council of Elders, although the elders were never directly seen or heard. I didn't think they were needed at all. The origin of the monsters was revealed and was the key to resolving the problem. I didn't enjoy the story's resolution and felt it could have ended happier ever after. Overall, it was an interesting tale that will appeal to readers with patience.
Profile Image for Beth Cato.
Author 131 books695 followers
December 19, 2019
I received a gratis copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

Little Apocalypse feels like a delightful mash up of Neil Gaiman and Charles de Lint, all wrapped up in a middle grade package. There's a level of darkness here--a wise, thoughtful look at how adults can make children into monsters--that is accessible to kids, and thoroughly enjoyable for adults as well.

Celia has been awfully lonely in her new city, at her new school. Her solid relationship with her parents can't make up for that. She's trustworthy enough that her parents leave her alone for a weekend to go take care of her grandmother--and that's when awful things happen. A terrible earthquake hits the city, cutting off the island from the outside world. She sees a strange, sad boy--a boy who happens to love books like she does--but his strange behavior and stranger friends make her leery. It turns out there are monsters around. Big monsters, little monsters, and a war that involves kids, and Celia is at the center of a prophecy that could change the world.

I loved everything about this book. It's so intense, I blazed through in about a day. Every single character feels vivid and real. As fun and entertaining as the book was, I loved what it said about major issues like relationships, self-control, and what it means to be a monster. I'm adding this to my shortlist of children's books to nominate for the Norton Award for the year.
Profile Image for Amanda.
3,883 reviews43 followers
June 3, 2019
Ever got a funny feeling that something was watching you? Or looked and saw something moving at the edge or your sight, then turned, but nothing was there? Maybe you were right. Maybe something was, and it was watching you. Waiting. Patiently. To grab you when you weren't on your guard anymore!

In Little Apocalypse, it's Evil vs. evil! Except, evil is trying to be good? I was hooked from the very first chapter, and loved the originality. Set on an island (one of my favorite things), and featuring a MC who is unpopular and singled out (hooray!), and then it gets even better when disaster strikes and the Monsters come.

The premise is so good: only kids can see Monsters; grownup, naturally can't. Grownups don't believe in Monsters, and therefore, don't believe kids when they tell about Monsters. Oooooo...the Monsters can just go WILD now. All protections have been mysteriously abandoned. Who or what can rescue the island? A prophecy is a play, and choices have to be made.
16 reviews
February 23, 2019
#GoodreadsGiveaways

I feel like I would have been really into this book between the ages of 10-13; this would have been my jam. The ending feels a little off to me, but I think that's just my personal tastes and not a fault with the book.

I really like the concept of the Bigs and Littles, especially the Little rebellion who refuse to turn into Bigs and hurt others. Also, the last line of the acknowledgements made me cry when I finished the entire book and read through them.

Also, the way the prophecy unfolds is ingenious and I love the descriptions of what's happening during those times to pieces.
Profile Image for Becky B.
9,349 reviews184 followers
May 6, 2020
Celia's parents figure that at 13 she should be able to handle a weekend alone with them out of town. While her parents are out of town (which also means off the island) there's a bad earthquake and electricity and phones get knocked out. Celia handles it calmly. She figures things will be back to normal soon, though she'd like to be able to talk to her parents. She soon notices two different groups of kids gathering around town. Both groups refer to her as the Doom girl and tell her they've been having dreams about her. The second group informs her that the earthquake wasn't natural, it was caused by monsters...which are very real but only kids can see them. They tell Celia they are hunters and are working to stop the monsters and she's prophesied to help them. But Celia also meets another kid named Demetri who isn't a hunter and says that Celia is only getting part of the story and their version of the prophecy. Who can she trust? And is she really somehow going to save the city from monsters?

This story surprised me in many ways. I went into this expecting a monster hunting story, but it isn't just that. There's more stuff going on. It's a little bit a survival story. A little bit a monster story. But it is also the story of a lonely girl desperate for a friend, and a look at the meaning of friendship and how you can tell good friends from bad friends. There's actually some further hidden depths to the story. (I highly recommend reading the author's thanks pages. She says something in there that gives hints at those hidden depths she wove in.) If you're looking for a middle grade read that is just a bit different from pretty much anything else out there or you are looking for a good friendship tale or different monster story, pick this up.

Notes on content: No language issues that I remember. No sexual content. There are battles between monsters and monsters and monsters and humans. Some are injured, but more often it is gross or uncomfortable. Only monsters suffer fatal injuries.
Profile Image for Pocket.
47 reviews
September 7, 2020
===[ ❤ Story: ]===
The story of Little Apocalypse plays out a lot like a modern day fairytale. The earthquake causes Celia's normal, boring life to become full of adventure, danger, monsters, heroes and villains. And in doing so, it feels less like the book takes place in a "real life setting" and more an alternate universe with its own rules. That's not a fault of the book, as I think the story does well to set up the magic, the littles/bigs, the hunters and the prophecy in a way that's engaging enough but not confusing. As is the idea of good vs evil and how it's a little more complicated than just that.

===[ ☼ Characters : ]===

Celia was a stubborn, curious but also smart enough character to fully hold the story. I never got bored or annoyed with her character as she explored this new world and her new relationships outside of her apartment. Dimitri was also a great character who you couldn't help but feel sorry for. The side characters, while they weren't the most fleshed out group, were still all great characters to have in the story.

===[ ۞ Overall ]===
While I didn't find myself glued to the pages, I did find the story enjoyable all the way through. I did question why the characters weren't older, as having them be little kids seemed to complicate the story and it's ending rather than fit. Especially when it came to the relationship between Dimitri and Celia, who's relationship seemed like it wanted to lean in a more romantic way , but kept falling back on the old "we're friends" bit to fit the kid's 13/14 year old age.

My biggest complaint about this book, however, is the ending. It's bittersweet at best and felt like it didn't match the tone of the book

Overall, though, I did enjoy the ride. I liked the characters, I liked the story, I like the world and the magic/monsters within it. I just wish the ending felt more like a true ending to the story they were telling.
Profile Image for Jonathan Pongratz.
Author 8 books219 followers
December 27, 2022
4.5/5

Man oh man did I enjoy this epic middle grade adventure!

This book focuses on a young girl named Celia. When her parents leave town and an earthquake shatters any hope of communication or a way to get back to her, strange things start to happen. Odd noises persist, and strange kids start roaming the hallways of her apartment building. Will Celia finally make the friends she's always dreamed of having, or is there more to these kids and this earthquake than meets the eye?

What really made this book a winner for me was the characters. Celia is a great main character and easy to relate to. She's a bit of a misfit among her classmates and she struggles to find any friends, but she's also a resourceful, smart young girl. She had a lot of progression throughout the novel and learned how to stand up for herself and fight for what she believes in.

I loved all the Littles and the uniqueness to each one of them. Demetri was my favorite, and I loved the bond he and Celia formed and how unbreakable it was. The hunters were just as interesting, though I favored the Littles more.

The writing flowed really well from chapter to chapter and was super easy to read and binge.

The magic system in this novel also worked wonderfully for me. These awful monsters called Bigs controlled the Littles as their slaves, but in return they take on their attributes and have magic. There was also a ton of creativity in the traits of these beings that made each one extremely unique.

The plot was full of twists and turns, and that ending? I absolutely loved it!

If you need a middle grade departure from reality, you've got to give this one a try!
11 reviews
January 10, 2022
I was astonished at how horrific this book was.

I read the description and thought ‘huh, this sounds interesting.’ I have never been so wrong. I only got through the first chapter before I was thoroughly confused. Usually, I like a quick beginning, but this felt like it shoved you forward through the first few pages before you stumbled and fell flat. I had read a couple of reviews and thought the cover looked intriguing, but I was utterly disappointed. I have no doubt that this author has some good books and I respect her for at least finishing a story, but that’s all this book was: finished, and barely even that. The writing was disoriented and it seemed like the author herself didn’t know what was happening. Perhaps I’ll look at other books from this author, but I don’t think I will ever come back to ‘Little Apocalypse.’
Profile Image for Jeff.
454 reviews
February 7, 2019
I won this ARC in a Goodreads giveaway. This is the first book I've read by the author.

I admit I'm not the target audience for this book but ever now and then it's fun to read a book for younger readers. I loved this book. The characters were likable and the story was great. The pacing and flow made it easy to read and hard to put down. I think I'll give the book to my daughter so she can read it to my granddaughter. I'll be looking for more books by Katherine Sparrow when I need some easy food reading.
Profile Image for Debbie Tanner.
2,056 reviews21 followers
October 22, 2019
This story is about Celia, who's parents have just moved to a new town and doesn't really have any friends. Her parents go away for the weekend and there is a cataclysmic earthquake, separating the family and stranding Celia by herself in a town where she doesn't have any friends. She does make friends with a boy named Demetri, who is very mysterious and then two girls, who are hunters of monsters. The rest of the book is basically a giant chase scene and I found the ending really unsatisfying.
Author 7 books28 followers
December 12, 2019
Cecilia is a hero that I think every kid needs to know about.

She feels alone in a new city, where she doesn't have friends and hopes to find them, even after an earthquake cuts her off from her parents and sets her off on a harrowing and life-changing adventure in a world where she must learn about herself and discover new strengths she doesn't think she had.

It's a clever and moving novel, and, I believe, will teach kids to face their fears and, just maybe, discover a friend among those things that go bump in the night.
Profile Image for Stephanie.
187 reviews15 followers
March 12, 2019
A creepy-cool middle grade fantasy packed to the gills with atmosphere, a thoughtful spin on monsters, and a sly, dark-but-kid-friendly sense of humor that speaks directly to tween me, who was too much of a smart alec for her own good. Pick this one up on a moody, rainy afternoon. (Just maybe don't start it late at night...)
814 reviews9 followers
April 17, 2019
It bad, not bad at all. I gave this a three because I keep comparing it the awful book I read right before this one. So while it was miles better than that other book, I’m not sure if I’m giving it a fair judgment as itself. The ending battle was rushed but good. I loved the characters especially Demetri.
Profile Image for Emily.
Author 16 books25 followers
May 27, 2019
This was a lot of fun and actually provided an explanation for why it has to be kids fighting evil. I've always wondered about that. There's also a lot here about friendship and trusting one's own instincts even when your "friends" may disagree.
Profile Image for Tabitha.
130 reviews6 followers
December 13, 2019
This book was fantastic! After I finished it, my 12 year old son read (devoured) it. Twice. He recommends it to all of his friends and quite a few teachers. Great story line, loved the plot twists, and the ending! Read this book!
36 reviews1 follower
January 11, 2019
A great novel for middle graders! It's atmospheric and creepy without anything too scary. I'll definitely recommend this to middle grade fantasy lovers.
Profile Image for Lauren.
Author 1 book5 followers
March 14, 2019
Like all of Katherine Sparrow’s work, her writing is fun and full of page turning action. This debut is perfect for kiddos with its life affirming and positive approach.
431 reviews3 followers
May 16, 2019
Started out better than it ended. Initially there was some humor, but that quickly got lost in a darker tale.
Profile Image for Greta.
55 reviews
May 17, 2019
Good overall, but a little rushed.
Also probably for ages closer to 9-12
67 reviews
September 23, 2019
I love it. but the ending is so sad
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Rebecka  Horn.
1 review
April 30, 2020
This book is absolutely amazing; It has so many twists and turns that I didn't even think to expect!
7 reviews
January 21, 2022
I absolutely love this book! It's like my favorite book, not even kidding! I love Demetri and Celia so much!!
Profile Image for ash.
180 reviews15 followers
July 26, 2021
Little Apocalypse was a magical adventure. The magic system is unique with the monsters called Littles and Bigs. We have spellbooks, curses, protection spells... (read more on novelfables.com)
Profile Image for Liz Friend.
986 reviews104 followers
May 9, 2025
The story: Celia is stranded in a disaster area alone. Even worse, it looks like it’s an unnatural disaster: caused by the two classes of monsters (Bigs and Littles) as they work together to get the girl prophesied to bring them all down before she can make it happen. Celia, who never had any idea monsters were real, is totally unprepared for saving the world...she’d better learn quick, or it’ll be too late.

June Cleaver’s ratings: Language PG; Violence PG-13; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse G; Magic & the occult PG; GLBT content G; adult themes (mild scenes of scary monster violence) PG; overall rating PG.

Liz’s comments: An unusual monster-creation backstory sets this one apart and lends some sympathy for the lower-level monsters. However, a girl main character in a story that would mostly be picked up and read by boys may make this a harder sell. Still, it’s a good choice for readers looking for a fast-paced stories featuring monsters straight out of Dragon Ball Z.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.