It's the End of the World as I Know It

by Matthew Landis

Derrick is sure that doomsday is coming, and he's prepping to survive--whether his friends believe him or not--in this middle grade novel for readers of Gary Schmidt, Gordon Korman, and Jack Gantos

Ever since his mother was killed in the line of duty in Iraq, Derrick has been absolutely certain that the apocalypse is coming. And he's prepared: he's got plenty of canned goods, he's fully outfitted with HAZMAT suits, and he's building himself a sturdy fallout shelter. When his neighbor Misty insists on helping with the shelter, Derrick doesn't think it's such a good idea. Misty's just had a kidney transplant, and her reaction to her brush with death is the opposite of Derrick's: where Derrick wants to hide, Misty wants to see and do everything. But as confident as Misty is, Derrick's doomsday fears just keep getting worse. And Derrick's promised apocalypse day begins with a very strange disaster, Derrick and Misty have to figure out a way to survive--especially when the end of the world as they know it looks nothing like they expected.

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction, Contemporary, Childrens, Mental Health

320 pages, Hardcover

First published September 24, 2019

About the author

Matthew Landis teaches middle school history outside Philadelphia, where he seeks to slay boredom wherever it lurks in his classroom. He is the author of five novels, including the forthcoming NATIONAL ARCHIVE HUNTERS series for 8–12-year-olds. He won Mississippi's 2020 Magnolia Book Award and the ILA 2019 Teacher’s Choices Reading List Award. A three-time Junior Library Guild recipient, Matthew's MG novel, IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD AS I KNOW IT, was shortlisted for the Virginia Reader’s Award, the Missouri Truman Reading Award, Oklahoma's Sequoyah Book Award, and the South Dakota Teen Choice Award. He has one epic wife, four kids, thirty-five chickens, three barn cats, and love tacos. He hasn't slept good since 2015.

Reviews

[Matthew Landis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard this was good and also that the author is sort of a pill.

[Rachael A. Erickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t wait to recommend this book to my middle school students. I laughed out loud while reading- the friendships, the grief, the apocalypse- it’s all great.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

*inhale*

WHA

this is hereby the SECOND book that's ever made me full on sob *bangs gavel*

I don't even know what to say but here we go bouta pour my heart out to a review :'-)

summary:
So I thought this would be a cheesy weird book that I start skimming and then throw it across the room on page 88 but IT WAS ACTUALLY REALLY INTERESTING so basically there's this kid Derrick but everyone calls him Dee (WHICH REMINDS ME OF ANOTHER BOOK I JUST READ HEH). anyway so he thinks the world is ending on September 21 like buddy :) also his mom dies, but THEY DONT TELL YOU HOW SHE DIES UNTIL THE FREAKING END AND THEN YOU'RE SITTING ON YOUR BED AT 11PM SOBBING YOUR ENTIRE HEART OUT but anyway i don't really wanna spoil anything (on purpose) so i wont have to do a hide review cus then NOBODY READS IT LIKE UM also i really liked his sister she's pretty cool.

But the main point is he thinks the world is ending like highkey he collects survival stuff and makes bomb shelters (i think he's a bit all the way not there) but i did read that trauma leads to strange stuff so


oh also there's a fire at the end, idk if that's a spoiler or not BUT MY MOM TELLS ME NOT TO READ TRAUMATIC QUOTES CUS IT GIVES ME ANXIETY BUT I CANT STOP fires just terrify me

um

this is a really sad book and i don't know why i cried at it actually? I've read sadder books but i just cant with this one

thanks for reading this chaotic rant (you're VERY welcome for waiting until the next day to write a review and not typing out a research paper about why it was sad at midnight)

bye, ill be staring at a wall for the next 3-5 business days trying to emotionally recover

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s the End of the World As I Know It by Matthew Landis, 307 pages. Dial (Penguin), 2020. $19 9780735228016

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

The world is ending in 19 days, but Dee, 8th grader, is the only one who seems to care. He is determined to finish and furnish his shelter before the day comes. But the girl next door, who seems familiar, keeps coming around, involving Dee in her hairbrained schemes. And his friends and his family don’t seem to care about the world ending. And somewhere in his memory is Her – life changed since She left. Dee’s world will definitely change forever in 19 days – but probably not in the ways he thinks.

I love a book that takes me in unexpected places. You see this cover and think – post-apocalyptic. But world-shattering events happen every day, just on an individual basis. Landis writes an ultimately tender book about a boy who needs help, but isn’t getting it – a boy who will finally see that everyone around him loves him very much.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2020...

[Heydi Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. This book just hit me in all sorts of places. It's a gorgeous book about grief and reclaiming your life. About getting stuck in grief and having friends and family suffer through the trenches of loss with you until you can find your way out. So many tears I shed with this one, but oh, such an amazing book. I love that the main male character is the one who is suffering from the side effects of loss more than everyone else. I love this because so often male characters who have suffered loss are portrayed as just overlooking the loss and moving on, and that's just not reality. All humans feel grief and have to go through the stages of grief in order to move on. This book really portrays it. So, wonderful. Should be read by all, as in this system of things, we will all lose a loved one at some point. It's better to be prepared with knowledge of what is to come than just pretend this won't happen to you.

[Regan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dealing with loss is hard for anyone but it is especially hard for kids. This is the story of how one boy tries to wade through grief without drowning and he is surprised to find out that he is surrounded by life rafts.... that they've been there the whole time.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet and very engaging middle grade book confronting loss, illness and anxiety while entertaining with quirky characters and clever dialogue.

[Sam Kuntz · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's The End of the World As I know It follows Derrick (who is called Dee throughout the book) as he prepares for Doomsday. The book is like a countdown to The End.

Dee's mother died a year before the book started, so it also focuses on Dee dealing with the loss of his mother. We don't figure out much about his mother till the end of the story.

I thought he had amnesia or something when I first read this book because a lot of people were talking about how he had been funny and nicer 'before.' Then I figured out they were talking about before his mother died.

Dee's friends are very loyal to him, but sometimes he is kind of mean to them. They always seem to be nice and supportive to him even though he is always in his own world.

There are a few things I really liked about this book that I don't have a lot to write about but I want to put in anyways.

1. Pete the Snake. He kind of reminds me of a Snake named Monty who I take care of.

2. Gas masks. Dee seems to always need more gas masks.

3. Kelly. Kelly is one of Dee's friends overprotective mother. She seems to always be a presence even though we never truly meet her.

At some points in the book I got nervous about what Dee might do. It made reading this a little stressful.

This book isn't funny, but it is very, very enjoyable to read. I recommend this to anyone who wants a short-ish, stressful book they can read in a day.

-Sam Kuntz

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Derrick, or Dee, as his friends and family call him, has just started 8th grade and is sure the Apocalypse will happen before the end of the month. So sure that he has built and stocked his own shelter. This obsession with the end of the world has come about after his mom dies on active duty. It consumes most of his thoughts during the day and affects his relationships with his friends.

His neighbor, Misty, is recovering from a kidney transplant and is looking at life as a new adventure every day. Together they take on the last steps to complete the shelter before the date that Dee is sure the world is ending.

Even though this book is dealing with a heavy subject, the author seasons it with a dose of humor. It also is the story of friends sticking together when they know one of them is going through a bad period and not giving up on him.

[Samantha (WLABB) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Derrick has been consumed with preparing for Doomsday since his mother's death. He has been stockpiling supplies and carefully following all notices on the blog, Apocalypse Soon!, while counting day. But as that fated date drew near, Derrick discovered that thing weren't going according to plan.

You know I love nothing more than a good grief book, and this one was top notch. It was sweet, funny, painful, and touching. Everyone grieves in their own way, and Derrick was dealing with the loss of his mother by trying to exert as much control as he could over a suspected apocalyptic event. His friends and family, in a show of supported, humored him and allowed him to continue his prep, however, he needed help well before this point.

Though entertaining Derrick's ideas about the apocalypse may not have been the best, his friends and family meant well. There was no point in this book where I doubted he was surrounded by love. I adored Derrick's two best guy friends. They shared a wonderful friendship, which had deep roots. I loved how they talked and encouraged each other and called upon each other for support.

Misty was another wonderful part of this story. She had been very ill and had a life-saving transplant. She was now determined to experience as many things as possible and live her best life. It was quite a contrast to Derrick preparing for "the end", and I loved their friendship and the way she shook up his world.

It may not have been the end of the world for everyone, but when his mother died, Derrick's world was shattered. My heart went out to him as he grappled with his anxiety, grief, and all the changes that accompanied the loss of his parent. He was fortunate enough to have a lot of support, especially from his friends, who stood by him the entire time, and I was left with lots of hope for Derrick, his friends, and his family.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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[Leslie L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully told story. I loved the way the author described Derrick’s emotions, and the way he slowly let us see Derrick breakdown. I loved Derrick’s amazing friends & sister.
“50/50 Category: “Idaho”- not because the story is set in Idaho, but because something Derrick wants is in Idaho, and his disdain of Idaho made me laugh.”

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I never would have picked it up had I not been on an awards selection committee. It had a bit of mystery to it - what happened to Dee? Will the world end? It also had a lot of heart, lessons about friendship, and education about mental health. It's a quick read with short chapters, too - great for reluctant readers.

[Patti Sabik · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started out a little stilted, but the end redeem the story. The plot seemed a bit contrived, but for middle schoolers it is a wonderful book about grief and appreciating life to it's fullest.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was so stupid.

[Pattie Babbitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Am I going to cry with every VRC book this year?

[Sierra · Rating 4 out of 5]

VRC #7! I listened to this one on audio and I liked it a lot! I wasn’t super thrilled with the narrator but the story itself was both funny and emotional.

[Kylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

a really good story about grief and loss and trauma and anxiety and family and friendship. all told from a 13 yr old’s perspective

[Valerie McEnroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not the book I thought it was going to be. It's way better. This book cements Matthew Landis as an up-and-coming author to watch. He doesn't just write a book. He crafts it. He's every bit as good as Jordan Sonnenblick. The main character is Derrick, a kid convinced that a volcano is going to explode in Yellowstone Park and kick off an apocalypse. He is preparing by outfitting a shed in his backyard with all the survival gear he will need. Sounds like a straight-up survival book, right? Well it's not. That would be a 2-D book, and Landis is a 3-D guy. So here's what he does.

In the beginning, Landis tosses out a few crumbs so you know Derrick's mom is dead, but he doesn't make a big issue of it. You truly think Derrick just has an obsession like some kids do. Then Misty enters the picture. Whatever is the award for best supporting female character in books, she should get it. She pulls off quirky like a pro. She has just survived a kidney transplant and all she wants is to be Derrick's Apocalypse Assistant. Her resume of qualifications is the cutest thing. Then, Landis slowly builds his plot and characters. We're talking living, growing things. All the issues begin bubbling to the surface (no pun intended), and you realize it's not about a volcano at all. And Misty, who survived a different kind of "end," is here to save him. Not from an exploding volcano, mind you.

Misty's thoughts after surviving her end: "You can't do it all, and if you do one thing, that means you're not doing something else. And what if that other thing is better? And while you're thinking about that, fifty other things are popping up, and you want to do those too. But they all take time, and there's not enough of it."

This is just incredible writing. Deep. All the other characters, his sister/mom replacement, his dad with a new girlfriend, his two best friends fearful that he's gone off the deep end, but not willing to give up on him, the teacher who says, "Are you tracking with me?" are equally amazing. And I've got to say. No kids' author in the history of authors has been able to successfully pull off poop talk. Trust me. Landis did it.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning. Please read this book.

You know how you'll just be cruising along, living your life, doing all the normal stuff, and then you get broadsided... sometimes it'll be something good. Something joyful and awe-inspiring. And then other times it will be something tragic. Something that changes the trajectory of your life.

That's what happened to Derrick. I refuse to spoil this story for you, so you'll just have to read the book if you'd like to know more. But it's worth it. Especially if you, like Derrick, are coping with one of those hard, life-altering changes.

Landis has done a masterful job of capturing the pain which accompanies profound loss, and the lengths the human brain will go to in order to protect us from harrowing truths. He also captures in crystalline perfection how grief spins your relationships around in new directions. How it forces those relationships to evolve. He also captures the way that profound loss can provide clarity about what's truly important in life. I know I'm being nebulous here. I truly don't want to spoil the story, so I'm talking around the edges.

And lest you worry that this book is too dark, somehow Landis manages to achieve all these things and still have this book be fun. Yes, there's darkness, but there's also a kid building an awesome fallout shelter all on his own, a spunky hatchet-throwing friend, and a python named Pete.

Just... trust me. Read the book.

Go on. What are you waiting for? Go now.

[Wendy MacKnight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book in one sitting - it’s that good! Derrick is struggling, thanks to the death of his mother, his broken family and the fact that the end of the world is nigh. A touching, and often hysterically funny, story on the nature of grief, friendship, and hope. Brilliant!

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

50/50 Book Quest category: Apocalypse.

This was a great read, and quick too. Since I also suffer with anxiety, it was interesting to see how someone else dealt with it.

Derrick is a teen preparing a shelter for the end of the world, but along the way, he learns about needing to experience all the emotions of losing his mom, not just the ones he wants. With help from family and friends, and a little disaster too, he learns that he can live his life more fully.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the buzzwords for this book: heartwarming, emotional, masterful, hilarious!

I cried at multiple points throughout the book, including the end, and am lucky enough to work with the author and can personally blame him for making me cry in front of our students.

Incredible to read if you are a middle schooler, were a middle schooler, teach middle schoolers, parent middle schoolers, or know middle schoolers.

[Missy Camilleri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread in 2025: I reread this one for Reading Olympics and found even more local nods.

[Dualsight · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this was quite a different book to read. It wasn’t my favorite but it was somewhat good at keeping me reading. I don’t think it deserves anything more than 4 stars. It was chill.

[Chrissie Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I was preparing to spend A LOT of time at home for #SocialDistancing purposes (because of #COVID19), I saw this book in the new YA section at my library and just knew I had to bring it home with me.  Based on the cover art, I had a feeling it would not be super heavy and actually stress me out.  Luckily, it seems I am pretty good at judging books by their covers!  ;-)  Though this book discusses potentially heavy topics like death, grief, and #MentalHealth, it handles them all in such a way that it manages to be lighthearted and often humerous.

Ever since his mom died in the line of duty in Iraq, Derrick has been prepping for the end of the world. He even saved up money from building decks all summer and built himself a shed/bunker in his backyard. Derrick is nearly ready, as he has filled his shelter with emergency supplies like food, first aid supplies, HAZMAT suits, and gas masks. And even though nobody else around him seems to believe that it's coming, Derrick just *knows* it will be happening soon -- on September 21st, to be exact. Not only does he have a gut feeling, but he's been following special apocalypse preparation websites (like a blog/app called "Apocalypse Soon!"). Derrick's dad has tried bringing him to a therapist, but it isn't like therapy can halt the apocalypse, so he didn't see the point.

The closer it gets to the end, the more Derrick is having trouble controlling his feelings of panick and desperation. His dad pretty much ignores his weird behaviors, and his older sister Claudia doesn't really know how to help either. His best friends, Tommy and Brock, don't really get it and just want to hang out while Derrick is certain that they are only wasting time he needs to use more wisely to be ready. The only person who seems to be willing to help is Derrick's neighbor Misty, who has been out of school for the last year with a life-threatening medical problem of her own. Derrick isn't sure why Misty was out of school last year, but he is glad that she seems to be doing better and that, while she doesn't necessarily believe that the end of the world is coming, she is willing to help him get his shelter ready.  But... What will happen once it's ready? 

Happy Reading!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never read a book about a kid this young experiencing anxiety to this level, so this was a pretty intense experience. What I found interesting about this story was watching how each character, not just the protagonist, dealt with loss in their own way, and in turn, tried to deal with each other's ways of coping. Life is so messy and unpredictable and there's no manual for it, no easy how-to guide for when things go wrong and how to pick up the pieces and fix people in the aftermath. There's no one right way to handle things. That's clear.

The side characters were fantastic, fleshed out really well with unique dialogue fitting their personalities perfectly. I laughed-out-loud several times at Brock. His character eased the tension really well. I was waiting for the shoe to drop with Misty/Mercedes. I thought the author did a great job handling the 'mystery'/blank spots around her past with the main character, and the reason(s) behind that. Also, it made me really want tacos, dang it, lol. 😆😋🌮🌮🌮🌯

This was just a really great book about loss and how incredibly hard it must be (I've never experienced anything even close to this and I hope I never do). I read this for a book discussion and I think this is going to make for some really great talks at that so I'm looking forward to it.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ugh, I had such high hopes for this one and it ended up just being "OK". There wasn't anything inherently wrong with it, I just felt like it could have been so much more than it was. I liked the premise (Derrick is a middle school student who is busy prepping for the apocalypse, which just happens to be close to the anniversary of his mother's death in Afghanistan). Sadly, the struggles that Derrick faces (anxiety, paranoia, memory loss) aren't fully realized. Instead, his character reads like someone who is just rude, stand-offish, and someone who doesn't care about others. Also, his interactions with his friends aren't always crystal-clear. Seriously, why do they care about getting the snake in the shed so much??? It would have been SO MUCH BETTER if the reader could have been let in to Derrick's mind a bit more. I guess Landis is trying to say that even Derrick didn't know what was going on with himself, but it felt like a bit of a copout.

Anyway, it's OK. Probably a second purchase type of book, and more for readers of realistic fiction than those who are interested in adventure stories.

[LeeAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

September 21st is nearing, and Derrick, "Dee," is preparing for the end of the world to happen when the volcano under Yellowstone finally erupts, killing everyone around. But Dee is ready - or will be by then. He's built a doomsday shelter, complete with MREs, gas masks, and a toilet. Once everything is installed, he'll be fine.

But Dee is not really fine; he hasn't been since the Air Force came to his house this time last year with news that his mother had been killed in action. He hasn't been fine since then. As his sister and dad try to move on to find a regular type of life, Dee's anger and visions just keep getting worse until his doomsday happens and he explodes more violently than Yellowstone could.

This is a great middle grade book covering grief, anxiety, and mental health on a level that middle grade students will be able to understand and unfortunately, some will relate to. Looking like a cute "doomsday story" with lots of humor weaved in, it is a much bigger book covering many serious topics.

[Jan Raspen · Rating 4 out of 5]

More grief relief, my favorite subgenre of realistic fiction. Derrick, his older sister, and their dad are living lives but barely interacting as they grieve the death of their mother/wife while she was stationed in Iraq. Derrick is obsessed with building a survival shelter because he believes the world will end soon. His sister and dad pretty much enable his obsession, letting him purchase whatever he needs for his survival shed.
When his neighbor, Misty, enters the story, Derrick's life starts to change. She has survived a life-threatening kidney disease and has a completely opposite outlook on life than Derrick does. Their friendship helps both of them to deal with what's going on in their lives, and a crazy event toward the end of the book gets everyone moving through their grief and into the right direction.
The book itself was good, but the author's note at the end was a little heavy-handed and preachy and kinda turned me off to this writer.

[Owen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't really like this book mainly looked after a kid that went crazy about his mom dying from a battle and getting the news. He didn't really take it too well and went semi crazy about the end of the world. The book itself was good but the plot and the characters are just a little over the top with me. If you want to read this book then go ahead but of course you won't see this until after your done reading and which good job you read a book that I don't really care for which is rare in itself because I like to read some books that typically have the end of the world kind of scene, so after you read this book I recommend a different book, either by the same Author or a different one. If you like books like this than you can post as many love or hate reviews on this book. I don't really think the Author was bad he had a really good story to tell but the plot was not my taste at all.