The World Ends in April

by Stacy McAnulty

Is middle school drama scarier than an asteroid heading for Earth? Find out in this smart and funny novel by the author of The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl.

Every day in middle school can feel like the end of the world.

Eleanor Dross knows a thing or two about the end of the world, thanks to a survivalist grandfather who stockpiles freeze-dried food and supplies--just in case. So when she reads about a Harvard scientist's prediction that an asteroid will strike Earth in April, Eleanor knows her family will be prepared. Her classmates? They're on their own!

Eleanor has just one friend she wants to keep Mack. They've been best friends since kindergarten, even though he's more of a smiley emoji and she's more of an eye-roll emoji. They'll survive the end of the world together . . . if Mack doesn't go away to a special school for the blind.

But it's hard to keep quiet about a life-destroying asteroid--especially at a crowded lunch table--and soon Eleanor is the president of the (secret) End of the World Club. It turns out that prepping for TEOTWAWKI (the End of the World as We Know It) is actually kind of fun. But you can't really prepare for everything life drops on you. And one way or another, Eleanor's world is about to change.

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Contemporary, Friendship, Audiobook, Childrens

384 pages, Paperback

First published September 3, 2019

About the author

Stacy McAnulty is a children’s book author, who used to be a mechanical engineer, who’s also qualified to be a paleontologist (NOT REALLY), a correspondent for The Daily Show (why not), and a Green Bay Packer coach (totally!). She is the 2017 Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor Recipient for Excellent Ed, illustrated by Julia Sarcone-Roach. Her other picture books include Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Years, illustrated by David Litchfield; Brave and Beautiful, both illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff; Mr. Fuzzbuster Knows He’s the Favorite, illustrated by Edward Hemingway; and 101 Reasons Why I’m Not Taking a Bath, illustrated by Joy Ang. She’s also authored the chapter book series Goldie Blox, based on the award-winning toys, and The Dino Files. Her debut middle grade novel, The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl, will publish in 2018. When not writing, Stacy likes to listen to NPR, bake triple-chocolate cupcakes, and eat triple-chocolate cupcakes. Originally from upstate NY, she now lives in Kernersville, NC with her 3 kids, 2 dogs, and 1 husband.

Reviews

[Zoë]

[Book #6 for my grad school Children's Lit class]

[Melanie Brinkman]

Sometimes life changes can feel like the end of the world.

Thanks to her survivalist grandpa, Eleanor knows a thing or two about the end of the world. It's always been just in case. But when she stumbles across a Harvard scientist's prediction of an asteroid hitting the Earth in April, she knows her family will be prepared. And as long as her friend, Mack is still around, things might be okay.

But this life-changing news is hard to keep quiet. Suddenly Eleanor herself finds at the head of a school club informing her peers about TEOTWAWKI. Unfortunately, she can't prepare for everything.

A story of impending ends and beautiful beginnings. A of tale the things we know and the things we discover.

Trigger warnings for mention of a dead parent, anxiety, an induction of panic, and domestic tension.

Often exasperated, anxious Eleanor isn't prepared. Not for being alone, the possibility of losing her best friend, nor the gain of new ones. Even though she caused some panic, her kind, caring heart was in the right place as she shared her knowledge on preparedness. As someone whose fears also often get the best of them, I found her to be relatable.

From an eccentric grandfather, to a frustrated father, from a happy-go-lucky friend, to a frenemy who may just lose the enemy title, to the people on the internet, Eleanor influenced and was influenced by a lot of people. Lovingly drawn, the diverse supporting cast was easy to picture as they counted down the days with Eleanor. Some believed her, some didn't, and they provided a nice balance throughout the story. While I like how each relationship progressed, I wished their development would've been a bit more blended into the story. A ray of sunshine and a slightly spiteful spitfire, her friends, Mack and Londyn, were my favorites of the supporting cast.

The end of the world as we know it might not be as bad as it sounds. Through Eleanor's story, we saw that change will come to pass, and that endings may create new beginnings in friendships, family situations, school, and day-to-day life. A light-hearted contemporary about change, The World Ends in April was a heart full of friendships, STEM elements, and checking the reliability of the things you believe. Maybe the end of the world doesn't scare us all, but Stacy McAnulty perfectly captured the hold fears, insecurities, and worries can have on our minds. Vivid and smart, this tale was perfectly paced.

Don't wait until April to read this.

[Mohsen M.B · Rating 3 out of 5]

نویسنده خیلی شخصیت‌ها رو وارد داستان کرده بود که انتظار داشتم نقش پررنگ‌تری ایفا کنن و به داستان جون بدن، اما داستان الکی کش اومد و آخرش ان‌قدر تند پیش رفت که خیلی چیزها بی‌اهمیت شدن.ـ

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on a conversation with a middle school student, I think tweens and young teens will enjoy this book, about Eleanor a seventh grader, who believes the world as we know it is ending on April 7, more than adults. Eleanor is determined to do everything she can to prepare her family and classmates for doomsday. Will she succeed in preparing? Will the world really end in this story?
It seems every so often, someone will make a prediction for the date the world will end (January 1, 2000, December 21, 2012, etc.) and this story will resonate with any reader who has wanted to believe, partially believed or felt concern for loved ones who did believe.

[Hadis · Rating 4 out of 5]

خب و تو هم تموم شدی عزیزکم.
دومین کتاب از استایسی مک آنلتی قشنگم😍😍
قلمشو خیلی دوست دارم و مدل نوشتنش خیییلی متفاوته پر از لحظات فان، گریه دار، خشمگین، خوشحالی و اتفاقات غیر منتظره
پر از مخففات عجیب و به طرز عحیبی پیش بینیهایی که انگار ناخواسته بودن و الان بعد چندسال اتفاق افتادن😐😂
چقدرررر از مک خوشم اومد! چقدر این پسر بامزه بود چقد آدم درستی بود چقد قشنگ با سختی ها کنار میومد چه دوست خوبی بود برای الی به نوع خودش . چقد با نابینا بودنش قشنگ کنار اومده بود و چقد دوسش داشتم. شخصیتش خیلی دلچسب بود. 😌
اما الی ... الی چی بگم از دست تو. اوایل داستان دوسش نداشتم ولی خب از وسط به بعد... شاید درکش میکردم. دلم براش میسوخت هرچند الی خیلی ادم عجیبی بود برام.
و از محتوای داستان بگم... حرف برای گفتن زیاد داشت
و یه حرفشو بیشتر‌از بقیه دوست داشتم...
بعضی وقتا ته دلمون یه چیزی سنگینه میکنه ... انقدر نگهش میداریم ته دلمون و به روی خودمون نمیاریم... که از اعماق وجودمون حاضریم حتی دنیا تموم بشه تا ما به چیزی که میخوایم برسیم:)و این دردناکه
الی عزیزم‌ درکت کردم، مک عزیزم درکت کردم، لاندین عزیزم‌... درکت کردم و امیدوارم‌ هیچ وقت پایان دنیا برای شما نرسه. نه برای شما نه برای هیچ کس دیگه🧡🍊
و‌در نهایت برای کسایی که مثل من دهم یازدهم یا دوازدهمن ک فرصت کتاب خوندن ندارن. عزیزای من تروخدا غصه نخورید... فکر نکنید عقبید یا هرچیزی . تموم میشه!شما به خواستتون میرسید ‌‌‌‌و روزی انقدر از بیکاری کتاب خواهید خوندید که بالا بیارید😌😂🧡

[Lizz Axnick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I LOVED The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl. I recommended it to many people. I was so excited to get my hands on this book. I will say this, Stacy McAnulty is a great writer. She creates great settings and wonderful, relatable characters.

My problem with this book, which McAnulty goes so far even to mention, is reliable sources. Eleanor Dross finds this website, takes the guy kind of at face value and starts preparing for the end of the world. It helps (or adds to her paranoia) that her grandfather has been practicing bug out drills with her since she was small and is a self-proclaimed prepper of all things doomsday. Eleanor mentions at school that they took a media class on reliable sources and how Wikipedia is a no-no. However, she delves into this madness based on the word of a scientist, who is fired for his predictions (which was likely because there was no reliable source for any of his evidence!) and then all the other stuff she finds online she does not even bother checking sources. Yet, she questions why the media is not alerting the planet to this stuff.

Unlike The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl, I didn't find much to be uplifting about this group. I think I identified most with Londyn and I thought some of her accusations about Eleanor weren't that far off the mark. I kept hoping for a reprieve or some kind of "moral of the story" long before the ending. It took too long. I found myself dreading picking this up again because the book is just so sad and depressing. The world is ending and Eleanor feels the rug is being pulled out from under her. I soldiered through to the end but I was disappointed.

I will definitely consider reading anything else McAnulty writes but this is not a book I am likely to revisit.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

But what if it doesn't? Even if the asteroid doesn't end the world as we know it, many things will never be the same for Eleanor. I think this book would be a great read-aloud. While teachers wouldn't want to encourage all of Eleanor's behaviors, she does have to face the consequences of her actions. Tons of STEM elements are explored as well as a discussion on the reliability of information sources. When Eleanor believes the asteroid is going to hit the Earth, she doesn't sit back and worry with fear. She takes action to educate her diverse group of family and friends so that they all have the best chance of survival.

[Laura Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to @mrsoslibrary for sharing this ARC with #kidlitexchange! The World Ends In April by @stacymcanulty comes out 9/3/19!
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I loved Miscalculations of Lightning Girl so SO much so I knew I would read anything @stacymcanulty wrote. This one isn't quite as good (4⭐️), but it's still wonderful. Elle, Mack and Londyn are quirky, lovable and fully human just like Lucy, Windy and Levi. The way Elle and Londyn especially almost wish an asteroid would end the world as they know it is in turns heartbreaking and illuminating. The frenzy that Elle creates with her dire prediction about the world ending is both funny and a bit terrifying. It certainly kept me turning the pages late into the night! Oh, and I LOVE the cover -- the way the asteroid creates a question mark is brilliant.
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I have one gripe, which is that I think there was a bit of a missed opportunity in this book -- one of the Nature Club members is concerned about climate change. I wanted to see the club take the energy and excitement about preparing for the end of the world and turn it into preparing for and helping raise the alarm about climate change.
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Description: Eleanor Dross hates middle school, but also hates prepping for end times with her survivalist grandfather. When she finds out about a large asteroid that's predicted to hit earth, all that changes. Soon she and her best friend Mack are in charge of a Nature Club that's really a TEOTWAWKI (the end of the world as we know it) club, helping their fellow classmates prepare for end times. Elle doesn't want the world to end, but it sure would help prevent Mack from going off to a new school for the blind. Londyn doesn't want the world to end, but maybe it would help her parents get back together. What if the world does end...but what if it doesn't?
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#librariansofinstagram #librariesofinstagram #mglit #mgbooks #ilovemg #theworldendsinapril #stacymcanulty #booksbooksbooks #bookreview #bookstagram #bookstagrammer

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

The World Ends in April by Stacy McAnulty, 362 pages. Random House, 2019. $17.

Content: Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: G.

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS – OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Eleanor is a middle schooler whose grandfather is a survivalist and she has been run through drills her whole life, just in case. When Eleanor reads of an asteroid that is headed towards earth and will crash into the planet in April, Eleanor begins to take her grandfather’s skills seriously. Eleanor shares her concerns with her best friend, Mac, and together they start a survivalist club at school. But when Eleanor’s father hears of her obsession and fears, he tries to stop her club and forbids Eleanor from talking to her grandfather about the end of the world.

I loved McAnulty’s book, The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl, so I was super excited about this book. I enjoyed the beginning of the book and the premise of Eleanor’s middle school drama, but by the end I was frustrated with Eleanor’s inability to listen to those who loved her over the rantings of a scientist online. The ending was hard to read because Eleanor couldn’t get out of her own way and it became too predictable.

Reviewer, C. Peterson
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2020...

[Jody Holford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one picked up speed as it went along and by the end I was really immersed in the characters. Good story of friendship and showing how not everything is as it seems from the outside looking in

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5! quality middle grade

[Valerie McEnroe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kid rating: 3 stars
Adult rating: 4 stars

There's no question that Stacy McAnulty has writing talent. Everything about this book is well-developed. I just found the whole thing a little bit too unrealistic.

Eleanor's pretty much been brainwashed by her grandfather her whole life. He's a crackpot who believes there's going to be a disaster that leaves humanity in a fight for existence. Nuclear war. Asteroid hitting the earth. Could be any number of things. The point is to be prepared with food, water, shelter, safety gear, etc. Eleanor knows all of this since her grandfather has been leading her in survival training exercises for as long as she can remember. Now her blind, best friend Mack is in on it too.

It's been an annoyance to Eleanor, until she finds a website claiming an asteroid is going to hit the Earth in less than a year. She freaks out and feels it's her responsibility to warn as many people as she can, starting with her classmates. She forms a nature club which is really just a cover for her apocalypse club. To her dismay, her nemesis, Londyn, joins the club. She's sure it's for sabotage, but Londyn really seems to have an interest in advancing the cause. Eleanor's dad is beside himself, trying desperately to convince her it's all a hoax, but she's 100% sure the world will end in April.

Any kid who can be brainwashed by the internet so easily needs counseling. I didn't enjoy Eleanor as a character. She's whiny and bossy. I much preferred Matthew Landis's book It's the End of the World as I Know It. More down-to-earth, believable, and sweet. I think this one is a hard sell.

[Christina (A Reader of Fictions) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept's relatively interesting, and the central theme of being careful what internet sources you trust is a good one for the youths today. The emotional arcs, however, didn't entirely resonate.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading and loving and even writing a book report on Counting By 7s, my son and I were both excited to read McAnulty's second book, but in a stereotypical sophomore slump, this book was not nearly as good as her debut. My son actually abandoned it about 1/3 of the way through because he thought the narrator was stupid and the plot bored him. I powered through, hoping for better, but the book simply lacked the good pacing and the emotional impact the other novel did. The story is about a middle schooler who has a prepper grandfather and gets duped by a website into believing the end of the world is coming, so she shows her friends and they form a club to prep for the end of the world- themes of friendship and fear of the future/unknown as well as the dangers of trusting unreliable internet sources are not subtle. The writing is clear enough that even unsavvy or younger aduiences can clearly see that the website is bad if they've had any internet instruction at all. Additionally, the subplot and underlying conflict of the protagonist being sad about her best friend maybe going to a school for the blind the next year is heavy-handed and without much suspense. It was too long, and while the character of Londyn was perhaps the book's saving grace, the book is very long, and I don't think quite good enough to hold younger/ target audience readers attention. Only 2 stars.

[Rebecca McPhedran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elle Dross is not a prepper, even though her Grandpa Joe wishes she was. He subjects Elle and her younger brothers to drills and MRE’s to be sure they’re ready when the end of the world comes. Elle grudgingly goes along, but it’s not until she sees a website with a scientist that claims that the world will end in April.

The website seems legit, and honestly Elle would love to not have to face the bullies, the schoolwork, and the fact that her best friend may be leaving her. Honestly, she’s gotta keep everyone safe. It’s good to be prepared for TEOTWAWKI (the end of the world as we know it)

A fantastic book about friendships and new beginnings. This book is about how your life can change in small ways for the better-and it doesn’t have to include an asteroid hitting the earth.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though this book is about an impending apocalypse, it's upbeat, funny, and entertaining. And, really, it's not about the end of the world at all. It's about friendship—finding friends, losing friends, and the fear of being alone, with no friends. Everyone, especially middle schoolers in the throes of the friend-drama years, can relate to some aspect of this novel. That's what makes it so engaging. Add in likable characters, a trendy prepper plot, and vivid storytelling and THE WORLD ENDS IN APRIL is a winner all around. I loved it.

[Abbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stacy McAnulty's new book isn't about a global pandemic, but it is about disaster-related anxiety. This may be triggering for some people. While it is interesting and stressful to watch Eleanor's descent into a complete anxiety meltdown, I'm not quite sure it makes sense from the emotional perspective the author was leaning toward. She is trying to hint that this disaster anxiety is tied to the possibility of Mack moving away which I could buy if she had previous anxiety issues, but I'm not quite sure it works here. Nice plug for credible sources, though! Also, Grandpa Joe is kind of the worst. His son told him to cut out the prepper stuff, and it's pretty obvious Eleanor was not doing well, but he just kept feeding into her anxiety. I would recommend this one with the warning that it could trigger anxiety.

Read more at Bookish Adventures.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

One day Eleanor finds an website written by a (former) Harvard scientist asserting that an asteroid will hit the earth in April and latches onto it. Her grandfather is a staunch prepper and has been preparing his grandchildren for post-apocalyptic life as a hobby so Eleanor has a lot of survivalist knowledge. She even starts an end-of-the-world club at her middle school to help other people out. Of course the reader knows all along that asteroid is a hoax, but that doesn't take away from Eleanor's story as she copes with MS life and friendship challenges while also contending with huge apprehension for the future.

[Amber Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

April is coming. Are you prepped and ready for TEOTWAWKI? Eleanor and Mack have been friends for forever, but it seems like things are changing just a bit and now the end of the world is coming! Prepping for the end, making new friends, learning about yourself and those around you; middle school is tough!
The story was entertaining and a fun read. What I love about McAnulty’s middle grade books is the characters. She writes about middle school kids that are often on the outskirts and who have their own struggles, but manage to find a way through.
The World Ends in April was a book I am sure middle grade readers will love!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a tough time getting in to this book... especially because I did not love the previous novel I read by this author. However, I just ignored my family to binge-read the last 200 pages. It’s a book about surviving middle school, learning from our mistakes, and creating friendships- and also about having hope for the future!

[papilionna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know this is a middle grade, but Eleanor feels much younger than twelve. In fact, she reads really stupid. Also, I don’t believe kids these days would mindlessly believe one cheap website without looking for further proof. I gueeeeess this is a good book to teach children to be careful with internet sources, but all in all it’s unnecessarily long and irritating.
Londyn was the only one who made this book bearable. I really felt for her.

[Caroline Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

An adorable middle school novel with an entertaining mix of drama, relationship issues and humour. I especially liked the reference to one of my all time favourite books - Counting by 7s. My only complaint is that I felt it was about 50 pages too long.

[Ashley Sabatino · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wtf.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tale about an anxious kid who preps for the end of the world. Her relationships with family and friends felt fleshed out and believable, and the characters were interesting. Nice parallel between preferring the the end of the world as we know it to a best friend leaving. The plot dragged a bit in the middle, and I could have done without some of the drama between Eleanor and her new goth friend.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally posted at https://bickeringbooks.wordpress.com/...

Summary: Eleanor Dross knows how to survive the end of the world. She isn’t a prepper and neither is her father but Eleanor’s grandfather is a prepping fanatic. Eleanor always thought that his lessons were silly that is until she finds the website, a website that predicts an asteroid is going to hit the Earth in April and life as we know it will be over. Eleanor teams up with her best friend, Mack, and her kind of frenemy, Londyn, to get her classmates ready to survive TEOTWAWKI. Eleanor wants to make sure everyone is safe but she has to compete with adults, including her dad, who won’t take the threat seriously. Can Eleanor convince everyone to listen to her so she can save her family and friends?

Review: There is so much good in this book but unfortunately there is also some not so good things about this book. Eleanor is a strong female character, the type that we need to see more of in children’s books. She isn’t going to just sit there and listen to everyone else, no, our main character is going to spring into action and try to save herself and her loved ones. That aspect of the book was great. Also, great was the portrayal of Eleanor’s best friend, Mack, who is the antithesis of what you usually see in this kind of book. He was positive and proactive and didn’t let the fact that he was blind slow him down. Mack was just kind of neat. I also appreciated how McAnulty was able to teach a gentle lesson about acceptance through the character of Londyn with Eleanor having to really get to know the other girl to learn what was going on in her life so they could bridge the gap to friendship. However, many aspects of this book just didn’t really work for me. The group of middle schoolers seemed way too eager for the end of the world. They loved their meetings and planning what to do once it’s TEOTWAWKI. I had difficulty believing that it took so long for any parent to get involved. There were a lot of meetings and discussions among the student and not one of their parents thought it was odd? Also, Eleanor obviously had other issues that her father and grandfather didn’t seem to notice or address. Was she this all because she was upset and nervous about Mack changing schools because of her mother’s death? The issue was never really resolved and I would be a much happier reader if it had bee. In all, the book was fine and many tweens will enjoy it but this adult needed a little more character development.

[Lorena · Rating 1 out of 5]

By default, any book that I do not finish gets one star.

Let me just start by stating that my children and I LOVED The Miscalculations of Lightening Girl. This book just couldn't compete. The plot was a cute idea, especially with the crazy 2020 year that we've been having, and the narrator was fantastic, but the execution of the story ... ugh!

I'm sure this book is meant for middle grades, but that doesn't mean it has to have flat, cliché dialogue. The main character has a little chip on her shoulder, which gets old fast. I listened to half of the book, thinking I was almost done. When I saw I still had four hours to go, I gave up. I can't believe how long the story was going to drag on. I couldn't imagine what else the author had to share with us!

One super annoying and repetitive theme throughout all of the book that I read was that EVERY TIME a new character was introduced, the character's name was immediately followed with a comma and a phrase that identified the character's race (e.g., "Maria, a Latina girl, ..."). This is obnoxious on several levels. Number one (in no particular order), this felt like an overt attempt to include all races into her book so that the author appears to be the most liberal and inclusive person ever. Seriously, this middle school has to be the most racially diverse school in America. Number two, I think it is unnecessary and insensitive to classify people primarily and solely by race. It gives the impression that their race is the most important facet about a person, so important that it is the only description given about a person. Number three, if the race of a character is so important to bring to the reader's attention, the author should have found ways to show how the character's race is relevant to the story and incorporated those details (show, don't tell).

All in all, I had to quit this book because it was boring. I can't believe I actually gave it four hours of my life.

[Katie Reilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Stacy McAnulty and Random House Kids for sharing an ARC with our #bookexpedition group!

Some days in middle school can feel like the end of the world. So when Elle discovers a Harvard professor’s prediction that an asteroid will hit Earth, Elle knows she needs to protect her family. With help from her survivalist “prepper” Grandpa Joe, her best friend Mack, and Londyn, the girl who’s determined to destroy her in PE, Elle begins her preparations for TEOTWAWKI when SHTF.

Only...what if it doesn’t? What if Mack’s leaving Elle to go to an amazing school for the blind is really the end of Elle’s world? Or what if Londyn’s family problems are the end of her world? Or what if Professor Cologne is...wrong?

With an excellent author’s note, back matter on past impact events, asteroid facts, information on readiness kits, and a checklist for legitimate sources, this novel will definitely CRASH into middle grade readers.

[Josephine Sorrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

i simply adored The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl, so I was excited to read this book. It’s very good too, but it’s no Lightning Girl.

Setting is middle school and EVERY day in middle school can feel like the end of the world.

Eleanor Dross has been greatly influenced by her grandfather who is a prepper, (survivalist), and stockpiles freeze-dried food and supplies–just in case.
One day while browsing websites, Eleanor reads about a Harvard scientist’s prediction that an asteroid will strike Earth in April. This concerns Eleanor but she knows her family will be prepared. So, she goes on a mission to warn her classmates.

She especially wants to protect her one and only friend, Mack. They’ve been best friends since kindergarten. She says he’s more of a smiley emoji and she’s more of an eye-roll emoji. She hopes they will survive the end of the world together . . . if Mack doesn’t go away to a special school for the blind.

A secret End of the World Club is formed with disastrous results for Eleanor. (I like my pun.) It turns out that prepping for TEOTWAWKI (the End of the World as We Know It) is actually kind of fun until you get suspended.

Hold your breath as April 7th approaches accompanied by a killer asteroid.

The book I finished before starting this was Gail Jarrow’s,
Spooked! How a Radio Broadcast and The War of the Worlds Sparked the 1938 Invasion of America.

It is quite a study on human behavior and how easily we can be fooled whether it be the 1930’s or the 2000’s.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

DISCLAIMER: I received a digital review copy of THE WORLD ENDS IN APRIL via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

I was quite excited to read this when I found out it was coming out. The premise seemed interesting, and given that I like McAnulty’s other middle-grade contemporary, THE MISCALCULATIONS OF LIGHTNING GIRL, I was sure I was going to love this one as well.

Granted, this book did seem to drag during the middle portion, but overall, it was a great story with great writing and fun characters.

Will I be purchasing a copy in September?

I’d settle on a definite maybe.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find this to be the perfect middle school book!  The plotline of an upcoming doomsday weaves perfectly in with the feeling you have when you're nearing high school and everything is changing. The characters in the book are all delightful, from Mack's predilection for funny accents and keeping positive, to Londyn's athlete-meets-rock-star vibes, to Grandpa Joe's eagerness to connect with his grandkids on an apocalyptic level, to Eleanor, who is just trying to survive in more ways than one. I love the conflict between Eleanor's dad and grandfather - it seems like a very realistic struggle that could happen with a single dad and his own interfering father.  It would be a great book for a school curriculum, with its plot points around asteroids, reliable information sources, and survivalism - but it wouldn't be a drag for kids to read. It's light enough for younger middle schoolers, but juicy enough for older ones. I highly recommend it for tween readers or anyone who enjoys a potential-end-of-the-world drama.