LITTLE MONSTERS
by Máire Roche
Meg March and her three sisters are monsters. No, really. Meg has teeth that are a little too sharp. Jo gets furry under the full moon. Beth goes night flying on wings that are impossible to hide under her sweaters. And Amy? Well, don’t let her near a body of water or she’ll start sprouting her mermaid’s tail.
Meg is sure their foster mom, Marmee, wouldn’t like any of this if she knew. And Jo’s best friend Laurie, the nice boy next door, would run screaming. To make matters worse, Meg’s small town outside of Salem is on edge. A vicious beast has been spotted in the forest, and Farmer Bhaer believes it’s responsible for his missing chickens. Meg is sure to be blamed if anyone realizes she’s a monster in disguise. And the closer it gets to Halloween, the surer the town is that something evil is hiding in the forest.
Meg doesn’t always remember what she gets up to at night, and sometimes, she wakes alone in a mossy part of the forest and has to find her way back. With John Brooke determined to find out just what Meg is hiding and locals working to uncover the monsters in their midst, Meg must find the culprit herself—or risk losing the little home she’s found with her sisters.
Set in Salem during Halloween, with a big-clawed monster on the loose wreaking havoc on the town, this story has spooky season vibes. It's not Halloween specific and can be read year-round ... but is probably best enjoyed with a mug of something pumpkin spice!
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“Little Monsters is fundamentally about self-acceptance and realizing you’re not as alone as you think you are, two things that I think go hand in hand. I hope readers are inspired to reach out and ask for help, and are also nudged toward giving themselves a little more kindness and grace,” Roche told Young Adult Books Central.
*Photo by Kat Veldt
★ “A gripping, heartwarming story ... This innovative offering quickly establishes its own distinctive identity, blending monster mythology with coming-of-age themes to deliver an affectionate spin on Alcott’s classic.” – Publishers Weekly, starred review
“This present-day retelling of Little Women is a standout in the genre, delving into classism, queerness, the vulnerability of parentless children, and how scared people with power can become more dangerous than any monster. While the mapping of the various characters will be fun for fans of the source material, this revenge story for the boring older sister, which allows Meg to finally have her claws out, stands just as well on its own. A powerful ending, which acknowledges that everyone’s a bit strange at the edges and allows a girl who has held too much for too long to become soft in her wildness, will have readers hoping that Roche pulls an Alcott and writes sequels.” – BCCB
“An engaging story that will captivate the imaginations of youth interested in mystery and horror without having too much scare factor.” – School Library Journal
“A great spin on Alcott's work with a slightly eerie vibe that's perfect for Halloween.” – Booklist
“Roche hits all the requisite plot points, delivers a final twist, and convincingly supplies several heartwarming lessons about self-acceptance, community, and letting people in.” – Kirkus Reviews
“We all need a Little Women-meets-Halloween mashup! ... For fans of Steinkellner’s The Okay Witch and Riggs’ Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.” – Reading Middle Grade
“With a sense of eerie and a full-load of monsterly fun, this novel draws in with tons of imagination and heart ... It's hard to put this book down, since there's always something happen whether it be action, tension, a touch of humor, or relationship struggles...all hitting the middle grade range nicely.” – Bookworm For Kids
Places to find Máire Roche:
CELEBRATE THE LAUNCH OF
LITTLE MONSTERS WITH MÁIRE ROCHE
August 22 at 10:30am
Wild Rumpus Bookstore (Minneapolis, MN)
In conversation with Juliana Brandt
October 24
YO! Book Fest (Philadelphia, PA)
Hosted by Children’s Book World
“This present-day retelling of Little Women is a standout in the genre, delving into classism, queerness, the vulnerability of parentless children, and how scared people with power can become more dangerous than any monster. While the mapping of the various characters will be fun for fans of the source material, this revenge story for the boring older sister, which allows Meg to finally have her claws out, stands just as well on its own. A powerful ending, which acknowledges that everyone’s a bit strange at the edges and allows a girl who has held too much for too long to become soft in her wildness, will have readers hoping that Roche pulls an Alcott and writes sequels.” – BCCB
“An engaging story that will captivate the imaginations of youth interested in mystery and horror without having too much scare factor.” – School Library Journal
“A great spin on Alcott's work with a slightly eerie vibe that's perfect for Halloween.” – Booklist
“Roche hits all the requisite plot points, delivers a final twist, and convincingly supplies several heartwarming lessons about self-acceptance, community, and letting people in.” – Kirkus Reviews
“We all need a Little Women-meets-Halloween mashup! ... For fans of Steinkellner’s The Okay Witch and Riggs’ Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.” – Reading Middle Grade
“With a sense of eerie and a full-load of monsterly fun, this novel draws in with tons of imagination and heart ... It's hard to put this book down, since there's always something happen whether it be action, tension, a touch of humor, or relationship struggles...all hitting the middle grade range nicely.” – Bookworm For Kids
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