The Last Kids on Earth Books in Order: Jack Sullivan’s Monster Apocalypse Adventure
If you’re looking for a funny, fast-paced middle-grade adventure series packed with zombies, monsters, video-game-style quests, and plenty of humor, The Last Kids on Earth is an excellent choice.
Written by Max Brallier and illustrated by Douglas Holgate, the series follows thirteen-year-old Jack Sullivan and his friends Quint, June, and Dirk as they try to survive a monster apocalypse in Wakefield, Massachusetts. Rather than treating the apocalypse as pure horror, the books turn it into an outrageous adventure filled with tree-house fortresses, homemade weapons, junk food, giant monsters, and unlikely friendships.
There are currently 10 main novels, beginning with The Last Kids on Earth and ending, for now, with The Last Kids on Earth and the Destructor’s Lair. Several companion books—including June’s Wild Flight and Quint and Dirk’s Hero Quest—add stories from the same world.
The Last Kids on Earth Books in Order
1. The Last Kids on Earth (2015)
When the monster apocalypse hits Wakefield, thirteen-year-old Jack Sullivan finds himself alone and decides to turn survival into the ultimate adventure. He builds an incredible tree house, gathers supplies, battles zombies, and eventually teams up with Quint, June, and Dirk.
Publication Year: 2015
Reading Position: Main Series #1
Key Themes: Apocalypse, friendship, zombies, survival, humor
This is the essential starting point because it introduces Jack and the core group of friends who drive the entire series.
2. The Last Kids on Earth and the Zombie Parade (2016)
Jack and his friends have survived the initial chaos, but their new normal doesn’t stay peaceful for long. As zombies begin behaving strangely and new dangers appear, the kids realize that surviving the apocalypse will require more than simply hiding in their fortified tree house.
Publication Year: 2016
Reading Position: Main Series #2
Key Themes: Zombies, friendship, survival, monsters, teamwork
The second novel builds directly on the world established in the first book and expands the kinds of creatures and threats the group encounters.
3. The Last Kids on Earth and the Nightmare King (2017)
Jack and his friends face one of their most dangerous enemies yet when the mysterious Nightmare King enters the story. The group must deal with frightening new threats while continuing to discover that the monster apocalypse is much stranger than they originally imagined.
Publication Year: 2017
Reading Position: Main Series #3
Key Themes: Monsters, fear, friendship, adventure, survival
4. The Last Kids on Earth and the Cosmic Beyond (2018)
The apocalypse gets considerably bigger when Jack and his friends encounter threats that extend beyond the monsters they’ve already learned to fight. Their adventure takes them deeper into the strange world created by the apocalypse.
Publication Year: 2018
Reading Position: Main Series #4
Key Themes: Monsters, cosmic adventure, friendship, survival, exploration
5. The Last Kids on Earth and the Midnight Blade (2019)
Jack discovers a powerful new weapon, the Midnight Blade, and soon learns that having a legendary weapon comes with serious responsibilities. As the kids prepare for another dangerous adventure, their understanding of the monster world continues to change.
Publication Year: 2019
Reading Position: Main Series #5
Key Themes: Magic weapons, monsters, friendship, adventure, courage
6. The Last Kids on Earth and the Skeleton Road (2020)
Jack, June, Quint, and Dirk leave the relative safety of their familiar surroundings and embark on a dangerous journey along the Skeleton Road. The trip exposes them to new monsters and challenges while testing how well the group can work together.
Publication Year: 2020
Reading Position: Main Series #6
Key Themes: Road trip, monsters, friendship, survival, adventure
7. The Last Kids on Earth and the Doomsday Race (2021)
The kids find themselves caught up in a dangerous race where speed and survival become equally important. The adventure brings new challenges and pushes Jack and his friends into another battle against the forces threatening their world.
Publication Year: 2021
Reading Position: Main Series #7
Key Themes: Racing, monsters, competition, friendship, survival
8. The Last Kids on Earth and the Forbidden Fortress (2022)
Jack and his friends encounter a mysterious fortress that holds secrets connected to the larger monster apocalypse. Their latest adventure takes them into unfamiliar territory and forces them to confront another major threat.
Publication Year: 2022
Reading Position: Main Series #8
Key Themes: Mystery, monsters, fortress, friendship, adventure
9. The Last Kids on Earth and the Monster Dimension (2023)
Jack and his friends find themselves dealing with the Monster Dimension and the increasingly complicated threat facing their world. Their adventure expands the mythology of the series and takes the characters farther into the strange reality created by the apocalypse.
Publication Year: 2023
Reading Position: Main Series #9
Key Themes: Monster Dimension, adventure, friendship, monsters, survival
10. The Last Kids on Earth and the Destructor’s Lair (2025)
Jack and Quint become trapped in the Monster Dimension and face a terrifying mission involving Rezzoch the Ancient, Destructor of Worlds. Their goal is bigger than simply surviving another monster attack—they must stop a threat capable of destroying civilization itself.
Publication Year: 2025
Reading Position: Main Series #10
Key Themes: Monster Dimension, friendship, apocalypse, courage, world-ending threat
The Destructor’s Lair is currently the 10th and latest main book in the series. Penguin Random House describes it as the tenth book and notes that the series has sold more than ten million copies.
The Last Kids on Earth Companion Books
The main novels tell Jack and his friends’ central story, but several shorter or companion books add extra adventures from the same universe.
The Last Kids on Earth Survival Guide (2019)
This companion book is designed as a survival guide to the monster apocalypse rather than another numbered installment in Jack’s main storyline. It adds humor, tips, illustrations, and world-building for fans of the series.
Publication Year: 2019
Reading Position: Companion Book
Key Themes: Survival, monsters, humor, world-building
The Last Kids on Earth: June’s Wild Flight (2020)
This companion adventure gives June Del Toro a chance to take center stage. It offers a different perspective on the Last Kids’ world and is particularly useful for readers who want more of June beyond her role in Jack’s main adventures.
Publication Year: 2020
Reading Position: Companion Story
Key Themes: June, adventure, friendship, monsters
The Last Kids on Earth: Thrilling Tales from the Tree House (2021)
This collection expands the series with additional stories connected to the kids’ life in their fortified tree house. It works best as extra material for readers who already enjoy the main characters.
Publication Year: 2021
Reading Position: Companion Book
Key Themes: Tree house, friendship, monsters, humor
The Last Kids on Earth: Quint and Dirk’s Hero Quest (2022)
This companion adventure focuses on Quint Baker and Dirk Savage, giving the two characters a chance to lead their own story. It adds more personality and humor to two of the series’ most entertaining characters.
Publication Year: 2022
Reading Position: Companion Story
Key Themes: Quint, Dirk, friendship, adventure, humor
These companion titles are generally treated separately from the numbered main novels.
The Complete Last Kids on Earth Reading Order
If you want to read both the main novels and companion books, a publication-based sequence is the simplest approach:
- The Last Kids on Earth — 2015
- The Last Kids on Earth and the Zombie Parade — 2016
- The Last Kids on Earth and the Nightmare King — 2017
- The Last Kids on Earth and the Cosmic Beyond — 2018
- The Last Kids on Earth and the Midnight Blade — 2019
- The Last Kids on Earth Survival Guide — 2019
- The Last Kids on Earth: June’s Wild Flight — 2020
- The Last Kids on Earth and the Skeleton Road — 2020
- The Last Kids on Earth: Thrilling Tales from the Tree House — 2021
- The Last Kids on Earth and the Doomsday Race — 2021
- The Last Kids on Earth: Quint and Dirk’s Hero Quest — 2022
- The Last Kids on Earth and the Forbidden Fortress — 2022
- The Last Kids on Earth and the Monster Dimension — 2023
- The Last Kids on Earth and the Destructor’s Lair — 2025
This list includes the 10 main novels plus four companion books.
Do You Need to Read The Last Kids on Earth Books in Order?
Yes, if you want to follow the overall story.
Each main novel builds on the world, friendships, enemies, and discoveries introduced in earlier installments. While individual adventures have their own plots, Jack, Quint, June, and Dirk’s relationships develop throughout the series.
For younger readers especially, starting with The Last Kids on Earth makes the later books easier to understand because it introduces the characters and explains how the monster apocalypse began.
The companion books are more flexible. You can read them after the related main novels without disrupting the central storyline.
How Many Last Kids on Earth Books Are There?
There are currently 10 main Last Kids on Earth novels.
There are also four major companion books:
- The Last Kids on Earth Survival Guide
- The Last Kids on Earth: June’s Wild Flight
- The Last Kids on Earth: Thrilling Tales from the Tree House
- The Last Kids on Earth: Quint and Dirk’s Hero Quest
That gives readers 14 books when the major companion titles are included.
There is also The Last Kids on Earth: The Graphic Novel, a full-color adaptation of the first novel, which should be considered an adaptation rather than a new main-series installment. The official series site lists it separately from Book 1.
What Age Is The Last Kids on Earth Series For?
The Last Kids on Earth is primarily a middle-grade children’s series, making it a strong choice for readers who enjoy action, humor, monsters, and illustrated adventures without the intensity of adult horror.
The books combine post-apocalyptic ideas with comedy and imaginative monster battles rather than focusing on realistic horror. Penguin Random House describes the series as a children’s middle-grade action and adventure series.
Parents and teachers looking for books for readers around the middle-grade range may find the series particularly appealing, especially for children who enjoy Diary of a Wimpy Kid-style humor alongside fantasy and monster adventures.
Who Are the Main Characters in The Last Kids on Earth?
Jack Sullivan
Jack is the central character and narrator of the series. After the apocalypse, he transforms his survival situation into an elaborate adventure, complete with quests, inventions, monster battles, and a heavily fortified tree house.
Quint Baker
Quint is Jack’s best friend and the group’s inventive problem-solver. He enjoys science, gadgets, and creating tools that help the group survive the monster apocalypse.
June Del Toro
June is brave, capable, and independent. She becomes an essential member of the group and frequently demonstrates that survival isn’t just about physical strength—it’s also about courage and quick thinking.
Dirk Savage
Dirk begins as the intimidating school bully but gradually becomes one of Jack’s closest friends. His strength and fighting abilities make him particularly useful when the group faces large and dangerous monsters.
What Makes The Last Kids on Earth Different From Other Apocalypse Books?
The biggest difference is its tone.
Instead of presenting a zombie apocalypse as frightening and bleak, Max Brallier turns it into a huge playground for adventure. Jack treats survival almost like a video game, complete with missions, upgrades, inventions, and increasingly powerful enemies.
That combination of post-apocalyptic adventure, humor, friendship, monsters, and illustrations is a major part of the series’ appeal.
About Max Brallier
Max Brallier is an American children’s author best known for creating The Last Kids on Earth.
He also writes other children’s and middle-grade series, including Galactic Hot Dogs and books published under the name Jack Chabert.
The Last Kids on Earth books are illustrated by Douglas Holgate, whose artwork contributes significantly to the series’ distinctive combination of action, humor, monsters, and comic-style storytelling.
The books have also been adapted into an animated Netflix series, helping introduce Jack, Quint, June, and Dirk to an even wider audience.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Last Kids on Earth Books
What is the correct order to read The Last Kids on Earth books?
Start with The Last Kids on Earth (2015), then read the 10 main novels in publication order through The Last Kids on Earth and the Destructor’s Lair (2025). The companion books can be added according to their publication dates if you want the most complete reading experience.
How many main Last Kids on Earth books are there?
There are currently 10 main novels in The Last Kids on Earth series. The sequence begins with The Last Kids on Earth and currently ends with The Last Kids on Earth and the Destructor’s Lair.
What is the first Last Kids on Earth book?
The first book is The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier, published in 2015. It introduces Jack Sullivan, Quint Baker, June Del Toro, and Dirk Savage as they attempt to survive the monster apocalypse.
What is the latest Last Kids on Earth book?
The latest main installment is The Last Kids on Earth and the Destructor’s Lair, published in 2025. It is Book 10 and follows Jack and Quint as they become trapped in the Monster Dimension and attempt to stop Rezzoch the Ancient, Destructor of Worlds.
Are The Last Kids on Earth books scary?
They contain zombies, monsters, battles, and apocalyptic situations, but the series is written primarily as humorous middle-grade adventure rather than serious horror. The tone is playful and energetic, with friendship and comedy balancing the darker premise.
What age is The Last Kids on Earth appropriate for?
The series is aimed at middle-grade readers. It is particularly suited to children who enjoy action, illustrated books, fantasy creatures, zombies, and humorous adventures.
Do you have to read the companion books?
No. The companion books add extra stories and world-building but aren’t required to understand the main 10-book storyline. If you’re primarily interested in Jack’s central adventure, you can read the numbered novels first.
Is The Last Kids on Earth a graphic novel series?
The original books are illustrated children’s novels rather than conventional graphic novels. A full-color graphic novel adaptation of the first book was later published, and the official series website lists it separately from the original novel.
Who are the four main kids in The Last Kids on Earth?
The central group consists of Jack Sullivan, Quint Baker, June Del Toro, and Dirk Savage. Jack is the main protagonist, Quint is the inventive problem-solver, June is brave and capable, and Dirk provides strength and comic personality.
Is The Last Kids on Earth finished?
The main series currently reaches Book 10, The Destructor’s Lair, published in 2025. The publisher currently lists it as the tenth book in the series.
Final Verdict
If you’re building a The Last Kids on Earth reading order, start with The Last Kids on Earth and follow the 10 main novels chronologically. The four companion books are worth adding afterward—or alongside the main sequence—if you want more stories from Jack, June, Quint, and Dirk’s monster-filled world.
For young readers, the series works particularly well because it turns a potentially frightening premise into something funny, adventurous, imaginative, and friendship-driven. And with The Destructor’s Lair currently serving as Book 10, there’s already a substantial story to explore.
Best starting point: The Last Kids on Earth
Best approach: Read the 10 main novels in order, then explore the companion books
Best for: Middle-grade readers who love monsters, zombies, humor, action, and illustrated adventures
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