The Last Kids on Earth—a New York Times bestseller and winner of the Texas Bluebonnet Award, which is determined by the popular vote of grade school students throughout Texas—is a post-apocalypse graphic novel for young readers, filled with illustrations, humor, friendship, and zombie survival. The story is written by Max Brallier and drawn by Douglas Holgate, and was originally published in 2015, but has since gone on to become a seven-book series; this is the first book, and the second is The Last Kids on Earth and The Zombie Parade. It has been adapted into a Netflix series of the same name, and has also received tremendous acclaim within pop culture in the form of toys and collectible figurines. This guide uses the 2015 Viking Press edition.

Plot Summary

The story begins mid-apocalypse. The narrator and protagonist, 13-year-old Jack Sullivan, is living in a quasi-paradise treehouse fortress in Wakefield, with seemingly unlimited junk food, weapons, video games, and comic books—despite the dangerous chaos outside his window. Jack is a foster child who never had a close relationship with his current family—the Robinsons—since they abandoned him at the onset of the zombie mutations. Though left alone, he fended for himself as he has learned all his life being an orphan. In flashback memories of his time in school before the destruction of his town, he reveals that he has only ever had one friend—Quint Baker. They are both seen as “dorks” and get picked on at school by a bully named Dirk Savage. Then, the apocalypse begins and he never sees either of those boys—or anyone else—for 46 days.

The story follows him around as he fights off various creatures—not only zombies, but also dozers, brutes, winged wenches, and “Blarg,” among other threats. He evades them all—especially “Blarg,” a gigantic beast who is the largest, most intelligent, and most violent of them all—as Jack tries to complete daily challenges that he sets for himself, which range in seriousness from stealing the hats off zombies to finding his former love interest, June del Toro—a task he is particularly set on fulfilling.

He eventually reconnects with Quint, who has been living in his home and conducting scientific experiments—something he prides himself on. Together they roam the town for supplies and for June, but instead find Dirk—their former bully—and Jack convinces Quint to allow Dirk into their fortress. They begin to build their team together, and it pays off, since Dirk is bigger and stronger and able to help them out.

After some time collecting supplies and strengthening their fort, the crew of boys establishes a balanced friendship filled with routines and roles that they each fulfill. Jack, the outspoken leader; Quint, the brains; and Dirk, the muscle. They survive on scavenging and having fun together. Everything changes when they decide to look for June, who Jack has reason to believe is trapped inside the middle school.

Their plan backfires and they are nearly doomed when a rolling ball of zombies attacks them. However, June appears in time to save them. From there, the graphic novel develops her character as a resilient, fierce, and capable young woman who refuses Jack’s aid. Still, Jack is committed to “saving” her, and eventually gets her to join their team.

After learning about June’s background, Jack is able to win over her trust, and together they all decide to return to the treehouse fortress. But their happiness is interrupted by Blarg, who has been hunting the group throughout the book, and has finally pinned them in the school building. The team must devise a plan to escape, and they do—with Jack risking his life.

They flee back to the fortress for their final battle with Blarg. Though Blarg is a powerful beast and destroys most of their neighborhood—including parts of their precious treehouse—the team of scavenging adolescents ultimately defeat Blarg with a group effort. Jack is thrilled to have defended his home found his place in the world with his friends, and expresses his excitement and joy for expanding the team with future members.