Enjoy lunch with Max Brallier, creator of the book series “The Last Kids on Earth” and the Netflix series of the same name in New York!
It’s time to add Max Brallier to the list of highly-praised youth authors such as J.K. Rowling, John Green and Stephenie Meyer. Brallier has authored a number of books, but is most notably known for his penmanship of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling adventure-packed series “The Last Kids on Earth.” The middle grade series, published by Penguin Random House, is filled with monster and zombie action sequences, laugh-out-loud humor, and an overall escape from reality for young readers. Beyond the bookshelves, the story has come to life on Netflix as an animated series developed by Atomic Cartoons. Coinciding with the launch of the Netflix show, Brallier’s newest book in the series entitled “The Last Kids on Earth and the Midnight Blade” released on September 17th and will feature illustrations by Douglas Holgate.
Brallier serves as the Creator and Executive Producer of the Netflix series, and has had a heavy hand in writing much of the script and developing the storyline. The humorous series follows 13-year-old Jack Sullivan and a band of wisecracking suburban middle schoolers who live in a decked-out tree house, play video games, gorge themselves on candy, and battle zombies in the aftermath of a monster apocalypse. The voice cast for the much-anticipated animated Netflix series includes Mark Hamill, Rosario Dawson, Catherine O’Hara, Keith David, Bruce Campbell, Garland Whitt, Montse Hernandez and Charles Demers, in addition to Nick Wolfhard voicing Jack. The animated series has also tapped Scott Petersen as the Showrunner and an Executive Producer (Emmy Nominated Writer, Phineas and Ferb), as well as Matthew Berkowitz and Jennifer Twiner McCarron as executive producers on behalf of Atomic Cartoons.
Max Brallier, A New York Times and USA Today best-selling author, has penned over 30 books geared towards both youth and adult audiences. His books and series include The Last Kids on Earth, Eerie Elementary, Mister Shivers, Galactic Hot Dogs, and Can YOU Survive the Zombie Apocalypse?.
The “Last Kids on Earth” series was inspired by Brallier’s childhood. He attributes many of the main character Jack’s characteristics to his own personal self-deprecating struggles, insecurity-based fears, and hopes to be the hero in another world. When Brallier began writing the series, he envisioned the book he would have wanted to read in 5th grade – pulling inspiration from his backyard treehouse that he and his dad built together when he was a kid, his infatuation with zombies, and his love of adventure films such as The Goonies.
With his grand success, Brallier uses his ever-expanding platform to promote mental health and causes close to his heart. Brallier has also made note that ‘kids don’t have it easy,’ between heightened anxiety and early onset depression for youths. “The Last Kids on Earth” series provides young readers an escape from their troubles – big or small – and safely venture into a world unknown.