ARC Review: “Little Monsters” by by Máire Roche

“Little Monsters” by by Máire Roche

Publishing Date: August 18, 2026

Genre: Middle Grade, Fiction, Retelling

Page Length: 288 pages (electronic review edition)

Synopsis:

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.

Review:

It’s been a while since I read a Little Women retelling, since the last one I read was So Many Beginnings back in 2021. When I read retellings I’m always looking for the essence of the original story, but a new narrative that also creates a brand new tale on its own. Roche does a wonderful job of crafting a great story for middle grade readers and beyond while capturing the charm of the the classics original characters. This retelling takes place in a cozy little town that is known for some pretty unnatural occurrence’s. It’s up to Meg March to discover the mysteries surrounding her new home before its too late.

This novel has the right amount of spookiness that is not too scary, but still creates an eerie atmosphere. Because our main characters are the monsters themselves, the creepy aspects of the story are the unknown creatures that lie in hidden sight. I enjoyed that Meg along with her own journey of learning more about herself becomes an amateur sleuth of sorts. She has to juggle her own mysteries along with protecting her family from harm. Though her path is full of obstacles she works to overcome her fears (which is no easy feat) and realizes that this is where she belongs.

“Maybe we’re not monsters the way everybody thinks,” Meg said. “Maybe we both just needed a little help.”

Roche makes novel such a fun fast-paced read that is very heartwarming and also is relatable. I think the way the important topics such as bullying, family, self-confidence, and identity were woven into the story with such care. It’s a story full of imagination and allows the reader to escape in a new story even for those who have read Little Women before. I highly recommend adding Little Monsters to your TBR.

Final Verdict: