When the World Ends

Chapter Book of the Month (The Observer)
Children’s Book of the Week (The Times)
A pick of 2026 (School Reading List)

You think it will be silent when it rises.

But it comes in a

thunder and rush,

a clatter and clanking of

cars smashing on lampposts and

the sides of fried chicken shops,

of things in the water that

should be on land.

When the unthinkable happens to the planet, two ragtag groups of kids on opposite sides of England beat the odds and escape death. But they soon realise that the only way to be truly safe is to seek a place they’ve only heard about in stories. As their treacherous journeys unfold, can they help each other survive – even when the world is ending around them?

From the six-times Carnegie-nominated and Sunday Times bestselling author of No Man’s Land and Joe All Alone.

Praise for When the World Ends

‘A searingly brilliant, important and beautifully written glimpse of a bleak yet hope-filled world.’ (Liz Kessler, million-copy selling author of When the World Was Ours)

‘A gutsy story about surviving the worst and the family you find along the way.’ (The Times)

‘The fantastic Joanna Nadin’s latest examines what happens when sea levels rise suddenly.’ (Kitty Empire, The Observer)

‘A really enjoyable read with lots going on, lots of humour and real emotion. If we do end up facing the end of the world, let’s hope it’s in the company of young people like these.’ (LoveReading4Kids)

‘An unforgettable middle-grade story filled with grit, inspiration and hope.’ (School Reading List)

When the World Ends looks the climate crisis right in the eye without flinching, while the spider webs of relationships – so strong despite their apparent fragility – offer the crucial hope, comfort and resolution. A When the Wind Blows for today’s young teens.’ (Tia Fisher, Carnegie-shortlisted author of Crossing the Line)

‘Sophisticated and beautifully written, it’s The End We Start From for young readers. A study in human connection and community and how, at the heart of things, that’s all we have or ever need.’ (Rachel Delahaye, Carnegie-longlisted author of Electric Life)

‘With her signature wit and flawless prose, Jo Nadin takes us on a thrilling journey of biblical proportions. Told through the eyes of characters that you cannot help but love, When The World Ends is a heartfelt parable that offers us hope even in the stormiest of times.’ (Ash Bond, author of Peregrine Quinn)

‘Just brilliant. I can’t get it out of my head.’ (Natasha Farrant, author of The Children of Castle Rock.

‘Nadin manages to tackle a bleak theme with humour, humanity and hope. It feels like something every young person (and adult) should read. I completely fell in love with it.’ (Catherine Bruton, author of Bird Boy)

To order the book, click here.

About Joanna Nadin

A former broadcast journalist and special adviser to the prime minister, since leaving politics I’ve written more than 80 books for children and adults, as well as speeches for politicians, and articles for newspapers and magazines like The Guardian, Red and The Amorist. I also lecture in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University, and hold a doctorate in young adult literature. I’m a winner of the Fantastic Book Award and the Surrey Book Award, and have been shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, the Booktrust Best Book award and Queen of Teen among others, and twice nominated for the Carnegie Medal, for Everybody Hurts, and for Joe All Alone, which is now a BAFTA-winning and Emmy-nominated BBC TV series. I've also worked with Sir Chris Hoy on the Flying Fergus series and ghost-written Angry Birds under another name. I like London, New York, Essex, tea, cake, Marmite, mint imperials, prom dresses, pubs, that bit in the West Wing where Donna tells Josh she wouldn’t stop for a red light if he was in an accident, junk shops, crisps, Cornwall, St Custard’s, Portuguese custard tarts, political geeks, pin-up swimsuits, the Regency, high heels, horses, old songs, my Grandma’s fur coat, vinyl, liner notes, the smell of old books, the feel of a velveteen monkey, Guinness, quiffs, putting my hand in a bin of chicken feed, the 1950s, burlesque, automata, fiddles, flaneuring, gigs in fields on warm summer nights, Bath, the bath.

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