The March Sisters have a secret. Each of them exhibits traits that make them think they may be monsters. Meg’s finger and toenails turn into claws. Jo gets furry like a wolf. Beth grows bat wings, and Amy sprouts a tail around salt water. It’s hard keeping the other kids from school, or their foster mother Marmee, from finding out.

The closer it gets to Halloween, the more often these traits appear. Even worse, something is attacking animals and people and night. Meg worries it might be her. To find out for sure she sets out to find who, or what, is causing havoc. But in the town of Salem, nothing is as it appears to be.

Little Monsters by Maire Roche is an inventive take on the Little Women story. In this telling, the girls are orphans who have been shuttled to lots of different foster homes. It’s hard for them to trust anyone but each other. As the oldest, Meg feels she is responsible for making sure all the younger ones have what they need. But it’s too much of a burden on her, as she’s just a kid herself.

The story takes a few twists and turns as Meg investigates what’s happening around her. Along the way, she finds out what it means to trust, the definition of true friendship, and how to embrace her own reality. It’s a cute story with deeper meaning. Plus, it’s extra interesting to read it in the times leading up to Halloween.

I recommend Little Monsters for readers aged 9 to 12.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book for review.