logo

46 pages 1 hour read

Rod Serling

The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street

Rod SerlingFiction | Play | YA | Published in 1960

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Book Brief

logo
Rod Serling

The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street

Fiction | Play | YA | Published in 1960
Book Details
Pages

72

Format

Play • Fiction

Setting

Suburban Neighborhood • 1960s

Publication Year

1960

Audience

YA

Recommended Reading Age

10-14 years

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

In "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street," the peaceful residents of a suburban neighborhood are plunged into chaos after a sudden power outage following a mysterious overhead object. Suspicion and paranoia escalate when a boy suggests that aliens disguised as humans are among them, leading neighbors to turn against each other in a frenzy of fear and accusations, ultimately revealing the dangerous nature of human prejudice.

Mysterious

Suspenseful

Unnerving

Dark

Contemplative

Reviews & Readership

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street by Rod Serling is lauded for its incisive exploration of paranoia and group dynamics. Critics praise its timeless social commentary and tight narrative. However, some note its heavy-handed messaging and limited character development. Overall, it remains a poignant, thought-provoking piece that resonates with contemporary audiences.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street?

Readers who savor speculative fiction with social commentary will appreciate Rod Serling's The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street. Fans of George Orwell's 1984 and Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 will find its exploration of paranoia and human nature both compelling and thought-provoking.

Book Details
Pages

72

Format

Play • Fiction

Setting

Suburban Neighborhood • 1960s

Publication Year

1960

Audience

YA

Recommended Reading Age

10-14 years

Continue your reading experience

Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.