THE DANGER OF SMALL THINGS, by Caryl Lewis, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, March 24, 2026, Hardcover, $19.99 (young adult)
A teen uses her art to protest injustice and galvanize others to resist in The Danger of Small Things, a dystopian novel by Caryl Lewis.
The whole world rested on a single bee’s wings…until that last honeybee died, and the balance of the universe tipped. Now, famine and war rage across the land. People are no longer allowed to read or create art. They are forbidden to believe in the existence of love.
Like every other girl, Jess has been taken from her home to live in a government dormitory, where they are forced to pollinate crops by hand with brushes. But unlike the others, Jess knows how to read and paint—and she knows that brushes aren’t meant for pollinating.
Jess is her mother’s daughter, with a strong streak of rebellion that even the harshest punishment can’t stamp out. She knows there is something horribly wrong with this system built on the hard labor of young girls, a system that forces them to marry and have children as soon as they are able. With smuggled paints and brush in hand, can Jess inspire a revolution? —Synopsis provided by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
If you’re looking for a book with lots of action, The Danger of Small Things is not it. This quieter, more introspective read is punctuated by a few big moments, many smaller ones and lots of emotion.
Jess is a strong protagonist. She’s had the benefit of being raised “outside” of the system. She’s read books. She’s painted. She knows what the life was before. That makes her relatable and makes her story more impactful as readers put themselves in her place.
The Danger of Small Things isn’t an easy read. It’s reminiscent of A Handmaid’s Tale on a YA level while remaining true to itself. It’s not hard to see how society in author Caryl Lewis’s book got to where it is, and it’s certainly not hard to draw parallels to what’s happening in the world today.
There’s an under-riding tension throughout The Danger of Small Things that pushes the story forward and makes you want to keep reading. And it’s a story that sticks with you long after completion. It’s also a fast, one-sitting read that has room for expansion if the author so chooses. It’s one of the best YA books I’ve read so far this year.
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