Small Great ThingsSmall Great Things
Score Modern
What it's about
Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse with more than twenty years' experience at a Connecticut hospital. When the white supremacist parents of a newborn demand that she, a Black woman, not touch their baby, she's reassigned. Then the baby goes into cardiac distress while she's alone with him, and she's charged with a crime.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 37 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It's a gripping courtroom drama about race, prejudice and justice.
You'll love it if you liked
Nineteen Minutes
The Hate U Give
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and RedemptionGood to know
It's told from three viewpoints, including the baby's father. It deals with racism directly.
By the numbers
- Readers68 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller56 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #108 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #503 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #967 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
More by Jodi Picoult
Nineteen Minutes
House Rules
Handle with Care
Mad HoneyIf you like this, read next
All the Light We Cannot See
Americanah
A Little Life
The Help
Pachinko
Shuggie BainExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Small Great Things worth reading?
Yes. It spent 37 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #967 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 73.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Small Great Things about?
Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse with more than twenty years' experience at a Connecticut hospital. When the white supremacist parents of a newborn demand that she, a Black woman, not touch their baby, she's reassigned. Then the baby goes into cardiac distress while she's alone with him, and she's charged with a crime.
How long does it take to read Small Great Things?
About 1 hours (16 pages), or about 2 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Small Great Things?
If you liked it, try Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas or Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson.