Small Great Things

Small Great Things is a gripping novel that explores the complex intersections of race, privilege, and justicein America. The story follows Ruth Jefferson, a highly experienced Black labor and delivery nurse with over twenty years of service. Her life is upended when a white supremacist couple requests that she not touch their newborn baby. The hospital complies, but when the infant goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery, she faces a devastating dilemma: obey orders or intervene to save a life?

After the baby’s death, Ruth is charged with a serious crime. The narrative unfolds through a high-stakes courtroom drama, where she is defended by Kennedy McQuarrie, a white public defender who initially struggles to acknowledge the role of systemic racism in the case. As the trial progresses, both women are forced to confront their own unconscious biases. Told from multiple perspectives—including the grieving, hateful father—the book is a powerful examination of what it means to be "different" in a society built on inequality and the "small things" individuals can do to spark great change.