One of my favorite Booktube channels, Books with Zara, brought Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson to my attention with one of her recent videos. The video was about heartwarming reads, and she discussed several books that qualified for that honor. She captivated me when she explained Small Worlds as a coming-of-age narrative, a Ghanaian British story where music and dance served as its core.

Stephen, a first-generation Londoner with Ghanaian immigrant parents, is the protagonist whose story unfolds in Small Worlds. He is a jazz musician and trying to make his way in the world. He comes from a tight-knit family, comprising his parents, his brother Ray, and Del, who is both his best friend and romantic partner. Stephen is at a crossroads in his life, and like most young people, he does not have it all figured out.

He goes off to university several hours away from London in order to study music. However, he becomes disillusioned with student life and returns home to the disappointment of his father. Stephen’s relationship with Del goes through several twists as she becomes popular as a DJ. His brother Ray has established his own life with a wife and child. The world Stephen was familiar with has transformed before his eyes.

Nelson’s prose read smoothly and confidently throughout the novel. The narrative unfolded gradually, and my reader’s patience was rewarded. Life’s ever-changing nature was clearly Nelson’s theme, suggesting that the desire to preserve idyllic moments is commendable, yet destined to slip away.

The many references to jazz, 70s soul, and hip-hop music made me connect to this novel on a more personal level than very few novels I have read throughout my reading life. Dancing was of importance in the novel’s culture, and I was glad to read a story that had this element as well.

Small Worlds, a gentle coming-of-age story, explores immigration, West African British culture, and a young man’s journey of self-discovery with a unique perspective rarely found in today’s fiction. It will definitely one of my favorite novels of 2026, and thanks again to Booktuber, Books with Zara for recommending it.