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A Million Tiny Missiles All at Once: heartfelt YA drama for fans of John Green and The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Being a teen’s a tough gig, but what if one gig
could save your family?
'Gorgeous and sensitive, incredibly thoughtful to its characters
who are full of life and colour and vivid detail ... a
truly special debut.' MARGARET MCDONALD
'... has a subtle power. Honest, engaging and warm, Elias's
story will stay with you long after you've turned the final page.'
SARAH CROSSAN
'The most gorgeously written and heartfelt debut in years.
Breaks your heart into a million tiny pieces all at once and then
puts it back together again – a marvel.' PIERS
TORDAY
Elias’s brain is a swamp of fears and bad things. His once-loving
brother Bo has become a stranger, and his parents are at
breaking point.
When Bo falls in with dangerous people, Elias decides he’s
the only one who can bring his family back together. But what
begins as a simple pizza-night plan quickly spirals into chaos.
Can Elias find a way to reach the people he loves the most
before it’s too late?
The stunning debut novel from Lucas Maxwell, winner of
the Times/Chicken House Competition 2024
Set in wintry Nova Scotia, Canada and inspired by the
author’s childhood, this special novel explores themes of
family addiction and growing up neurodivergent
Perfect for fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower,
My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece
and Orbiting Jupiter
For readers aged 12 and up
'Emotional gut punch, beautiful setting, and HD real characters'
NATHANIEL LESSORE
'Very occasionally I read a book which I know is going to
stay with me for a very long time ... I loved it very much.' SIMON
JAMES GREEN
'I was gripped from the very first line. Wonderful.'
LISA THOMPSON
'I read it in pretty much one sitting ... flawless' JASBINDER
BILAN
'Unimaginably good ... a work of utter genius' TIA
FISHER
'I highly recommend this lovely read' SUSIN NIELSEN
227 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 9, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
December 2, 2025
A beautifully written YA debut by Lucas Maxwell that is inspired by his own childhood, providing insight into how addiction affects family life and what it can be like growing up neurodivergent.
April 10, 2026
Moving, funny and family centric, this story about a neurodivergent teen trying to win a pizza meal for his family made me laugh and shed a few tears too. Very evocative of what it’s like growing up in a small town where everyone knows your business, the characters are relatable and addiction is dealt with very sensitively whilst still showing the effects on loved ones.
April 11, 2026
Couldnt put it down, truly emotionally fantastic in all the best ways possible. So many pages bookmarked, so many feelings felt. Just as it should be 🤞
May 3, 2026
I love books with heart. This is one of them. Set in wintery Canada and following the life of Elias and his family. I loved the relationship with the two brothers; I loved being taken to Canada in the nineties; and I loved a story that has empathy at its core. Bravo Lukas Maxwell! Stunning debut.
April 12, 2026
I want to wrap Elias and Bo in heavily insulated bubble wrap so that no person (or windsnap) can hurt them.
Loved this book.
Loved this book.
December 3, 2025
A multi emotion experience reading a proof copy of A Million Tiny Missiles: Nostalgia, heartache and hope.
I could feel Elias' cold fingers and toes as well as his yearning for his brother, told through his wonderfully honest (and at times relatable) perspective that was so easy to become swept into.
An absolute delight to read.
I could feel Elias' cold fingers and toes as well as his yearning for his brother, told through his wonderfully honest (and at times relatable) perspective that was so easy to become swept into.
An absolute delight to read.
April 16, 2026
A really great read! Really evocative of a time and place. A very moving depiction of brotherly love and neuro divergence.
April 10, 2026
This is a fictional story about fourteen-year-old Elias, whose brother Bo is expelled from school and begins to fall in with the wrong crowd. As Bo drifts away, Elias grieves the loss of their once-close bond, while his neurodivergence heightens his anxiety, often pushing him into overwhelming sensory overload.
The harsh brutality of the Canadian winter is brought vividly to life, but what truly stands out are the beautifully observed relationships—between Elias and his family, as well as with the friends who shape life in their small town.
Though written as a YA novel, it is both funny and deeply relatable for readers of all ages. I read this in one sitting and found it utterly heart-wrenching, completely compelling, and an absolute joy to read.
The harsh brutality of the Canadian winter is brought vividly to life, but what truly stands out are the beautifully observed relationships—between Elias and his family, as well as with the friends who shape life in their small town.
Though written as a YA novel, it is both funny and deeply relatable for readers of all ages. I read this in one sitting and found it utterly heart-wrenching, completely compelling, and an absolute joy to read.
March 31, 2026
This story about an autistic teen who tries to win his family one perfect pizza dinner will break your heart and mend it again.
Based on events from the author’s own life, it explores bullying, family struggles, prejudice, brotherhood, addiction and rehabilitation through the sweet and sensitive mind of Elias, a fourteen-year-old wannabe comedian with a quick wit and a heart of gold.
Elias has always looked up to his brother, Bo, who he knows will do anything for him. So when Bo falls in with the wrong crowd, Elias worries he’ll end up in the back of their dad’s police car (or worse). And what’s more, their parents are arguing, and their dad is thinking of moving away. All Elias wants is to win the school talent show pizza prize, so they can spend some time together. But with shady characters hanging around, a body that’s often at odds with his mind, and people picking fights with him at school, Elias’s only hope is to make good friends, do his best and hope it doesn’t all fall apart.
Reading this, you’ll laugh, gasp, want to yell at (or hug) the characters, feel the cold of a Canadian winter on your cheeks and learn a ton of puns and jokes. Fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower won’t want to pass it up; it has the same perceptive, simple style that makes scenes and phrases stick in your head. It’s a quick read (easily devoured in one sitting), but the characters remain with you long after. Especially Elias, who just wants to cause joy, and his grumpy mentor, Crawford, who sees the good in him and encourages it.
I’m so glad this book is being published, providing a relatable voice to young, neurodivergent teens tackling the difficulties of growing up. The realistic (if very sad) family circumstances explored, and the fact the story doesn’t shy away from hard themes, make it important representation as well as an eye-opening read for those of all ages. I’ll be recommending it.
A huge thank you to @chickenhousebooks and @lucasjmaxwell for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Based on events from the author’s own life, it explores bullying, family struggles, prejudice, brotherhood, addiction and rehabilitation through the sweet and sensitive mind of Elias, a fourteen-year-old wannabe comedian with a quick wit and a heart of gold.
Elias has always looked up to his brother, Bo, who he knows will do anything for him. So when Bo falls in with the wrong crowd, Elias worries he’ll end up in the back of their dad’s police car (or worse). And what’s more, their parents are arguing, and their dad is thinking of moving away. All Elias wants is to win the school talent show pizza prize, so they can spend some time together. But with shady characters hanging around, a body that’s often at odds with his mind, and people picking fights with him at school, Elias’s only hope is to make good friends, do his best and hope it doesn’t all fall apart.
Reading this, you’ll laugh, gasp, want to yell at (or hug) the characters, feel the cold of a Canadian winter on your cheeks and learn a ton of puns and jokes. Fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower won’t want to pass it up; it has the same perceptive, simple style that makes scenes and phrases stick in your head. It’s a quick read (easily devoured in one sitting), but the characters remain with you long after. Especially Elias, who just wants to cause joy, and his grumpy mentor, Crawford, who sees the good in him and encourages it.
I’m so glad this book is being published, providing a relatable voice to young, neurodivergent teens tackling the difficulties of growing up. The realistic (if very sad) family circumstances explored, and the fact the story doesn’t shy away from hard themes, make it important representation as well as an eye-opening read for those of all ages. I’ll be recommending it.
A huge thank you to @chickenhousebooks and @lucasjmaxwell for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 26, 2025
I managed to pick up a proof of this brilliant book at a recent Chicken House event, I was eager to read it as it sounded amazing and it didn’t disappoint!
Winner of the Chicken House/Times Children’s Fiction Competition for 2024 which will be published next year. It’s a brilliantly executed story about a 14 year old autistic boy who also has anxiety. When his brother starts hanging with the wrong people his life starts to implode! Lias is also a wannabe comedian and is determined to win the school talent show as he is convinced this will bring his family together again! I was totally hooked on this story which only took me a day to read, I love finding stories that are realistic with male characters as I feel there isn’t nearly enough around and this feels like a classic in the making!
Winner of the Chicken House/Times Children’s Fiction Competition for 2024 which will be published next year. It’s a brilliantly executed story about a 14 year old autistic boy who also has anxiety. When his brother starts hanging with the wrong people his life starts to implode! Lias is also a wannabe comedian and is determined to win the school talent show as he is convinced this will bring his family together again! I was totally hooked on this story which only took me a day to read, I love finding stories that are realistic with male characters as I feel there isn’t nearly enough around and this feels like a classic in the making!
Read
December 27, 2025This book is full of heart and humour. A magnificent story about a family going through a hard time and a boy who wants to fix it all. It will shatter your heart and help you put the pieces back together. Maxwell deliveries a stunning book that will remind every reader what it is like to be young and want the best for the people you love.
January 7, 2026
An incredibly powerful and moving #YA novel with an autistic teen protagonist navigating family upheaval in a small Canadian town.
My full review can be found here: https://vsviewfromthebookshelves.home...
My full review can be found here: https://vsviewfromthebookshelves.home...
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This has real heart behind it. Has a lot to say about family dynamics and what it like to be someone who is neuro diverse.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I received a review copy from the publisher in preparation for a UKYASpotlight interview. it has not affected my opinions.
A MIILLION TINY MISSILES ALL AT ONCE is a complex and poignant story of a family struggling with addiction.
Elias is autistic and possibly also has Tourette's (it's mentioned in the book but passingly). I love finding books with neurodiverse characters - there were so few when I was growing up and, while there's still a very long way to go, it is so nice to see more.
I really liked that the focus of the story wasn't "here's a kid struggling with autism". Being autistic is just part of who Elias is. Yes, being autistic means he is facing additional challenges, but much of that is thanks to the ableist bullying of those around him. I really liked that it wasn't a struggle book, wasn't pitting autism (or the community's reaction to it) as the big thing to overcome. We need more books like this.
The book deals with addiction and its cost on the individual but also their community - the strain on friendship and family. However Elias is being kept somewhat in the dark about it all, so the topic is never addressed head on, instead the symptoms are show and the conversations his parents have around him are somewhat oblique. It was an interesting and effective technique for keeping the focus on the consequences rather than the addiction itself.
It's set in 1993, but story wise, it feels like a contemporary novel (they just don't all have smart phones and the internet!) It feels a bit weird that the '90s is now considered "historical" but alas it was 30+ years ago. If you like contemporary novels, it will still appeal!
In all, this is a very solid debut.
A MIILLION TINY MISSILES ALL AT ONCE is a complex and poignant story of a family struggling with addiction.
Elias is autistic and possibly also has Tourette's (it's mentioned in the book but passingly). I love finding books with neurodiverse characters - there were so few when I was growing up and, while there's still a very long way to go, it is so nice to see more.
I really liked that the focus of the story wasn't "here's a kid struggling with autism". Being autistic is just part of who Elias is. Yes, being autistic means he is facing additional challenges, but much of that is thanks to the ableist bullying of those around him. I really liked that it wasn't a struggle book, wasn't pitting autism (or the community's reaction to it) as the big thing to overcome. We need more books like this.
The book deals with addiction and its cost on the individual but also their community - the strain on friendship and family. However Elias is being kept somewhat in the dark about it all, so the topic is never addressed head on, instead the symptoms are show and the conversations his parents have around him are somewhat oblique. It was an interesting and effective technique for keeping the focus on the consequences rather than the addiction itself.
It's set in 1993, but story wise, it feels like a contemporary novel (they just don't all have smart phones and the internet!) It feels a bit weird that the '90s is now considered "historical" but alas it was 30+ years ago. If you like contemporary novels, it will still appeal!
In all, this is a very solid debut.
Review of advance copy
*I pre-ordered from Waterstones and it arrived before pub day.
I loved A Million Tiny Missiles All at Once by Lucas Maxwell.
As a teenager/ young adult, I devoured books like this–character driven books with a distinctive narrative voice, capturing life unflinchingly.
It was fitting that the epigraph was a Ken Kesey quote, as reading this put me in mind of his storytelling including its portrayal of working class lives, its flow and its deep-delving observational narrative style.
Elias is living through the harshest period of his life in every sense. ‘A windsnap out of the north’ has buried Nova Scotia in a thick layer of snow. Elias is navigating high school as a neuro-divergent kid in the 90s and his brother, Bo, is losing himself. What will be left of them when the thaw finally comes?
The writing is at once raw and lyrical, as it combines Elias’s world view, and inner voice, with the gritty reality of their lives. The depiction of life in a poor rural community feels very authentic: some kids leaving school early to enter the sawmill, one of the main opportunities in the area; others falling into crime and addiction.
Add in the cold snap, which seems to hold the community almost in a suspended state, the feeling of captivity intensifies everything. When Elias signs up to tell jokes at the school talent show, it’s an act of resistance; a chance for Elias to transcend; it’s a culmination; it’s a symbol of hope. But will he even make it onto the stage?
A book about family life, coming-of-age and beating the odds with some banging 90s references and some genuine laugh-out-loud moments. It’s a really fantastic debut that completely floated my boat.
I loved A Million Tiny Missiles All at Once by Lucas Maxwell.
As a teenager/ young adult, I devoured books like this–character driven books with a distinctive narrative voice, capturing life unflinchingly.
It was fitting that the epigraph was a Ken Kesey quote, as reading this put me in mind of his storytelling including its portrayal of working class lives, its flow and its deep-delving observational narrative style.
Elias is living through the harshest period of his life in every sense. ‘A windsnap out of the north’ has buried Nova Scotia in a thick layer of snow. Elias is navigating high school as a neuro-divergent kid in the 90s and his brother, Bo, is losing himself. What will be left of them when the thaw finally comes?
The writing is at once raw and lyrical, as it combines Elias’s world view, and inner voice, with the gritty reality of their lives. The depiction of life in a poor rural community feels very authentic: some kids leaving school early to enter the sawmill, one of the main opportunities in the area; others falling into crime and addiction.
Add in the cold snap, which seems to hold the community almost in a suspended state, the feeling of captivity intensifies everything. When Elias signs up to tell jokes at the school talent show, it’s an act of resistance; a chance for Elias to transcend; it’s a culmination; it’s a symbol of hope. But will he even make it onto the stage?
A book about family life, coming-of-age and beating the odds with some banging 90s references and some genuine laugh-out-loud moments. It’s a really fantastic debut that completely floated my boat.
May 13, 2026
Man, this book.
In 2024, Lucas Maxwell won the Times / Chicken House competition with his debut novel A Million Tiny Missiles All At Once. I wouldn’t have been surprised if it had won every competition. In this story, Lucas’s beautiful writing allows us to see the world through the eyes of Elias - a neurodivergent 14-year-old. We see each snow drift of the long Nova Scotia winter. We see Elias’s every intrusive thought and anxiety. But what we see most clearly is the crisis gripping his family. Elias is losing his brother, Bo, to addiction. It’s a deep emotional trauma made more painful by memories of their shared, carefree childhood. There may be a solution, though. Elias wants to be a comedian, and maybe he’s good enough to win the school talent competition. If takes the prize – a family dinner at the newly-opened Pizza Hut – he believes it would be enough to save his family. This book made me feel a lot of things. It’s brutal and optimistic; it’s desperately sad and laugh out loud funny. Every character is so real they could step off the page, and every piece of dialogue snaps with realism. This is a future classic, worthy of its prize, worthy of the love it’s receiving and worthy of a place on the national curriculum. Complete genius.
In 2024, Lucas Maxwell won the Times / Chicken House competition with his debut novel A Million Tiny Missiles All At Once. I wouldn’t have been surprised if it had won every competition. In this story, Lucas’s beautiful writing allows us to see the world through the eyes of Elias - a neurodivergent 14-year-old. We see each snow drift of the long Nova Scotia winter. We see Elias’s every intrusive thought and anxiety. But what we see most clearly is the crisis gripping his family. Elias is losing his brother, Bo, to addiction. It’s a deep emotional trauma made more painful by memories of their shared, carefree childhood. There may be a solution, though. Elias wants to be a comedian, and maybe he’s good enough to win the school talent competition. If takes the prize – a family dinner at the newly-opened Pizza Hut – he believes it would be enough to save his family. This book made me feel a lot of things. It’s brutal and optimistic; it’s desperately sad and laugh out loud funny. Every character is so real they could step off the page, and every piece of dialogue snaps with realism. This is a future classic, worthy of its prize, worthy of the love it’s receiving and worthy of a place on the national curriculum. Complete genius.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
After plowing through 7 of the International Booker longlist in quick succession, a YA palette cleanser was very much welcomed… and this one turned out to be more well-rounded than I usually expect from YA.
Fourteen-year-old Elias lives in a small town in Nova Scotia where everyone knows everyone’s business, his brain is (as he puts it) a swamp of fears and bad things, and whilst he used to enjoy a close relationship with his older brother Bo, that has changed recently and he worries he is getting mixed up in something dangerous. What starts as Elias hatching a (seemingly) simple plan to save his family quickly spirals into something much more dramatic.
As the narrator, Elias really is at the centre of the story and we see everything from his, sometimes naïve, perspective. He is funny (both intentionally and not), honest and completely believable as a 14 year old ND kid and I was rooting for immediately and completely. The author drew heavily on his own childhood growing up neurodivergent in Nova Scotia, and that authenticity comes through.
The writing is genuinely beautiful in places. The descriptions of the locations as Elias wanders around are some of the most vivid I've read in a YA novel and for me, those moments really lifted it.
For me, the one thing I kept wishing for was another perspective… just occasionally stepping outside of Elias's head to see how the people around him were experiencing events would have added another layer. The ending also wraps up fairly quickly, but honestly, it's a YA novel and I can forgive that.
The author is a school librarian and he definitely understands teenagers in general, not just ND ones. I’d be really intrigued to see what he does with an adult novel.
Fourteen-year-old Elias lives in a small town in Nova Scotia where everyone knows everyone’s business, his brain is (as he puts it) a swamp of fears and bad things, and whilst he used to enjoy a close relationship with his older brother Bo, that has changed recently and he worries he is getting mixed up in something dangerous. What starts as Elias hatching a (seemingly) simple plan to save his family quickly spirals into something much more dramatic.
As the narrator, Elias really is at the centre of the story and we see everything from his, sometimes naïve, perspective. He is funny (both intentionally and not), honest and completely believable as a 14 year old ND kid and I was rooting for immediately and completely. The author drew heavily on his own childhood growing up neurodivergent in Nova Scotia, and that authenticity comes through.
The writing is genuinely beautiful in places. The descriptions of the locations as Elias wanders around are some of the most vivid I've read in a YA novel and for me, those moments really lifted it.
For me, the one thing I kept wishing for was another perspective… just occasionally stepping outside of Elias's head to see how the people around him were experiencing events would have added another layer. The ending also wraps up fairly quickly, but honestly, it's a YA novel and I can forgive that.
The author is a school librarian and he definitely understands teenagers in general, not just ND ones. I’d be really intrigued to see what he does with an adult novel.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This book really took me out of myself and into Elias's world. I related to the protagonist – what an authentic voice. What a genuine account of brotherhood.
Pleasingly unpredictable, raw honesty. YA readers (12+) will love it.
Pleasingly unpredictable, raw honesty. YA readers (12+) will love it.
October 26, 2025
A profoundly moving novel, both heart-wrenching and hopeful, Lucas Maxwell's debut is a thing of beauty.
October 28, 2025
5 star review but I wrote this book and this is the thing all authors are required to do on Goodreads.
But yeah, I really like this book and think it's pretty cool.
But yeah, I really like this book and think it's pretty cool.
May 20, 2026
Its a good POV writing of an autistic person. The familial love is so strong.
June 1, 2026
Perfect.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews