Surviving Minimized

Written by Andrea White

Narrated by Sean Lenhart

Zert Cage accepts a dare. The 13-year-old sneaks out of his house to engage in a Trash War with his friends. Nothing out of the ordinary about that. Except that it’s 2083, and the world is falling apart. The Nuclear Mistake has left the oceans dead and brown, and grime and pollution are the way of life for anyone not wealthy enough to live in the Up Cities, which float high above the surface of the earth. Those left behind in the Low Cities wear gas masks when they go outside to avoid the Superpox, a highly infectious and deadly disease with a vaccine that few can afford.

When the Trash War goes all wrong—Zert encounters Superpox and also has a brush with the law—he must do something drastic to secure a vaccine and avoid a long stint in Teen Jail.

Zert and his father get wind of a top secret project to save people from both the disease and the wasteland that the earth has become and agree to allow themselves to be shrunk to the size of their thumbs and transported to an as-yet-undisturbed national park.

With signs of infection appearing on Zert’s arm, they act quickly, and overnight, they become outsiders in a community of minimized people who are trying to thrive in the wild using insects as food.

Roach stew? Cricket farming? Predators bigger than he is? Zert must find a way to fit in with this new world if he’s going to survive.

Surviving Minimized is a thrill-ride of a young adult novel that will make you both laugh and think. This is the story of a flawed, but good-hearted kid who wants to do the right thing when everything around him has gone wrong.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group
• Release date: Dec 31, 2018
• ISBN: 9781626348370

Reviews for Surviving Minimized

[cottongirl7 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed learning about the world created which enticed people to make the move to go small. I think the ideas were plausible and the community created was representative of a small newly governing body. The book felt like it ended abruptly. I wasn't so caught up in the characters that I wanted more though. It was a solid ok read.

[tellen81 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this book. It reminded me of a modern day "Little" book. I liked how it was things that could happen in the future, plus modern day, and then living as in the old days.

[paperbackpropensity · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have never read a book quite like this. It has some post apocalyptic scifi vibes, with 13 year old Zert Cage getting in trouble with the law for playing "Trash War" with his best friend. He takes off his O mask briefly, exposing himself to smallpox, an epidemic killing people in Low City DC who can't afford the vaccine.When Zert's father agrees to have himself and Zert shrunken down to thumb size in order to save Zert from the possibility of life in prison, everything changes.I liked Zert as a character. He's a regular relatable 13 year old. It was interesting to see him adjusting to giving up technology completely to live outside where bugs are farmed, and eaten. He and his father had a difficult time fitting in, which is what the book mainly focuses on. The characters are good, and the setting and circumstances made it a lot of fun to read. Toss in a family betrayal, and you've got a good book.

[mizpurplest · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The only disappointment with this book is that the author wrote it 20 years ago, so I'm fairly sure there's no sequel! A really nice semi-post-apocalyptic middle grade story - great characters, good development, and thought-provoking.

[standhenry · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Part Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and a touch of The Truman Show, this dystopian fiction is a fun book! With Instant Trees and holobums, the first couple chapters contain tons of details describing a world completely different from what we know today. The main character, Zert, gets into some trouble and might have a fatal illness. In order to survive, Zert and his dad attempt to join a secret society of minimized people that will hopefully save the world one day. Zert has a great sense of humor and after some ups and downs, makes good friends in the new world. Written 20 years ago, this book is timely in it's subject matter of human impact on the environment and political views of accepting people. It's a fast-paced read with likable characters. It wraps up neatly yet can go in many directions for a sequel. I hope the author publishes more books about the Rosies!