We Are the Ants
| Industry | Publishing |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Books |
We Are the Ants is a young adult science fiction novel authored by Shaun David Hutchinson, released on January 19, 2016, through Simon Pulse. Accompanying the novel is a 24-page supplementary narrative titled "What We Pretend to Be," which was published later that year on the publisher's platform, Riveted.
The narrative follows Henry, who is coping with the recent suicide of his boyfriend. After being abducted by extraterrestrials, Henry faces a 144-day deadline to choose whether to activate a device that could prevent Earth's annihilation. His determination falters until he encounters Diego, an artist burdened by his own difficult history.
Reception
The book garnered widespread critical praise, receiving starred evaluations from Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Shelf Awareness. Kirkus characterized it as "[b]itterly funny, with a ray of hope amid bleakness," while Shelf Awareness described it as "bracingly smart and unusual." The School Library Journal drew parallels between its tone and themes and those found in Nick Burd’s The Vast Fields of Ordinary and Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five. Booklist commended Hutchinson's skill in engaging readers with profound existential questions through well-drawn characters.
Both the Lambda Literary Foundation and Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) recognized the novel’s in-depth treatment of intricate topics such as love, grief, motivation, and the importance of relationships. Lambda Literary praised it as "a beautiful, masterfully told story," highlighting Hutchinson’s excellence in storytelling. VOYA noted the distinctive and compelling voices of the characters.
The Horn Book Magazine provided a mixed critique, acknowledging strong character portrayal but commenting that the storyline occasionally felt "lagging" and burdened by numerous issues.
Awards and honors
We Are the Ants has been included in multiple prestigious "best of" compilations, such as Time magazine's ongoing "100 Best YA Books of All Time," along with selections by both School Library Journal and Shelf Awareness. Additionally, it is recognized as a Junior Library Guild selection.
| Year | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction | Nominee |
| Kirkus Prize | Nominee | |
| 2017 | ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults | Selection |
| ALA Rainbow Book List | Top 10 |
Controversy
On November 4, 2021, access to the book was limited to high school students within the Keller Independent School District in Texas.
In 2022, We Are the Ants was among 52 titles banned by Utah’s Alpine School District under legislation H.B. 374 titled "Sensitive Materials In Schools." Of the banned books, 42 percent contained LGBTQ+ characters or themes. Many were removed due to accusations of pornographic content based on standards involving appeal to prurient interest, explicit sexual depictions deemed offensive, and absence of significant literary, artistic, political, or scientific merit.