The Green Glass Sea, by Ellen Klages; Bomb, by Steve Sheinkin; and The Children of Los Alamos, by Katrina R. Mason

In 1943, the town of Los Alamos, New Mexico, existed on no map. It was a highly secret community where scientists and mathematicians worked on “the gadget”—the atomic bomb they felt would end World War II. In this unusual encampment, Dewey Kerrigan and Suze Gordon (young daughters of scientists at work on The Hill) meet. They don’t like one another. Dewey is a loner, fascinated by everything mechanical and constantly inventing curious devices with components garnered from the encampment’s dump. Suze, artistic and strong-willed, strives to be in the popular circle of girls in the community and joins in teasing “Screwy Dewey.” Over the next few years, the girls are brought together by changes in their families amidst the demands of the intensely-focused community—eventually gaining a respectful, even loyal, friendship. The historical setting created by author Ellen Klages in The Green Glass Sea is fascinating, and true to both the actual events of the time and the dynamics of preteen and family relationships. Readers will become familiar with this period of history and its hidden project. They will be introduced to the dilemma felt by the developers of the atomic bomb: in meeting our objective (to bring an end to the war), did we introduce a power to humanity that we may regret? The meaning of the book’s title becomes clear as the book concludes. Recipient of the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, this fictional but realistic novel provides a context for understanding the complex demands of scientific exploration and the actual people involved. Ages 9-12. Puffin Books, 2008. 

 

Author Steve Sheinkin excels at presenting complex historical topics in a compelling way. His non-fiction Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon documents the origin of the atomic bomb in the 1938 discovery of nuclear fission in Germany, through its development in the secret labs of Los Alamos, to the several Soviet spies trying to steal key information and the international debate over nuclear proliferation. The complex nature of the bomb, its use and the dynamics of the Cold War are well described, elucidating an important era of our history and a context for current deliberations about nuclear power. Ages 11-16. Roaring  Brook Press, 2012.

For older readers and adults, The Children of Los Alamos, by Katrina R. Mason, presents interviews with adults who lived as young people in the rarified setting of Los Alamos. Offering a variety of perspectives, the narratives confirm that living at the secret community as children in the 1940s carried a lifelong impact. Reflections in this documentary book include deep appreciation for the dedicated energy characterizing the community, with a shared sense of mission creating a bond, as well as sobering thoughts about the enduring effects of the landmark use of atomic power to end WWII with the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  Ages 12 to adult. Twayne Publishers, 1995.