by Ellen Klages
It is 1943, and almost eleven-year-old Dewey Kerrigan is on a train to New Mexico, where she will live with her father. She doesn't know where in New Mexico, exactly; the corporal who took her to the station can't tell her. It's wartime, and so many things are secret. Soon she arrives at a town th...
Two girls growing up at Los Alamos in the 1940s gradually build a friendship against the looming backdrop of the war effort. Middle grade is where it's at, apparently. This is a sweet story that manages to touch on a lot of serious historical issues without ever losing its core emotional thread abou...
I cried so hard the first time I read this.
This is a slow and sad family drama played against the backdrop of Los Alamos - from the point of view of two of the children of scientists working on the "Gadget" in 1945. It's strange to be more aware of the layer of horror than the characters are, especially the children who are somewhat kept in...
Delightful book! Los Alamos through the eyes of Dewey, a young girl. Walk-ons by all my favorite scientists are a bonus. Strong writing, warmly realistic characters, and a unique story. Of course there were kids at Los Alamos- this is their story. Highly recommended.*re-read 10/14/08. I stand by the...
Very beautiful, haunting book about the Los Alamos community during World War II. [July 2008]
Klages did an excellent job getting into the minds of children growing up at the top secret Los Alamos project. It would have been interesting to have more of a contrast with Dewy's life before she arrived at the project. There's a mention that she rarely had meat but other than that it's tough to...
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