Book Review: The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages

Bibliography: 
Klages, Ellen. (2006). The Green Glass Sea. New York, NY: Viking. ISBN 978670061341.


Plot Summary: 
The Green Glass Sea follows residents of "The Hill," a top secret base where scientists are working on a "gadget" to end World War II. Suze and Dewey are two young girls, daughters of the scientists working on the gadget. The girls encounter different trials and tribulations through the story, including getting to know each other in close quarters and the death of Dewey's father. In the end, the gadget works. On Suze's birthday, the family goes to the site where the bomb was tested.


Critical Analysis: 
The Green Glass Sea is most appropriate for grades 4 and above. This historical fiction novel gives credit in the end to different entities for their knowledge and information sharing, which shows us the historical setting was well researched. Klages suggests several titles for readers interested in knowing more about the making and testing of the atomic bomb.

The characters in the book are well written and intertwined. Several real key-players in the nuclear bomb are casually mentioned in the text. Without the background knowledge of these characters, they will be passed over by readers most likely (as I myself passed them up). Building some background knowledge of the non-fiction characters before reading would likely benefit readers.


Awards/Reviews: 
2007 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
2007 Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children's Literature
2007 New Mexico State Book Award (YA)

"Klages makes an impressive debut with an ambitious, meticulousy researched novel set during WWII. Writing from the points of two displaced children, she successfully recreates life at Los Alamos Camp, where scientists and mathemiticians converge with their families to construct and test the first nuclear bomb." -Publishers Weekly


"Many readers will know as little about the true nature of the project as the girls do, so the gradual revelation of facts is especially effective, while those who already know about Los Alamos's historical significance will experience the story in a different, but equally powerful, way." -School Library Journal


Connections: 
Art Connection: Have students use different media to make their own "Trinitite" as described in the book.
History Connection: Study characters mentioned in the book like Richard Oppenheimer and their contributions to the making of the atomic bomb.
Author Study: Read the follow up novel White Sands, Red Menace by Ellen Klages. See other books at http://ellenklages.com.
Geography Connection: Discuss the geographic location and features of "The Hill." (Desert, near Santa Fe, etc.) Draw a map of the location if desired.
Humanities Connection: Discuss the isolation the girls may have felt throughout the book (especially in the beginning) not being able to talk or write about where they were or what they saw.