The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages

Bibliography
Klages, Ellen. The green glass sea. Penguin, 2008.
ISBN: 978-0142411490

Plot
Dewey Kerrigan, an inventor of gadgets and gizmos, takes the train to Los Alamos, where her father is stationed with the army as a mathematician working on a secret gadget. Dewey does not fit in at school, with her introverted behavior and constant work with tools and parts. An inquisitive and inventive girl, she chooses to hang out with boys discussing radios or other technologies. Suze, another young girl on "the Hill", the base on Los Alamos, is bossy and brave, making her an outcast at school as well. When Dewey's father is sent to Washington for work, Dewey and Suze must live together and learn to understand the other. Then, when tragedy strikes, they must learn to move forward, relying on each other as World War II moves to a close. Set amidst the creation of the Atomic Bomb in Los Alamos, the story centers around the girls' relationship and the work their parents do to end the war.

Critical Analysis
The Green Glass Sea is built around strong characters in the two main girl protagonists, as well as detailed characterization in their families and the people who live on the base. Dewey and Suze's unique personalities each show how difficult it was to live inside a secret base, with parents who constantly worked for their country. The plot mingles laughter and tragedy; through each circumstance that Dewey faces, it builds upon her previous life experience, much like a real person. This brings authenticity to the novel, starting in 1943 and as Dewey grows up through the war years. Klages has researched both the time and place well, for the setting is easy to conjure as a lone desert army base, and the events that occur demonstrate the difficulty of war on citizens. The book's theme is also about the American people binding together through the difficulty. This is seen in the Gordon's acceptance and love for Dewey, as she faces the loss of her family and constant change. Klages has written not only a peek inside a secret Army project base, but a touching account of growing up and staying true to who you are.

Personal Response


Klages' story of the army life, and also of girls who enjoy "not-so-girly" subjects, was incredibly touching. As I read and got to know both Suze and Dewey's families, I grew to admire them both for the challenges that they faced. The characterization of each girl, while demonstrated differently, resonated with the feeling of wanting to fit in, to find your place, and to have a certainty about your family. As the girls separate stories wove together, each learned to respond with kindness towards the other, and I found they grew more well rounded as characters. Through Dewey, I knew of Suze's sensitive and artistic feeling; through Suze, Dewey's need for friendship and ability to be inclusive shone through. The adults in the story are portrayed as loving parents, a characteristic I enjoyed thoroughly. The historical world of a secret place is not undone by the narrative; the science and work are still shrouded in mystery, even to the end of the story when the radio is cut off mid-sentence of revealing the bomb's effect. Klages brought the time period and place alive to me through the inside perspective of children.
 

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

"Klages evokes both the big-sky landscape of the Southwest and a community where "everything is secret" with inviting ease and the right details, focusing particularly on the society of the children who live there... Cameo appearances are made by such famous names as Richard Feynman (he helps Dewey build a radio) and Robert Oppenheimer, but the story, an intense but accessible page-turner, firmly belongs to the girls and their families; history and story are drawn together with confidence."
The Horn Book 

 "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 
1. Read more about the science and math behind the atomic bomb. 
Nuclear Fission Reactors by James A. Mahaffey 
How to Split the Atom by Hazel Richardson

2. Read more about the place of Los Alamos. Hold a discussion on what it would have been like to grow up in the secret communities which built the bomb. Children may try their own hand at writing a narrative of the place and time from their perspective as children.
The Gadget by Paul Zindel
Oral History Series: Children of Los Alamos: An Oral History of the Town Where the Atomic Bomb Began (Twayne's Oral History Series) by Katrina R. Mason  
Children of Usher: Growing Up in Los Alamos by Glenn Fishbine

3. Discuss the importance of historical accuracy when writing historical fiction. Read portions of the primary source book, Tales of Los Alamos: Life on the Mesa, 1943 1945 by Bernice Brode, and contrast this with the information given in The Green Glass Sea. 




4. Research with more detail the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, with these books: 
J. Robert Oppenheimer: The Brain Behind the Bomb by Glenn Scherer
Fallout: J. Robert Oppenheimer, Leo Szilard, and the Political Science of the Atomic Bomb by Janine Johnston, Jeffrey Jones, Chris Kemple, and Jim Ottaviani


5. Discuss the idea of inclusion inside circles of friends. Ask students at various parts of the story, such as when Suze has to decide to make fun of Dewey with the other girls or stand up for her, what they would have done. Hold a conversation about why we should be inclusive and outgoing, and some of the positive ramifications. Talk about how being a friend creates friendships.