one great book unplugged

Title: Bomb 

Author: Steve Sheinkin

Target: Grades 7 and up

Series: No

Posted by Ford

What this book is about: 

During World War II, while the Axis was taking over Europe, and America was entering the war, there was a second battle being fought: The Nuclear War. In 1938, a German scientist named Otto Hahn discovered that uranium atoms could be split, releasing a large amount of energy, something earlier deemed impossible. So much energy was released, that scientists reasoned a bomb could be made using the technology. Because this happened at the beginning of World War II, three countries, Germany, America, and the Soviet Union, all competed to see who could make an atomic bomb first. Each country would use trickery, lies, and deceit to aid in production. The conflict reached from the rugged mountains of Norway to top-secret military bunkers in the United States. Factories were raided, tests were conducted, and spies were captured. This is a great historical novel about an overlooked war, that may have decided the fate of the world.

Why I liked this book: 

This book does a great job of making historical information interesting. For instance, a team of Norwegian soldiers infiltrates a German heavy water plant. You can feel the tension knowing that the people were actually there, sneaking through the air ducts and blowing up generators. This experience makes learning about the events much more exciting than it otherwise would have. The author also explains the science in the book well. The information about nuclear fission and uranium is complicated, but the writer makes it easy to understand. Its inclusion doesn't impair the reader and makes for a better story.

You will like this book if you enjoy:

Books about WWII