This book would be a great spy film! This well-crafted version of the race to build the ultimate weapon is based on exciting scientific discovery, espionage and war drama. As World War II and a small experiment demonstrating fission rock the status quo, several characters’ involvement deepen. Readers follow: Harry Gold, the spy and schmoe in Pennsylvania reluctantly(?) working for the Soviet Union; Oppenheimer, the nutty professor and scientific genius with his humongous, secret team of geniuses; and Knut Haukelid, the Norwegian resistance fighter. While the race for the bomb was exciting, the book deals with the destruction and arms race matter-of-factly. Some pictures and bibliography are great enhancements to the book.
There is also a literature unit based on this book for teachers. It is geared toward high school English or social studies classes and is based on Common Core standards. It can be found at Curriculum Aids or on Amazon.