A middle grade novel that adults will also love, The Green Glass Sea is an endearing tale set on the Los Alamos base during World War II. When ten-year-old Dewey Kerrigan is sent to New Mexico to join her father, a scientist working on the Manhattan Project, she doesn't realize that she is also joining a small community of families whose lives revolve around the development of the top secret "gadget". But Dewey adjusts quickly to her new world. She's thrilled to be near her father again and to be in an environment that provides her with unlimited resources for building her own mechanical projects, her favorite hobby. Brainy and small for her age, Dewey soon finds that she's a misfit even in the world in which she feels she so belongs. Yet she doesn't let this bother her. That is, until her father is sent away on an important mission and Dewey is forced to share a room - and some of her deepest secrets - with her biggest enemy.
Readers will fall in love with Dewey's sweet, unassuming nature and with Klages' splendid writing, which captures the innocence, vulnerability, and resilience of childhood. Klages creates a world that is extremely unique yet somehow very familiar, and she perfectly portrays this world through the perspective of a child. Her carefully chosen details are described in a simple, understated manner that expertly blends historical fiction and coming-of-age tale. Though quiet, Klages' story brings to life a setting and cast of characters that will stay with you long after you've finished her book.
The Green Glass Sea is a novel for young readers that is actually for a young audience yet will also be loved by adults. I highly recommend it to all readers over the age of nine.