Included among the winners are several previously recognized titles, such as R.J. Palacio’s much-talked about bestseller Wonder, an SLJ Best Book; Steve Sheinkin’s Bomb, which was named for a Sibert Award, a Newbery  Honor, and the YALSA nonfiction award; and Rachel Hartman’s Seraphina, which won the William Morris Award this year.

Here is the complete list of Cybil winners.

ELEMENTARY & MIDDLE GRADE
Book Apps
Dragon Brush. Small Planet Digital.
This retelling of an ancient Chinese folktale involves a young rabbit discovering the power of artwork, a magic paintbrush, and an evil, jealous lord attempting to destroy his talent. In addition to a masterful story, this app also incorporates an interactive element that lets readers make use of different colors and textures to create their own paintings.
Nominated by: Aurora Celeste

Fiction Picture Books
A Home for Bird. Philip C. Stead. Roaring Brook.
In this touching tale of friendship, Vernon, a toad, presents Bird with a multitude of options as he attempts to find his shy friend find a place where he belongs.
Nominated by: Amy @ Hope Is the Word

Nonfiction Picture Books
Mrs. Harkness and the Panda. Alicia Potter. Illus. by Melissa Sweet. Knopf.
This rich and vibrantly illustrated story sheds light on how the first panda was brought to the United States from China in 1934.
Nominated by: Cathy Potter

Easy Readers
A Trip to the Bottom of the World with Mouse. Frank Viva. Toon Books.
This strikingly illustrated graphic novel style picture book relies upon comic strip panels, speech bubbles, and the language of sequential art to tell the tale of an ocean journey to Antarctica.
Nominated by: Lizjonesbooks

Early Chapter Books
Sadie and Ratz. Sonya Hartnett. Illus. by Ann James. Candlewick.
Illustrated in charcoal, this edgy, subversive chapter book tells the story of a young girl coping with the supremely difficult task of controlling herself in the face of her four-year-old brother’s annoying antics.
Nominated by: Katherine Sokolowski

Poetry
BookSpeak!: Poems About Books. Laura Purdie Salas. Illus. by Josee Bisaillon. Clarion.
This beautifully designed book of poetry tackles a familiar subject in an innovative and original way.
Nominated by: Katie Fitzgerald

Graphic Novels
Giants Beware! Jorge Aguirre and Rafael Rosado. First Second.
This fun, fresh novel melds the medieval and modern world to recount a girl’s quest to vanquish a giant threatening her town.
Nominated by: Charlotte

Fantasy and Science Fiction
The False Prince: Book 1 of the Ascendance Trilogy. Jennifer A. Nielsen. Scholastic
This intricate, engaging tale centers around an orphan given the daunting task of saving his entire kingdom from war—or else.
Nominated by: Natalie Aguirre

Middle Grade Fiction
Wonder. R. J. Palacio. Knopf.
Told from multiple perspectives, this poignant, honest realistic read, a boy with physical disfigurements learns to navigate his way among his peers for the first time.
Nominated by: Flowering Minds

Graphic Novels
Friends with Boys. Faith Erin Hicks. First Second.
Nominated by: Adam Shaffer (@MrShafferTMCE)

YOUNG ADULT
Nonfiction
Bomb: The Race to Build–and Steal–the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon. Steve Sheinkin. Roaring Brook/Flash Point.
Steve Sheinkin adds yet another award to his ever-growing list of accolades for Bomb, a thrilling and fast-paced but informative book that details the origins of the atomic bomb.
Nominated by: Monica Edinger

Fantasy & Science Fiction
Seraphina. Rachel Hartman. Random.
Set in a world in which dragons and humans uneasily attempt to co-exist, this tightly plotted fantasy involves a murder mystery and protagonist hiding a deadly secret.
Nominated by: Ana @ things mean a lot

Fiction
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. Jesse Andrews. Abrams/Amulet.
In this raw, achingly honest title, a boy struggles with the experience of watching his ex-girlfriend succumb to terminal illness.
Nominated by: Leila Roy

Nominations for the CYBILS are open to the general public, and judges from the book blogging community determine the winners.

Each title is described in terms of its strength as part of a varied collection on the president–his life, vision, and accomplishments–and is aligned to at least one Common Core State Standard (CCSS).

Picture Books

Fittingly illustrated in subtly textured, green-and-brown pages reminiscent of 18th-century broadsides and period folk art, Lane Smith’s Abe Lincoln’s Dream (Roaring Brook, 2012; Gr 2-5) follows a little girl named Quincy on a school tour of the White House. When a tall apparition in the Lincoln bedroom asks her about the state of the Union, she takes him on an ethereal tour over the city, reassuring him that the states remain united and that equality is “getting better all the time.” Incorporating Lincoln’s fondness for corny jokes, and his well-known habit of recounting recurrent dreams, the title masterfully combines creative illustration and factual information to deepen an understanding of the man. Teachers will key in on student response to essential questions about this president, evident in the text, such as: What was Lincoln concerned about? And, what evidence suggests he died before he accomplished his goals? 

Most images of Lincoln on money or monuments depict him with a beard, but it wasn’t always so. Steve Metzger’s Lincoln and Grace: Why Abraham Lincoln Grew a Beard (Scholastic, Jan. 2013; Gr 2-4), tells the true story of an eleven year-old girl’s letter to Lincoln encouraging the presidential candidate to grow a beard. Pen-and-ink watercolor illustrations by Ann Kronheimerin, in subtle grey and blue tones, provide a pleasing and realistic structure for the dialogue-driven narrative. Writing, “…your face is so thin,” Grace Bedell, of Westfield, NY, apparently convinced Lincoln that whiskers appeal to women who would then tease their husbands to vote for him.

Beyond the notion of accessibility of our presidents, or “the power of the pen,” the title squarely addresses women’s suffrage and includes sidebars and photographs about women and voting. Inset boxes present portraits of Lincoln and events such as the 1861 inauguration. Grace’s full-text letter and Lincoln’s response are appended, and may serve as models for writing persuasion pieces, and describing text types and purposes.

Reissued to commemorate the speech’s 150^th anniversary, Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address: A Pictorial Interpretation Painted by James Daugherty (Albert Whitman, 1947, Feb. 2013; Gr. 3-6) is a full-color arrangement of murals painted by the late Newbery winner (Daniel Boone, 1940). Vibrant images of wounded soldiers, hardy farmers, slaves, politicians, and women appear in collages amidst pastoral landscapes with lines from the Gettysburg Address captioned beneath. An afterward provides a reproduction of the original speech, a discussion of its context, and a guide for readers about events and individuals portrayed in the Gettysburg murals, including depictions of the Founding Fathers, pioneers heading West, the tragedy of war, and more. Close reading of this primary document also allows students of all ages to assess the mood and somber tone in which it was given, in the context of America’s story, meeting standards for visual matching of text-to-image to convey a concept.

Middle Grades

Accompanying the recent release of Stephen Spielberg’s 2012 biopic, Lincoln, Harold Holzer’s companion book for young people, Lincoln: How Abraham Lincoln Ended Slavery in America (HarperCollins, 2012; Gr 5 Up), is a nuanced narrative that focuses on the President’s sometimes contradictory views on slavery as he struggled to end it, yet made concessions to slaveholders to prevent more states from seceding from the Union. Holzer highlights the emotional turmoil and the rocky political landscape Lincoln astutely navigated to ensure the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment.

Both social studies and ELA teachers can use this title to examine the craft and structure of two of Lincoln’s most important speeches, the final Emancipation Proclamation (issued January 1, 1863), and his Second Inaugural Address (delivered March 4, 1865). Supported by Holzer’s narrative, a close reading of these appended (and rather short) documents easily illustrates deliberate differences in Lincoln’s language, tone, and purpose that led to significant historical changes.

An alternate approach to this same time period is provided in Tanya Bolden’s Emancipation Proclamation: Lincoln and the Dawn of Liberty (Abrams, Jan 2013; Gr 5-10). Here, Lincoln’s political strategizing of the slavery issue takes a back seat to a look at the climate created by abolitionists, politicians, and the media. Bolden’s inclusion of political cartoons, editorials, and writing excerpts from Frederick Douglass, Horace Greeley, Wendell Phillips, Frances E.W. Harper, and others, will satisfy teachers’ needs to compare divergent points-of-view on a polarizing issue. Red font is used to paraphrase documents such as the Emancipation Proclamation, which is broken into chunks for better understanding. The layout features deep red-and-blue framing, antique paper design, and large images suitable for class discussion or visual display, including a stunning photograph of an elderly and frail Harriet Tubman dressed starkly from head-to-toe in white.

A high-interest literary narrative, Steve Sheinkin’s Lincoln’s Grave Robbers (Scholastic, Jan 2013; Gr 5-9), treats true-crime fans and young history buffs to a thriller. A legion of counterfeiters during the 1800’s plotted to steal Lincoln’s body from his unguarded tomb and hold it for ransom, forcing the prison release of their friend, a gifted counterfeiter named Benjamin Boyd.

While the lively tale strays from core content, it offers an array of figurative language, common idioms, and adages. Students are also introduced to period vocabulary, such as “coney” (counterfeiter), “roper” (undercover informant), and “ghoul” (grave robber). The grave robber’s plot was foiled by the Secret Service, who, heretofore, had been solely on the money trail, only later entrusted with guarding presidents. A cast of characters, gruesome details, and criminal photographs all add to an enticing independent read that effortlessly builds background knowledge.

Lincoln’s untimely death often overshadows his legacy, but Bill O’Reilly and Dwight Jon Zimmerman’s Lincoln’s Last Days: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever (Holt, 2012; Gr 5-9) sets the historical stage for young readers in the present tense, putting them engagingly “in the moment.” As Lincoln goes to Washington D.C.at the end of the Civil War, John Wilkes Booth’s unconscionable assassination plan unfolds. Powerful storytelling alternates Lincoln’s movements with Booth’s, in a minute-by-minute description of the shooting and its aftermath. Page-turning suspense follows during the 12-day search for Booth and his co-conspirators. While the details of Lincoln’s death are graphic, the fascinating account meets the criteria teachers look for in titles students will read independently, and falling in the Lexile stretch band (1020L) for middle grades.

The titles suggested above reference the following Common Core State Standards in ELA and History /Social Studies literacy strands:

W.2.1. Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.

SL.2.3.  Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to clarify comprehension, gather additional information, or deepen understanding of a topic or issue.

RL. 2.7.  Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.

RL.3.7.  Explain how specific aspects of a text’s illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting)

RH.6-8.5.  Describe how a text presents information (e.g., sequentially, comparatively, causally).

RH.6-8.6.  Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author’s point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).

RH.6-8.10.  By the end of grade 8, read and comprehend history/social studies texts in the grades 6–8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

RI.6.10. By the end of the year read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 6–8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

The award was first created two years ago and honors nonfiction titles published for young people ages 12-18.

The 2013 finalists are:

Titanic: Voices from the Disaster (Scholastic) by Deborah Hopkinson, an intricate examination of that fateful night that incorporates stories from Titanic survivors as well as detailed facts.

Bomb: The Race to Build — and Steal — the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon (Roaring Brook) by Steve Sheinkin, an enthralling, suspenseful account of how the work of scientists, spies, and saboteurs resulted in the atomic bomb.

Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 (Farrar) by Phillip Hoose, which explores a species of bird that migrates hundreds of thousands of miles over the course of its life.

Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different by Karen Blumenthal (Feiwel & Friends) by Karen Blumenthal, a nuanced portrait of the late entrepreneur and innovator that delves into both his life and his myriad accomplishments.

We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March (Peachtree) by Cynthia Levinson, a meticulously researched photo-essay that chronicles the narratives of four young people involved in the Birmingham Children’s March.

“The committee is very proud of the five finalists,” Angela Frederick, chair of YALSA’s Nonfiction Award committee told SLJ. “I think each author succeeded in telling a true story in a fascinating way, and that is what will attract teen readers. There were many wonderful nonfiction books published for teens this year, and the committee struggled to narrow it down to the five that were ultimately chosen.”

YALSA will host a reception honoring both the finalist authors and the winner, as well as YALSA’s Morris Award winner and finalists, at a reception from 10:30 am to noon on January 28 in room 606 of the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle.

Members of the 2013 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults award committee are: Chair Angela Frederick, Nashville (TN) Public Library; Ruth Allen, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR; Roxy Ekstrom, Schaumburg (IL) Township Library; Angie Manfredi, Los Alamos (NM) County Library System; Judy Nelson, Pierce County Library System, Tacoma, WA; Maren Ostergard, King County Library System, Issaquah, WA; Laura Pearle, VennConsultants, Carmel, NY; Adela Peskorz, Metropolitan State University Library, Saint Paul, MN; Jennifer Rothschild, Arlington (VA) Public Library; Sara Morse, Nashville (TN) Public Library; and Gillian Engberg, Booklist, Chicago.

“I was just getting used to calling myself a novelist,” Alexander told SLJ during the star-studded 63rd NBA ceremony, held at Cipriani’s on Wall Street in New York.

The award caps a whirlwind month for Alexander that began with the October 9 announcement of his selection as an NBA finalist, followed by the birth of his daughter, Iris Octavia, on October 29.

Alexander was joined by fellow finalists Carrie Arcos (Out of Reach, S & S, 2012), Patricia McCormick (Never Fall Down, HarperCollins, 2012), Eliot Schrefer (Endangered, Scholastic, 2012), and Steve Sheinkin (Bomb: The Race to Build―and Steal―the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, Roaring Brook/Flash Point, 2012).

Hosted by political commentator Faith Saile, the event, which some call the “Oscars of the book world,” was attended by author Stephen King and National Public Radio host Terry Gross, among other luminaries.

Gary D. Schmidt, who himself was a National Book Award finalist last year for his novel OK for Now (Clarion, 2011) presented Alexander with the award. Schmidt was chair of the judging panel that included Susan Cooper (Magic Maker, Candlewick, 2011), Daniel Ehrenhaft (Americapedia, Walker, 2011) Judith Ortiz Cofer (The Poet Upstairs, Piñata Books, 2012) and Marly Youmans (The Curse of the Raven Mocker, Farrar, 2003)

Alexander noted that Goblin Secrets is one of just a few fantasy titles to have won the Young People’s Literature prize, along with The Farthest Shore (Atheneum, 1972) by Ursula K. LeGuin in 1973, The Court of the Stone Children (Dutton, 1973) by Eleanor Cameron in 1974 and Westmark (Dutton, 1981) by Lloyd Alexander in 1982.

“We now have proof that other universes exist,” said Alexander, who received a $10,000 cash prize and a bronze sculpture.

Check out our red carpet photos on Flickr (Hit “Show Info” tab for captions)

National Book Award winner William Alexander.

At teen press conference, kids grilled finalists on their research, their inspirations, and their editors

First time author William Alexander took home the National Book Award (NBA) for Young People last night for his book Goblin Secrets (S&S, 2012), about a boy who joins a theatrical group of goblins.

The day prior to the award ceremony, 200 secondary school students had the opportunity to grill Alexander, along with the four other finalists in his category, at the NBA Teen Press Conference, probing them on topics ranging from character development to their relationships with their editors.

Finalists William Alexander, Carrie Arcos, Patricia McCormick, Eliot Schrefer and Steve Sheinkin at the NBA Teen Press Conference at the Brooklyn Public Library.

Now in its 15th year, the press conference, which was held at the main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, is a key event leading up to the NBA ceremony.  Alexander, along with Carrie Arcos, Patricia McCormick, Eliot Schrefer, and Steve Sheinkin, took center stage to face their young audience, which had prepped for the event by reading all of the finalists’ books. The event was moderated by Coe Booth, author of Tyrell (2006) and Bronxwood (2011, both Scholastic).

Students from New York City area schools had done their homework before the conference. High schoolers from Brooklyn’s Kamit Preparatory Institute had read Arcos’s debut novel Out of Reach (S&S, 2012), a story of addiction and self-discovery, along with McCormick’s Never Fall Down (HarperCollins 2012), a harrowing tale of the reign of terror in Cambodia by the Khmer Rouge.

Moderator Coe Booth at the Press Conference.

Kids from Tompkins Square Middle School were versed in other titles including Sheinkin’s Bomb: The Race to Build―and Steal―the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon (Flash Point/Roaring Brook, 2012) and Schrefer’s Endangered (Scholastic, 2012), a story set in the Congo.

After reading selections from their books aloud, the panel fielded questions. Kids asked Alexander if his drama school experience helped him as a writer. Yes, he said, because actors, like goblins, are superstitious. Responding to the question about how long it takes to write a book, Sheinkin described the amount of research that goes into a nonfiction study such as his.

The inquiry that received the most chuckles from the panel was whether they ever get annoyed with their editors, many of whom were in the audience. The authors, unsurprisingly, danced around the topic.

Schrefer, whose book tells the story of a girl who must save a group of bonobos—pygmy chimpanzees—and herself from a violent coup in the Congo, was impressed by how engaged the students were. McCormick was struck by the depth of the students’ questions, and Arcos was generally thrilled to be in a room of young adult readers.

Steve Sheinkin signs a copy of his book for a student.

Each participating student received a press kit featuring biographical information on each author, book summaries, and materials related to the National Book Awards. Following the conference, the finalists autographed books for audience.

Moderator Mary Ann Cappiello leads the author panel “Nonfiction at the Forefront of the Common Core,” at the School Library Journal Leadership Summit.

Among other mandates, the Common Core State Standards (CC) require students to “gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources” and “assess the credibility and accuracy of each source.”

At the School Library Journal Leadership Summit held October 26-27, four authors of children’s nonfiction—Deborah Hopkinson, Barbara Kerley, Steve Sheinkin, and Sally M. Walker—came together to share their views on what they do, how it relates to these requirements, and how they, as authors, address CC principles while conducting research for their books.

Moderator Mary Ann Cappiello of Lesley University led the author panel, “Nonfiction at the Forefront of the Common Core,” an October 26 discussion about the development of content, the use of primary and secondary sources, the balance of perspective, and writing style as it relates to the standards.

Authors from the Nonfiction panel sign books for attendees.

The authors opened by discussing the content of their books as it relates to current events, from the U.S. election to a dysfunctional Congress to the possibility of Iran developing nuclear weapons. Sheinkin discussed the relevance that his book Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon (Roaring Brook, 2012), a National Book Award finalist, has for today’s kids regarding the specter of Iran’s developing nuclear weapons. Barbara Kerley noted that her book, Those Rebels, John & Tom (Scholastic, 2012), which focuses on the relationship between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, shows that although Congress has often disagreed, historically, it can still function for the good of the people.

Sheinkin characterized his research as “nerdy detective work,” while Kerley said that her exploration of primary resources made her characters come alive. Who knew that John Adams was a “foodie”, or that Thomas Jefferson was a shopaholic?

Kerley also addressed how she and the book’s illustrator, Edwin Fotheringham, worked to present a balanced perspective—an issue relating to CC’s mandate that students  “assess how point of view… shapes the content and style of a text.” Fotheringham revealed Adams and Jefferson’s differences visually: Jefferson is shown as well dressed, while Adams wears tattered clothes, and the two men are portrayed standing back-to-back to emphasize that they disagreed. Kerley showed how the men differed through straightforward description, such as, “John liked to talk” and “Tom was shy, and dreaded speaking in front of crowds.”

Walker, author of Their Skeletons Speak: Kennewick Man and the Paleoamerican World (Carolrhoda, 2012) explained that her research revealed conflicting archaeological conclusions as to whether a spear wound caused the death of a man, based on 9,000-year-old remains. Newer technology and research indicated that he recovered from the wound, while older research findings differed.

Authors Deborah Hopkinson and Barbara Kerley display their books.

Hopkinson, author of Annie and Helen (Schwartz & Wade, 2012), about Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan, used Sullivan’s letters as a primary source of her research. However, it was her choice of verse to tell Sullivan and Keller’s story that participants honed in on in relation to the Common Core. The Craft and Structure specifications of CC ask students to “interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.”  Hopkinson’s reason for choosing verse? “I live in language,” she said.  “Read like a writer and write and a reader.”

After the presentation, summit attendees were encouraged to become more savvy regarding the Common Core. Krista Brakhage, a media specialist at Poudre High School in Fort Collins, CO, tweeted afterward:  “Note to self: Buy more non-fiction historical/scientific picture books for my high school ELA students.”

Walker had a message to relay to student researchers: “Librarians are your new best friends.”

TeachingBook.net resources on this interview.»»»

Listen to Steve Sheinkin introduce and read from The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon.

On the eve of WWII, a German chemist, Otto Hahn, discovered fission. The scientific and political ramifications of this discovery were not lost on the world’s top physicists, but it took time—and a letter from Albert Einstein—for U. S. political leaders and military to understand its significance. Once they did, the Manhattan Project was established, bringing scientists—including many recent arrivals from Europe—to Los Alamos, NM, to design a weapon capable of unleashing a force greater than the world had ever witnessed. Despite being shrouded in secrecy, news of the Manhattan Project spread. In  Bomb, Steve Sheinkin’s exciting new title, the author chronicles The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon (Roaring Brook, Sept. 2012).

There are so many incredible stories and characters in this book. Was there one in particular that drew you in, convinced you to write it?

Ted Hall hooked me. I just couldn’t believe that this brilliant, pimply, cocky kid could go straight from Harvard to the Manhattan Project to giving away the world’s biggest secret—all before his 19th birthday! I originally thought Hall would be my main character; he’s certainly fascinating and controversial. But he’s problematic from a structural standpoint in that he doesn’t get to Los Alamos until 1944, which is late in the game in terms of the bomb race.

Bomb reads like a thriller. Can you talk about how you framed your narrative?

I love spy thrillers, and was definitely going for that feel. Kept a lot of John Le Carré novels on the night table during the writing process, just as inspiration. Thrillers are driven by scenes, with one bit of action racing downhill into the next. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out which parts of the story would work as scenes, and finding out as much as I could about each one. The challenge was to organize them, until they fit together. I didn’t start writing until all this other stuff was done.

Like your book The Notorious Benedict Arnold (Roaring Brook, 2010), this title is filled with some extraordinary personalities–the absentminded, brilliant physicist Robert Oppenheimer; the shy, unassuming Herbert Gold who began begin working for the Russians to repay a personal favor to a friend; and the blustery, larger-than-life army colonel Leslie Groves. The rich details about the people on all sides of this story humanize it. Did you have a favorite?

There’s no more fascinating or complex character in American history than Robert Oppenheimer. I think that if Shakespeare could write just one historical play about an American, he’d pick Oppenheimer. I had to leave out a few great Oppie childhood scenes, just because it was taking me too long to get the book going.

One of my favorite stories was about Knut Haukelid, a resistance fighter, who managed, with a crew, to do enough damage to a remote Norwegian cliffside factory to slow down the production of heavy water needed for the German atomic program. How significant was that operation?

The Norway scenes were among my favorite, too. Like Indiana Jones on skis. Their operations were definitely important, and certainly hampered German research at a key time. Whether or not Germany could have produced an atomic bomb in time to use it is a matter on ongoing disagreement. Though the German program had a head start, Hitler wasn’t initially interested in weapons that would take years to produce, because he didn’t think he’d need them. By the time he got interested, the Germans were well behind, thanks in part to Haukelid and his crew.

Along with some tales of amazing courage, you relate some unbelievable scenes—and mishaps—that would be comical, if not for how they could have turned out: Enrico Fermi conducting a potentially highly dangerous test on a University of Chicago squash court; a young man babysitting the atom bomb during a desert thunderstorm on the eve of the first test.

As with all the best true stories, there are elements no novelist could invent. As I researched and read primary sources, one of the things that really came across was that here were bunch of folks thrust into uncharted territory, and feeling their way around obstacles. Take George Kistiakowsky performing a last-second fix on the first plutonium bomb with a dental drill, or Robert and Charlotte Serber’s bumbling attempt to spread misinformation about the project at a Santa Fe bar. There were so many geniuses at work on the bomb, but they were still making it up as they went along.

It’s widely known that many of the scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project had deep regrets after understanding the extent of the destruction and the loss of life the atom bomb wrought on Japan. Were they naïve, and did they really believe that the program and atomic proliferation would end with the war?

Based on what the scientists themselves said, I think most of them were so focused on one goal—beating Hitler to the bomb—that they didn’t think very much about the moral implications of their work, until it became clear that they had won the race. Many of the Los Alamos scientists described the atmosphere as exciting and energizing—many of the best minds in the world working together to solve this incredibly complex series of puzzles, and saving the world while they were at it.

It was easy not to dwell on what may happen 10 or 20 years down the road. There were discussions about how their “gadget” would be used in the future, but Groves and Oppenheimer didn’t allow this to slow down the work. And yes, I guess there was a certain amount of naiveté on the part of Oppenheimer and the others. I don’t think they realized how completely control of the bomb would be out of their hands, once the government and military got their hands on the weapons.

If you could meet one person in your book and ask him or her a question, who and what would it be?

The one that leaps out is President Truman, and I’d ask him if he was really as confident as he proclaimed that using the bombs on Japan was the right thing. It’s such a complicated, many-sided problem, and I get the feeling Truman’s private thoughts on the matter were more nuanced than his public statements. It’s a question worth pondering and debating, because we’ve still got thousands of these weapons, and a president may well face a scenario in which he/she is forced to decide whether or not to use atomic bombs.

TeachingBook.net resources on this interview.»»»

Listen to Steve Sheinkin introduce and read from Bomb: The Race to Build–and Steal–the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon.