Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 05/01/2025 Gr 5 Up—A dense but fascinating biography on the controversial "father of the atomic bomb," whose work has impacted all of humanity. Adapted from American Prometheus, the basis of the Oscar-winning film, this extensive work covers physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer's childhood, education, prominence as the scientific director of the Manhattan Project's Los Alamos Laboratory and the development of the atomic bomb, and the work he did to campaign for disarmament. Bird, Sherwin, and Singer present extensive details on his early brilliance, mental health issues, personal and political life, and the complicated creation of the single most deadly weapon to ever be used in war. While the writing is often compelling, the narrative sometimes gets bogged down by minutia that will make young readers' eyes glaze over, especially in the first half. The authors balance the text about Oppenheimer's life with sporadic insights into the aftermath of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Plentiful black-and-white photos, diagrams, and pull quotes break up the text and back matter includes a list of historical figures, end notes, and index. VERDICT Despite some faults, this book is a strong choice for nonfiction shelves and as a curricular tie-in due to the significance of the subject's contribution to science and world history.—Shelley M. Diaz - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 04/01/2025 *Starred Review* This superb adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize–winning biography American Prometheus introduces young readers to the life and work of J. Robert Oppenheimer, “father of the atomic bomb.” As a teenager, Robert was unusually awkward but brilliant. Meanwhile, he had discovered a passion for science from an early age, and it was as a student at Harvard that he fell in love with physics. This would lead him to the study of quantum mechanics and, ultimately, to his position as director of the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos, where the atomic bomb was developed and built and where he proved to be a “charismatic intellectual leader.” In time he would become “one of the most famous, consequential, and controversial scientists in the modern age”— controversial in part because he had years before been friends with people who were communists. Lewis Strauss, chair of the Atomic Energy Commission, who hated Oppenheimer, used this fact in part to destroy the scientist, who nevertheless continued to serve as director of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University. Unfortunately, a lifelong habit of chain smoking led to cancer, which ultimately killed him. Eric Singer has done a remarkably good job of adapting American Prometheus for young readers. The result is an undivided pleasure to read, excellent for classroom use as well as independent reading. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.