Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon

About this book

Steve Sheinkin tells the true, fast-paced story of the building of the atomic bomb — the physics, the Manhattan Project's secrecy, the Soviet espionage, and the sabotage of Nazi efforts — as an international thriller. A Newbery Honor book and National Book Award finalist, it is a frequent grades 6-9 nonfiction selection for science-and-ethics and WWII units.

Why widely assigned

This Young Adult Nonfiction / History title, reads at young-adult to upper-middle-grade complexity, typically at grades 6–9. Written in the 2010s; pairs with curriculum units on history and science and ethics; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

• Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal

  • recommended·7th gradesource: Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2013 Sibert Medal
  • recommended·8th gradesource: Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2013 Sibert Medal
  • recommended·9th gradesource: Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2013 Sibert Medal
  • recommended·10th gradesource: Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2013 Sibert Medal
  • recommended·11th gradesource: Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2013 Sibert Medal
  • recommended·12th gradesource: Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2013 Sibert Medal

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• 
  The Giver
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Common questions

What grade level is Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon?

Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 6–9, with a Lexile measure of 920L. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.

What is the Lexile level of Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon?

Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon has a Lexile measure of 920L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.

How long does it take to read Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon?

It takes about 5 hours to read Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon (272 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 300 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

Is Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon hard to read for 6th grade?

At 920L, Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon reads below the typical 925–1185L text-complexity range for 6th grade (Common Core Appendix A). It is an accessible read for the grade — often assigned for its themes and discussion value rather than for reading challenge. Lexile measures text complexity, not thematic maturity — check the content notes for age-appropriateness separately.

What curricula assign Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon?

Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon appears on reading lists for Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.