A thirteen-year-old girl. A vast pile of uranium.Two stories of one country as World War II rages. For ages 11 and up.Meg, daughter of American Protestant missionaries, is more at home in Japan, where she grew up. But now she finds herself in a world of strangers in a country that should welcome her.All she wants is to make some friends, but she'll find that it will require all her dedication and strength to stand up for Deanna, her friend who's imprisoned in an internment camp in Manzanar, CA. Can she bridge the gulf being created by the US government and protect Deanna from an abuser?Meanwhile, WWII is creating rifts between countries, and the world is in a race to build a bomb. Who will get there first?Inspired by historical events and true stories, Meg and the Rocks is an extraordinary novel that proves the bonds of friendship can make hope flourish, even in hopeless times.If you're looking for a book for a young adult reader that explains the development of the atomic bomb and Oppenheimer, then get Meg and the Rocks (no younger than 11 due to witnessing and dealing with the physical abuse of a friend).1st place in NM Press Women Communication Contest! 2nd place National Federation of Press Women!