THE SECRET WAR
In 1944 Dayton, Ohio, secrets are part of everyday life.
In 1944 Dayton, Ohio, everyone is a piece of a puzzle they aren’t allowed to see.
Jamie has a photograph of a "ghost plane"—an aircraft that officially doesn't exist. Billy has a heavy, gray stone he found near the train tracks that pulses with an impossible heat. Ken has a sketchbook full of secrets he’s afraid to share.
As their lives collide in the shadow of the top-secret Manhattan Project, these three boys must decide if the truth is worth the risk of being seen. Because in a town built on silence, the most dangerous weapon isn't a bomb—it's a question.
EDUCATOR RESOURCES
A complete interdisciplinary curriculum for the classroom.
History, STEM, and Ethics modules designed for 5th-7th grade instruction.
THE BLUEPRINT (START HERE)
↓Your roadmap for navigating the unit.
THE TEACHER COMPANION
↓A 20-day pacing guide with chapter summaries, literary analysis, and bell-ringer prompts.
STUDENT FIELD NOTES
↓An immersive workbook for tracking character arcs, evidence, and thematic development.
HISTORY & STEM MODULES
↓STEM modules on radiation and invisibility, plus primary source history lessons.
BOOK CLUB FRAMEWORK
↓Discussion frameworks focusing on ethics, friendship, and social-emotional connections.
PRIMARY SOURCE: KEN’S LETTER
↓Authentic historical documents that bring the era to life.