Top Secret: A Handbook of Codes, Ciphers and Secret Writing [Paperback]

Paul B. Janeczko (Editor), Jenna LaReau (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

"The author's upbeat, positive tone is refreshing and his enthusiasm about his topic is contagious." — SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (starred review)

Pssst! Do you know the difference between a code and a cipher? Can you tell a St. Cyr slide from a Cardano grille? Did you know that the discovery of a substitution cipher caused Mary Queen of Scots to lose her head? Don't look now, but packed into this practical field guide is everything a young person needs to know about the art of concealment - making and breaking codes, mastering cipher systems, and experimenting with secret writing. Offering plenty of hands-on practice sessions, tips for creating a code-making kit, sidebars on secret codes in history, and an amusing pair of spies to illustrate techniques, Paul B. Janeczko's tantalizing TOP SECRET won't stay a secret for long.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8-A wonderful guide to secret writing. Janeczko relates how different codes came to be and why they were needed, and gives some historical examples. The book also contains information and exercises (with answers) on deciphering codes and provides children with the tools to make their own field kit. In addition to numerous codes and ciphers, invisible ink recipes and a number of concealment techniques are included. Humorous black-and-white sketches featuring two figures in sunglasses and trench coats are found throughout the book. The author's upbeat, positive tone is refreshing and his enthusiasm about his topic is contagious. He recommends that readers go to the library to learn more about the subject, and encourages them to use their imaginations and share the fun of secret writing with friends.
Cynde Suite, Bartow County Library System, Adairsville, GA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Gr. 4-7. Although readers familiar with Janeczko's poetry anthologies may be surprised to see his name on a book about cryptography, the connection between his two passions rapidly comes clear. After all, codes, like poems, allow one to conceal or unveil meaning in satisfyingly elegant ways. Janeczko gives aspiring codemakers and codebreakers everything they need for staging their own information exchanges--terminology; instructions for making simple devices (using index cards and an exacto knife to create Cardano Grilles, a message-concealment tool first used in 1556); concrete advice (assemble a "spy toolkit," using film-canister "vials" to store homemade invisible ink); and plenty of practice activities with answers at the back of the book. Fascinating historical anecdotes keep things lively, as do LaReau's stylish black-and-white illustrations, which show two spies, a male and a female, slinking through the pages as if to the furtive beat of the Pink Panther theme song. A certain category of puzzle-loving kids, especially those whose interest has been whetted by Blue Balliett's code-rich adventure Chasing Vermeer [BKL Ap 1 04], will take to this packed-to-the-gills volume like a spy to a cat suit. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (April 11, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439875609
• ISBN-13: 978-0763629724
• ASIN: 0763629723
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 0.4 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #52,497 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #20 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Reference & Nonfiction > General
  • #35 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Sports & Activities > Games > Puzzles

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, well-written book for middle-school students., July 7, 2005

By 

B. Jacobsen "whsy82" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Top Secret: A Handbook of Codes, Ciphers, and Secret Writing (Hardcover)

The book is well written and well illustrated. I think it would work best for kids from about 12 to 14. It starts with basic codes, and moves to more complicated ones, but always makes how they function quite clear. I list the ages to give a sensibility of the book; it is not "dumbed down". The book could be used by younger kids with some adult help, or for kids who are really interested. It would also be a good starting point for high school students.

It tries hard to be as interactive as possible, always posing questions. It is a "practical" book, focusing on codes that students can use, as opposed to trying to be say a history book, that would delve deeply into say the WW II Enigma code. From the rating, you can tell I enjoyed it.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars isthay ookbay asway eatgray, October 25, 2005

By 

Annie D. (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Top Secret: A Handbook of Codes, Ciphers, and Secret Writing (Hardcover)

I bought this book for my 11-year-old brother for his birthday. The youngest of five, he's an understandably secretive kid; so I thought he'd enjoy this sneaky book. Of course, I had to read it first, because I'm one of those dastardly people who reads books before giving them to people. It's a great book; it gives a quick overview of the history of cyphers, but keeps it upbeat and snappy. It includes a dozen or more codes to learn and use, and encourages kids to be imaginative and modify them or create their own. A great, hands-on read. It made me wish I was a kid again with lots of time on my hands so I could write secret messages to my friends.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not too old for a 6-year-old, October 7, 2008

By 

Sujatha (San Jose, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Top Secret: A Handbook of Codes, Ciphers and Secret Writing (Paperback)

Although this book seems to be recommended for middle schoolers, I bought it for my just-turned 6-year-old son as a birthday gift. We had initially checked it out from our library and he absolutely loved it. Expect to find page upon page of engaging codes and ciphers. Parents are forewarned! Arm yourself with the patience to solve the numerous scribbled codes your kids are going to bring you. Fabulous book. I'm so glad we got our own copy. Another book I'd recommend is Martin Gardner's Codes, Ciphers and Secret Writing.