Break the Code: Cryptography for Beginners (Dover Kids Activity Books)

I love cryptograms, and my ten year old son has recently gotten into them, too, so I bought this book for us to work on together. It walks you step by step through several different encoding methods and gives you multiple practice rounds for each one. This would be a great book to keep in the car or take on a vacation, or just to have at the breakfast table, when everyone else is on their phones.

So naturally given genetics my granddaughter will want to be a spy too and as it happens she does. At 6 I was not sure she was ready for secret codes but when I read the book it did not seem too complicated. Now we spend most of our time in a wading pool splashing everything we can get wet so we have to wait until the dry season to do codes.I found out later that the book she is learning chess from is waterproof. But I just got a water soluble code book because she might have to eat it.

By the title "Break the Code" I assumed the reader would be tasked with deciphering the messages without the key, after an explanation as to what type of cipher it was and how this type would be broken, however, the book just explained the type of cipher, then gave you a couple of encrypted messages and their keys and you just used the key to decipher them. It is still worth four stars because it taught me about different codes and allowed the reader to experiment with those codes.

This book is great for introducing kids to the idea of coded messages and gives some examples and practice with a few different kinds of simple encoding. For kids under 10 yr, parents might need to help foster the activity. This kind of puzzle encourages mathematical, linguistic, and creative skills. The codes are mathematical in nature. The coded messages show how words and letters can be used differently. And the whole activity suggest looking at the familiar world (alphabet) in creative new ways, fostering independent thought.

I bought this for a young teen who loves math. The purpose was to engage a teen into something other than a video game and to introduce him to a field that could be good to know. However, it was such an interesting book that I bought one for myself! I do love cryptography after all. The book is easy, with lots of quizzes and written problems, but it isn't childish. It's fun!

Nice Little code book. Not very thick wish it was a little longer. Has a few different types of codes with examples. The book also has the answers at the back of the book. However, this is not a brand new book. There is a crack on the book, which could be something that happened before it was ever shipped. However, the writing on these 3 pages does not look like its part of the books hints.

Got it for a car trip and it kept the kids occupied. They enjoyed the variety of it. Honestly I have no knowledge of this subject so I can’t speak to accuracy but I know my kids found it fun.

My son loves this book. It's full of codes to practice decoding, and this is his favorite book right now. The encoded messages have some relatively complex vocabulary, so kids under about age 12 will need some help to figure out some of the words.