STEM for Kids

Can flashing lights send out a secret message? Did a famous spy use sketches of butterflies to hide messages? Can a digital photo hide a secret code? For centuries, spies have used many different ways to pass secret information. Codes and ciphers keep information safe from the enemy. Author Susan K. Mitchell uncovers the secrets to the amazing world of spy codes and ciphers.

Codes can carry big secrets! Throughout history, lots of good guys and lots of bad guys have used codes to keep their messages under wraps. This fun and flippable nonfiction features stories of hidden treasures, war-time maneuverings, and contemporary hacking as well as explaining the mechanics behind the codes in accessible and kid friendly forms. Sidebars call out activities that invite the reader to try their own hand at cracking and crafting their own secret messages. This is the launch of an exciting new series that invites readers into a STEM topic through compelling historical anecdotes, scientific backup, and DIY projects.

History, trivia, and interesting code-breaking tales are compiled in a guide book to the world of secret writing, their deciphers, and the impact such correspondents have had throughout the years.