The Code Book for Young People

March 1, 2002
Simon Singh breaks down cryptic messages for the teenage set in The Code Book: How to Make It, Break It, Hack It, Crack It, an adaptation of his bestselling adult title The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptology. He covers actual instances of codebreaking, from its role in the plan to execute Mary, Queen of Scots, to the Navajo code talkers of WWII.

Starred review from August 30, 1999
In an enthralling tour de force of popular explication, Singh, author of the bestselling Fermat's Enigma, explores the impact of cryptography--the creation and cracking of coded messages--on history and society. Some of his examples are familiar, notably the Allies' decryption of the Nazis' Enigma machine during WWII; less well-known is the crucial role of Queen Elizabeth's code breakers in deciphering Mary, Queen of Scots' incriminating missives to her fellow conspirators plotting to assassinate Elizabeth, which led to Mary's beheading in 1587. Singh celebrates a group of unsung heroes of WWII, the Navajo "code talkers," Native American Marine radio operators who, using a coded version of their native language, played a vital role in defeating the Japanese in the Pacific. He also elucidates the intimate links between codes or ciphers and the development of the telegraph, radio, computers and the Internet. As he ranges from Julius Caesar's secret military writing to coded diplomatic messages in feuding Renaissance Italy city-states, from the decipherment of the Rosetta Stone to the ingenuity of modern security experts battling cyber-criminals and cyber-terrorists, Singh clarifies the techniques and tricks of code makers and code breakers alike. He lightens the sometimes technical load with photos, political cartoons, charts, code grids and reproductions of historic documents. He closes with a fascinating look at cryptanalysts' planned and futuristic tools, including the "one-time pad," a seemingly unbreakable form of encryption. In Singh's expert hands, cryptography decodes as an awe-inspiring and mind-expanding story of scientific breakthrough and high drama. Agent, Patrick Walsh. (Oct.) FYI: The book includes a "Cipher Challenge," offering a $15,000 reward to the first person to crack that code.

May 1, 2002
Gr 7 Up-An in-depth look at the use of secret codes throughout history. Singh utilizes an effective narrative style and intersperses fascinating events and people in this abridged version of his adult book of the same title (Doubleday, 1999). The text, illustrations, charts, and tables are the same. A few chapters have been omitted here, yet the overall flow of the book remains smooth. The difference between steganography and cryptography is discussed, as are the two forms of cryptography: transposition and substitution. A detailed history of secret codes is provided, from Herodotus's earliest accounts of secret messages to Arab cryptographers, Mary Queen of Scots, the German Enigma machine, and the Navajo code talkers. Current work on secret codes and their importance in today's society of Internet commerce are discussed. The last chapter, "The Codebreaker's Challenge," consists of four cryptograms. No solutions are given, but the methods to solve them are discussed. Unfortunately, the glossary from the original title is missing in this version. This book will be a popular addition to any YA collection, especially where secret codes and spy books are popular.-Shauna Yusko, King County Library System, Bellevue, WA

Copyright 2002 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2002
Abridging detail but not depth from his adult book, Singh addresses his sophisticated examination of code making and breaking to teenagers who are intellectually curious, tenacious, and well versed in mathematical principles. The explanations are straightforward without any superfluous information. Smoothly integrated sections include sketches of famous cryptographers and important decoded messages throughout history. Ind.

(Copyright 2002 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2002
Gr. 7-12. Based on Singh's excellent adult title "The Code Book: The Evolution of Secrecy from Mary, Queen of Scots to Quantum Cryptography "(1999), this "Young Readers Edition" doesn't talk down to its audience. In fact, most of the text here appeared in the original book, though some sections, paragraphs, and sentences are omitted and an occasional word is simplified. Trimmed down from the original 402-page volume, this version offers young people a fascinating introduction to the underlying principles, the intriguing history, and the possible future of codes, including the issues and challenges of encrypted Internet communication. Black-and-white illustrations include diagrams and contemporary photographs as well as reproductions of period photos, engravings, documents, and artifacts. A challenging, but fascinating introduction to codes. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)