Codes and Secret Writing

by Herbert S. Zim

An introduction to simple codes and cyphers for children, including a history of codes.

Genres: Nonfiction, Childrens, Reference, How To

Paperback

First published January 1, 1948

About the author

Herbert Spencer Zim (July 12, 1909 – December 5, 1994) was a naturalist, author, editor and educator best known as the founder (1945) and editor-in-chief of the Golden Guides series of nature books.

Reviews

[Robert J. Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Herbert S. Zim loomed large in my childhood because of his spectacular Golden Nature Guides, but this book is my favorite of his. Absolutely engrossing, and still, to this day, one of the best books ever written about simple codes and ciphers. I give it a shoutout in one of my own novels, Triggers. The yellow-covered Scholastic edition is an abridged version; the full edition is the 1948 hardcover from William Morrow.

[Carolyn Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exactly the type for book I pored over when I was younger! This is a re-read, actually. All sorts of codes, ciphers, invisible inks, as well as books for further reading.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great introductory book to codes, cyphers, and secret writing, meant for a younger audience. The original version being published in the late 1940s, there are things about this that are outdated (typewriters, for one), but the actual information is still accurate, allowing you to learn how to encode and decode quite a few different kinds of code.

I didn't do the majority of the exercises, but I did notice a typo on pg 68 in my version (published 1964). The typo is in the code you're supposed to be decoding, which is a terrible place for a typo... It's only one letter wrong ('K' instead of 'E'), but I thought I was doing something wrong before I realized the only way it makes sense is if it's a typo.

I've had this book kicking around forever (no idea where I even got it), but I picked it up because I needed to create some codes for a story I'm writing. While I'm not using anything specifically from this book, it was a huge help in giving me a simple but also surprisingly in-depth look into codes, which helped give me a direction of where to go for my own codes.

I do wish I had a copy of the full book, as I'm curious what got cut out, but this abridged version was a huge help and I recommend it for anyone wanting an introduction to codes.

[Cyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read something like this--perhaps a later version--when I was a kid in the 1970s. I'm keeping this one, along with the handy encoder/decoder I made for substitution ciphers. I wish I had had someone to exchange coded messages with when I was a kid. I remember trying to write invisibly using lemon juice.

[Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this in the library and remembered how I had read it many times as a child. I created tons of ciphers and codes, made invisible ink, and played spy-vs-spy with my neighborhood friends. Great memories.

Try this book, or pick it up for your daughter or son! If you do: R SLKV BLF VMQLB XLWVH ZMW HVXIVG DIRGRMT!

[Kathy Fink · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book at a school book fair when I was 11. I am now almost 70 and still have the book. I even used material from it in an intro to a graduate seminar lecture on cryptography . I just used it this week designing an escape room for my grandkid’s birthday party. I guess I got my money’s worth.

[Sunni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great little book full of lots of information. As a child I had a ton of fun, and it even inspired a science project. This is a great one for all those kids who feel they have a lack of privacy, but make sure not to loose your copy, especially if you use it to write in your diary.

[Alayna Josz · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book i have had for about 25 years. i treasure it. it's a childhood relic of mine, very sentimental to me. i loved codes and mysteries and word play as a kid. this is an incredible little guide with lots of info tips ideas and history

[Johnny Carruthers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book on cryptography that I ever bought. I originally bought the abridged edition published by Scholastic many years ago. In fact, it was the seventh book I ever bought for myself. In more recent years, I found a copy of the original, unabridged edition, and I eagerly snatched it up. (I'm pretty certain this was also the first book on cryptography that I ever read as well.)

A few days ago, I was looking over my bookshelves, and decided to give this another read. I wanted to see if the adult me found the book as enjoyable as the fifth-grade me did.

Short version -- yes, I did.

Longer version . . . I knew I was looking at the book this time with considerably more knowledge of cryptography than I did when I first read it. And I was fully aware that I was reading a basic, introductory volume on the subject. Keeping all of that in mind, I still found Codes And Secret Writing a decent read.

As I said, this is a good introduction to the subject of cryptography. It's not very long, and gives a quick overview of simple substitution ciphers, transposition ciphers, cryptanalysis (breaking codes), and invisible inks.

I have to admit, I found myself wondering one thing while reading the chapters on invisible inks. Namely, how easy would it be for your average fifth grader to acquire some of the chemicals listed today? When I was in fifth grade, a lot of the chemicals could be found in a chemistry set. Today . . . well, do they even still make chemistry sets?

There are other (longer) books that go into more detail on various ciphers. But Codes And Secret Writing still works as a decent introduction, even after 60+ years.

As Herbert Zim said in various encrypted forms in his first chapter, "I hope you enjoy Codes And Secret Writing."


-jc-

[Lyndon Hardy]

Codes and Secret Writing by Herbert Zim is a children’s book. I read it when I was in third grade. It was fascinating. Especially the part about how could figure out what was in a simple substitution message without even knowing the key! Just what the guys needed when one of the communications from those irritating girls in the class was intercepted.

The book sparked my interest in cryptography in general, and over the years, I collected others in the field. They were usually one war behind, but I did get an appreciation of how what on the surface might appear to be unfathomable in fact could be decrypted.

And this in turn meant that the puzzles of Martin Gardner could yield to a sophisticated enough analysis. Also then, could the puzzles in a fantasy novel.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good introduction to codes, ciphers, and secret writing. It's clearly and simply written, presented in a logical order, and sets out the basics of ciphering and deciphering in a very accessible way. My children are often astonished by how much I know about this subject and although I have also read far weightier tomes, it's the contents of this book that equip me with the essentials to answer my children's questions!

Of course, a really dedicated reviewer would have encrypted the review as a nod to what the book taught her ..

[Emmannuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!

It helped me learn a few new ways to write and decipher things. I think I'm ready for Cryptograms but I need to give this book another go-round.

I love codes and references and wordplay and letterplay and cuneiform and stuff like that so this was a great introduction course into the world of words.

Like this is what motivated me to practice learning other languages.

I wish I could find more books like this, honestly.

[CLM · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was fascinated by codes as a child and enjoyed trying out those described in this book.

[Elijah Christopher · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book made no sense to me, and was rather a drag to get through.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

He wrote a ton of children's books back in the day, I'm nerdy enough to sort of remember this one.