Top Secret by Paul Janeczko

Title: Top Secret: A Handbook of Codes, Ciphers, and Secret Writing
Author: Paul Janeczko
Copyright: 2006
ISBN: 978-0763629724

For anyone who might still not know, on Monday April 16th the "Spies, Codes, and Ciphers" program will begin at Norway.  In honor of that this month I am blogging about spies, mysteries, and other books that could be relevant!

I have absolutely fallen in love with Paul Janeczko and his books.  Before I started researching for our program I only knew Paul as a poet.  His poetry is excellent, don't get me wrong, but poetry just never seems very excited.  I don't get totally psyched to read poetry.  Even more so I find it VERY easy to put down books of poetry and well, never pick it up again.  That is never the case with Top Secret.

Top Secret is a non-fiction book that reads like a guide.  This is the sort of book that two best friends would love to receive copies of.  Paul explains step by step how different codes were formed and used historically as well as giving examples for children to try so that you can learn how to effectively encode, and decode your messages. 

Personally one of the my favorite chapters is the one on Ciphers which describes how codes differ from ciphers, how to tell them apart, and most importantly which is most secure!  Next week the kids will have a chance to try their hands at different ciphers.  However, if you aren't attending our program please pick up this book and explore all the different activities with your favorite child.  You definitely won't regret the time you spend working together!

(P.S. Have I ever mentioned how difficult it is to review books with a cat who insists on trying to help you type?)

Title: Spy School

Title: Spy School
Author: Stuart Gibbs
Copyright: 2012
ISBN:978-1-4424-2182-0

In honor of the Spies, Codes, and Ciphers program that will be running at the library on April16-20th I bring you a book review that is sure to get your blood pumping.  By the end of this book you will be dying to come to our Spy program and learn everything that you can about the CIA, FBI, and the NSA! On to the review.

Spy School is written by Stuart Gibbs (an author I had never heard of before).  It begins with a highly classified letter from the "Office of CIA Internal Investigations" and features many blacked out lines leave the reader wondering what really happened.  It explains that the creation of this book is part of a "continuing investigation into Operation Creeping Badger."  First of all, how cool is that name Operation Creeping Badger (which did end up going horribly, horribly wrong). 

Ben Ripley thinks that he is the luckiest kid in the world.  He came home from school on January 16th to find Alexander Hale (a world class spy) sitting in his living room.  Not only that but Ben learns that he has been accepted to the Academy of Espionage of the Central Intelligence Agency.  What could possibly be cooler then finding out that you have been admitted to a secret spy school for kids?  Well it would have gone a bit smoother if Ben hadn't failed his entrance exam and then had to fight off would be assassins his first night!  No one ever said that spy school would be easy.

As Ben works hard to not flunk out or be murdered at the Academy of Espionage he also learns a terrible secret that he has to solve!  Read this book you won't regret it.  The fast pace and exciting storyline will make you not want to put the book down.  Plus there are Ninjas in the book, and what could possibly be cooler then Ninjas