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Review - Cracking Codes - Diana Kimpton

What's more satisfying than coming up with a good secret code? Breaking it, of course. Diana Kimpton's book explores the whole history of secret messages from the oldest known examples, through to computer public key/private key encryption.

Somehow, secret codes and schools go together very nicely - and this book certainly gives the reader plenty of ammunition in the code wars. But it's more than "what makes a code (or cipher)?" - as you'll find out.

The only slight drawback, not Kimpton's fault, is that the subject gets a trifle samey once you've seen a dozen different cipher techniques, and so the middle of the book, as they increase in sophistication, is probably the least interesting. We could do with a few more stories, to fill in the gap more between Mary Queen of Scot's fatal mistake in trusting a code and the breaking of the German Enigma machines in World War II, which rightly gets a good long section.

Although technically not a code or a cipher, I think I'd also add something about quantum encryption, which (in principle at least) is the only truly unbreakable protection.

But that's a small detail, and Kimpton's book is an excellent introduction of the world of codes and ciphers until the reader is ready to take on Simon Singh's Code Book. It's enjoyably presented and the usual high quality illustrations help rather than hinder the message. Incidentally, given the younger audience it's a shame Scholastic didn't copy Singh's gimmick of having a secret treasure code breaking competition in the book - they always go down well. I don't know why this one, unlike many Scholastic books, isn't available in the US - it ought to be!

Reviewed by Brian Clegg

Review by [Unsigned] of Wanborough Primary School, year 6 (age 11):

This brilliant book showed you when codes were invented (in the timeline), all the different codes used throughout the years and how to use them. This book even lets you crack a code of your own!

I really enjoyed this book. I especially liked the timeline and cracking the codes on my own was extremely interesting. This is a great book and I would recommend it to anyone - I would give it 10/10. There was nothing I didn't enjoy about this book - it was brilliant.

* Our age range recommendation is an estimated guide, but individual readers outside the range could still enjoy the book!

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