Can You Crack the Code?: A Fascinating History of Ciphers and Cryptography by Ella Schwartz (review)
Buy Issue for $25 at JHUP- Can You Crack the Code?: A Fascinating History of Ciphers and Cryptography by Ella Schwartz
Trade ed. ISBN 978-1-68119-514-8 $21.99
E-book ed. ISBN 978-1-68119-989-4 $15.39
Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 4-7
This perennially popular topic leads kids into tales of war and espionage, and to better ways of passing messages in class. Here Schwartz discusses the frequently traveled paths of the Caesar code, Masonic symbols, and the Enigma machine, with lots of opportunity to try one’s hand at en- and decryption, and she also explains how encryption is vital to internet security and touches all forms of online and cellular communication. Necessary math concepts used to strengthen passwords are smoothly addressed (and some teachers might be interested in Schwartz’s discussion of the practical use of prime numbers), along with such delectable tidbits as an illegal prime number that can unlock DVD encryption. Cartoon illustrations keep things cheery, as does Schwartz’s overall optimism concerning cybersecurity and the white hat hacking. For middle-graders interested in the interplay of encryption and their personal security, this book is a natural companion to Birmingham’s Biometrics: Your Body and the Science of Security (BCCB 10/17). [End Page 311]
