Text post by mike_richards

We are looking for a Cryptography book recommendation to read with our 10 year old who loves making up his own ciphers. He loves reading adult math and science books with us at breakfast like Ignition!, Humble Pi, and The Hunt for Vulcan. All of the kids books that we've found are just puzzles, but I don't want to get something way over his head math-wise. A good history with basic theory behind the different types would be perfect. Thanks!

Ask HN: What cryptography book do you recommend for reading with 10 year olds?

Ask HN thread where a parent seeks cryptography book recommendations, ideally history plus basic theory, to read with a cipher-loving 10-year-old.

What HN thinks

A wholesome parenting thread where the biggest threat model is a confused Russian spam account.

The Code Book, ideally youth edition
Simon Singh's The Code Book, including its edition for young readers, was the most-seconded pick as an engaging history that sparked many careers.
Fiction and stories with ciphers
Many suggested narrative entry points like Alvin's Secret Code, The Gold-Bug, Sherlock Holmes' Dancing Men, Artemis Fowl, Cryptonomicon and The Cuckoo's Egg.
Hands-on games and textbooks
Others proposed doing historical ciphers as games, or even tackling rigorous texts like Katz & Lindell with patient adult guidance.

Consensus: The Code Book is a strong, accessible start, and kids learn best through fun, story-driven or hands-on cipher play with a parent alongside.

Recommended in the comments

The Code Book ↗ (book): Widely credited by commenters with sparking their interest in cryptography.
Alvin's Secret Code (book): Got several commenters started at age 8 or so.
The Manga Guide to Cryptography ↗ (book): Other books in the series are well regarded and approachable.
CryptoKids ↗ (other): Free, kid-targeted crypto puzzles and content.
Top Secret: A Handbook of Codes, Ciphers and Secret Writing (book): Recommended by multiple people as practical for kids.
Cracking Codes with Python (book): Combines classic ciphers with beginner coding.