Books About Codebreaking

The Best Codebreaking Books for Kids

By the Bookroo Editors

Looking for excellent children's books about codebreaking? This collection brings together Bookroo's highest-rated and most useful picks in one place.

Start with our editorial favorites, then browse recommendations organized by reading stage to find the right book for your reader.

Rescue
The Shortlist

Our 4 Favorite Books About Codebreaking

Sale price
$858
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2021

Rescue

By Jennifer A. Nielsen

A girl must decode her father's messages to save him and guide refugees across Nazi-occupied France.

400 pages· 76,577 words· Est. 10.5 hour read
4.3/5 Goodreads · 5,428 ratings
$8.99Save 5%
Summary: Meg Kenyon's father is a prisoner of the Nazis, leaving her with only cryptic codes to decipher. When an injured spy offers a chance to save him, Meg must lead a family of refugees through perilous Nazi-occupied France. As she unravels her father's final message, secrets emerge that could jeopardize everything. Can Meg solve the puzzle, rescue the family, and save her father before time runs out?
Picture Book · Ages 9–12 · 2018

Chester Nez and the Unbreakable Code

A young Navajo boy is forced to attend a boarding school where he is forbidden to speak his native language, but later uses it to help the US military during World War II.

32 pages· 1,423 words· Est. 11 min read-aloud
4.3/5 Goodreads · 559 ratings
$17.99Save 6%
Summary: Chester Nez, once told to abandon his Navajo roots, finds his language crucial in WWII. Recruited by the US Marines, he and fellow Navajo men craft an unbreakable code. Can the language he was urged to forget become the key to victory? This gripping tale explores the power of heritage and resilience in the face of adversity.
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2024

The Enigma Girls

Young women at Bletchley Park crack codes, altering WWII's course in secret.

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor (2025)
371 pages· 36,767 words· Est. 5 hour read
4.0/5 Goodreads · 3,841 ratings
$19.99Save 5%
Summary: In 1941, young women across Britain receive cryptic telegrams summoning them to Bletchley Park. Unaware of their mission, they become vital codebreakers, deciphering Nazi messages that could change the war's outcome. Amidst secrecy and tension, these unsung heroines operate complex machines and unravel wireless signals, all while keeping their work hidden. What secrets will they uncover, and how will their efforts shape history? Discover the untold story of these remarkable women who played a crucial role in the Allies' victory during World War II.
Chapter Book · Ages 9–13 · 2012

Depth Charge

An officer must steal a vital decoding machine from a German sub.

81 pages· 7,586 words· Est. 51 min read
4.3/5 Goodreads · 39 ratings
$6.95Save 3%
Summary: In the tense waters of WWII, an American Naval officer is thrust into a perilous mission: infiltrate a German U-Boat anchored in neutral Sweden. Disguised as a Nazi, he must outwit the enemy and secure the Enigma decoding machine. With the fate of countless lives hanging in the balance, can he navigate the treacherous waters of espionage and deception? The stakes are high, and failure is not an option. Will he succeed in altering the course of the war, or will the mission end in disaster?
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