Ask HN: What Cryptography book do you recommend for reading with 10 year olds?
13 comments
- Points5
- Comments14
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#23Peak rank
2Days on list
28Score · 7d
Nov 4, 2026First seen
Rank · 7 days
On Hacker News
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!
- Points
- 5
- Comments
- 14
- Submitted by
- mike_richards
- Posted
- Nov 3, 2026
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Trending history
Ask HN: What Cryptography book do you recommend for reading with 10 year olds? was first seen on Hacker News · Front page on Nov 4, 2026. Since then it has appeared in 18 checks on 2 different days. Its best position was #23 of 30, reached on Nov 4, 23:37 UTC. It dropped off the list after Nov 5, 05:37 UTC.
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Position on Hacker News · Front page at every check (lower is better).
Last 14 days
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23
23
Oct 26today
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From the discussion
A few top-level comments from Hacker News, shortened. Read the full thread on Hacker News.
Not a book but you could construct a little walk through some historical crypto as fun games to play. Caesar cipher, Vigenere cipher, one time pad, then learn about primes and make some repeating keys..you could do a super simple matrix example to make tiny DES s-boxes. I bet claude could come up with some games /…
There's an edition of The Code Book for youth: https://www.amazon.com/clp/0385900325?lv=shuf&channelId=500
Title: Can You Crack the Code?: A Fascinating History of Ciphers and Cryptography ISBN-10 : 1681195143 ISBN-13 : 978-1681195148
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Hacker News 2 days, best #23
Questions
Is Ask HN: What Cryptography book do you recommend for reading with 10 year olds? trending on Hacker News right now?
Not at the moment. It was last on the list on Nov 5, 05:37 UTC, after 2 days of trending.
What is the highest rank Ask HN: What Cryptography book do you recommend for reading with 10 year olds? reached?
#23 on Hacker News · Front page, on Nov 4, 23:37 UTC. Trendoday checks this list every 15 minutes.
How long has Ask HN: What Cryptography book do you recommend for reading with 10 year olds? been trending?
It was first seen on Nov 4, 2026 and has been on the list on 2 days (18 checks) since.
How much discussion did it get on Hacker News?
5 points and 14 comments; submitted by mike_richards on Nov 3, 2026.