Top Secret Files: The Cold War, Secrets, Special Missions, and Hidden Facts About the CIA, KGB, and MI6 (Top Secret Files of History) - Softcover

Bearce, Stephanie

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1618214195 ISBN 13: 9781618214195

Publisher: Routledge, 2015

Synopsis

Poison dart umbrellas, lipstick pistols, and cyanide guns were all a part of the arsenal of tools used by spies of the Soviet KGB, American CIA, and British MI6, but you won't learn that in your history books! Learn the true stories of the Cold War and how spies used listening devices planted in live cats and wristwatch cameras. Discover how East Germans tried to ride zip lines to freedom, while the Cambridge Four infiltrated Britain and master spy catchers like Charles Elwell were celebrated. Then make your own secret codes and practice sending shoe messages. It's all part of the true stories from the Top Secret Files: The Cold War. Take a look if you dare, but be careful! Some secrets are meant to stay hidden...

About this title

About the Author:

Stephanie Bearce is a writer, teacher, and history detective. She loves tracking down spies and uncovering secret missions from the comfort of her library in St. Charles, MO. When she isn't writing or teaching, Stephanie loves to travel the world and go on adventures with her husband, Darrell.

Review:

"Bearce's latest installment in the Top Secret Files series introduces young readers to the Cold War. Following the design and format of the previous titles in the series, reading this book is rather like opening a filing cabinet, reaching in, and pulling out a file. Any file will do. Skip around; every file contains something interesting: stories of the CIA operative who made an escape dressed as a dog; the Cambridge University students who became KGB spies; the 87-year-old "grey-haired granny" who became a spy. Suggested activities have readers making up secret codes, creating parachutes, making "glacier goo," and creating UFOs. The "carrot submarine" activity even refers budding vegetable sculptors to a YouTube video if they need help. Interesting tidbits about poop-shaped transmitters, animal agents, U-2 spy planes, the space race, and even Dr. Seuss' The Butter Battle Book add to the fun. The writing style of the longer chapters-such as "Tunnels to Freedom" and "They Built a Wall"-is direct and matter-of-fact, imparting information clearly. Most entries have lead sentences designed to pull readers in: "What do a raven, a cat, and a dolphin have in common? They were all trained as agents for the CIA." Particularly valuable for young researchers is a lengthy guide to relevant websites. A nifty supplement to traditional nonfiction and fiction on the period. " - Kirkus

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1618214195
• ISBN 13: 9781618214195
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 128