Enter the Shadowy World of Spies and Espionage with Nat Geo Kids' TOP SECRET! (Review)

 Disclosure: I was provided with a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.

Buy now in hardcover from Amazon for only $17.93

Thanks to a few week-long spy and cracking codes online summer camps my girls took, they are all about sleuthing and trying to solve cold cases and mysteries in history.  Seeing just how excited they got about sleuthing thanks to these camps, I knew they would love helping me review a recent Nat Geo Kids book, which released back in April, called "Top Secret: Spies, Codes, Capers, Gadgets, and Classified Cases Revealed."  

Just looking at the cover, they both agreed it was up their alley, and they couldn't wait to grab it from my hands, and sit together on the couch to read it.  With 192 pages, this book is jam packed with activities, surprises and so much more. Kids ages 8-12 years old will eat up all the cool "Be a Spy" activities, while getting an insiders look at how magic really happens, getting an up close and personal look at the world's most mysterious places and even be able to try their hands at making invisible ink and other fun hands on spy gear tools, to put their spy skills to the test.

My girls really enjoyed this book, and were so impressed with all the content that filled the pages of this book. They liked how it included the hands on activities for them to do and try out, and see how it applied to the stories/features in the book.  My youngest really got into the classified case files that fill the pages of this book -- with the "The Real-Life Willy Wonka" story being her favorite.

I tried asking my girls to rank their top 3 favorite things from the book, but they said they couldn't as they loved everything.  And, after reading the book myself after they were done with it, I could see why it was so hard for them to choose, as this book is really well done and has so much "top spy" content and activities that kids will enjoy it all.

If you have a wanna be spy or crime solver in your house, then you'll want to share this "Top Secret" book by Nat Geo Kids with them.  My girls give this book 2 thumbs up, and I know that once your kids get their hands on it and read through it, they will agree with them!  So, what are you waiting for?....grab this book today, so your kids can start their "spy in training" studies. :-)

More about this book:

"The world of spies, codes and cover-ups is always a topic of fascination for kids and playing "secret agent" with siblings and friends is a great way to give children a break from screens and get them engaging their imaginations.   The world of espionage is also a "stealthy" way to hone observation skills and encourage an interest in STEM topics, like the technology behind the gadgets, the science behind invisible ink and the engineering feats of secret rooms and compartments.  This spring, National Geographic Kids Books is debuting Top Secret -- a new book for secret agents in training with nearly 200 pages filled with the latest intel on the world's most classified cases, top secret truths, and cryptic curiosities you could ever hope to get your fingerprints on. 

From mastering escape and evasion techniques, to crafting the perfect disguise, building a gadget on the fly or decoding secret intel, Top Secret: Spies, Codes, Capers, Gadgets and Classified Cases Revealed (National Geographic Kids Books, ages 8-12,  April 2021, Hardcover, 192 pages) takes recruits beyond the page and out into the shadow world of espionage and all things clandestine, where “all is not what it seems,” including:

• The ins and outs of international espionage
• Spy agencies across the globe
  
• Clandestine Dos and Don'ts (DO: Use Dead Drops, Think on Your Feet, Remember Everything! DONT: Break Cover, Trust Anyone, Admit to Anything!) 
• Fascinating profiles of history-making spies, like, "The Limping Lady" -- World War II's most dangerous spy -- and an interview with Lindsay Moram, a real-life agent of espionage for the CIA (retired 2003) 
• Hands-on how-to's, including: a step-by-step guide to setting up your own spy network and detailed info on how to make your own disguises, create fingerprint kits, engineer a deck of cards with a secret compartment, design rearview spy glasses, and mix up some invisible ink for writing secret messages
  
• Bold secret missions -- like how the CIA stole a Soviet spacecraft -- and gave it right back!
• Gadgets, tools of the tradecraft and surveillance equipment  
  
• Tips for uncovering secrets and hidden messages that are all around you -- in advertising, at amusement parks, in video games, on cash -- they are everywhere!
  
• Code-cracking of secret messages hidden throughout the book"

 Disclosure: I was provided with a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.

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These Two United States Atlas Books from Nat Geo Kids are a Must Have for Homeschooling Families and Hybrid/Remote Learners (Review)

 Disclosure: I was sent review copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.

With so many kids doing distance/remote learning for 2020-2021, or switching to homeschooling for the school year, many parents are looking for great educational resources to pick up for their kids to have on hand.  Being a homeschooling parent for over 6 years, I am always looking for great new books to add to our learning, as well as to recommend to other friends and family who homeschool their kids.  I was recently sent the two US Atlas books from Nat Geo Kids a couple weeks ago, and LOVE them!  It is funny how I get excited about books, especially ones I know that will be a great addition to my girls' learning and our homeschooling journey. But, I have to say, these two new atlas book are really great, and well made. I especially like the beginner's atlas for early learners. I wish I had a book like this to help me introduce my girls to an atlas and the US when they were little. It would have made things easier, as they love full color photos, like the ones you get with this new release.

Ever since receiving these two new atlas books from National Geographic Kids, I have had them out each day when we are doing schooling. The girls love to flip through the pages and read about the states and our country.  Through eye grabbing full color photos, fun fact boxes and lively photo essays, these to atlas books are a great addition to our schooling, and are getting my girls excited about learning about each state as we globe-trot through the states this year.  We are not only learning about each state, but also cooking our away through the states with a fun recipe book I found earlier in the year.  My girls are hands on learners, so incorporating cooking/baking and now the use of this full color atlas, learning about the US is fun and not something that feels like I am pulling teeth to get the girls to sit for and want to learn about.

If your kids are home learning this year, or you are looking to update your current US atlas to a more kid-friendly one, I highly these two new ones from National Geographic Kids.  They would also make for a great holiday gift idea for kids who love educational books that offer amazing photos and fun facts.

More about these two new atlas books from National Geographic Kids:

Beginner’s United States Atlas, Third Edition, (ages 7-10) "The fully updated edition of this popular atlas introduces young readers to the wonders of all of America's states and territories, with maps, fun facts, geographical features, and more. It’s accessible design showcases what's unique about each state and territory and every profile starts with a colorful map and essay and includes capital cities; population; important land and water features; state birds, flowers, and flags. It's all packaged in a bigger format, with a refreshed design, and bold, bright photos and illustrations.

United States Atlas Sixth Edition, (ages 8-12) Current, authoritative, and produced by the expert cartographers at National Geographic, this best-selling United States atlas is newly updated with all the latest info and is  packed with maps, stats, facts, and pictures. National Geographic's world-renowned cartographers have paired up with education experts to create maps of all 50 states, U.S. territories, and Washington, D.C., that pinpoint the physical features, capitals, and other towns and cities. Discover the latest data along with colorful photography of each state and the people who live there. Key points reflect the latest information about land and water, people, and places. Essays cover each region of the country while eight specially themed maps on nature, population, economy, energy, climate, and more delve deeper into key issues. State birds and state flags add to the high visual interest." 

 Disclosure: I was sent review copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.

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