A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Discover the unbelievable true stories of animal spies, secret missions, and bizarre government experiments in this hilarious, action-packed nonfiction adventure for curious kids!
Did you know a pigeon once saved more than 1,000 soldiers’ lives? That dolphins have searched for underwater mines? Or that the CIA really tried to turn a cat into a secret agent?
Grab your fake mustache and trench coat—it’s time to uncover the top-secret history of animal spies!
For centuries, humans have recruited animals for some seriously strange missions. Pigeons carried secret messages across battlefields. Dogs sniffed out danger. Dolphins and sea lions joined the U.S. Navy. And government agencies experimented with spy cats, ravens, sharks, whales, insects, and more.
In Top Secret Animals, young readers will uncover incredible true stories that sound too wild to be real—and discover the fascinating history and science behind them.
Inside this declassified dossier, readers will:

• Meet heroic pigeons, dolphin detectives, CIA spy dogs, covert cats, and other amazing animal agents
• Explore bizarre real-life government experiments, including Acoustic Kitty and plans for remote-controlled spy sharks
• Discover how animals’ incredible abilities inspired robots, drones, and other spy technology
• Learn the science behind echolocation, animal senses, biomimicry, sonar, and more
• Crack secret codes, learn real spy terminology, and try hands-on activities and experiments
• Explore fascinating moments from World War I, World War II, the Cold War, and modern history

Packed with hilarious facts, surprising science, fascinating history, dynamic illustrations, and interactive activities, Top Secret Animals is perfect for kids who love animals, spies, STEM, military history, weird-but-true facts, and stories that have to be read to be believed.
The stories are true. The missions were real. And that pigeon outside your window? We can’t rule anything out.