Past and Pen Podcast: Episode Nine- This Episode Will Self-Destruct: True Tales of Espionage

Rosie Talley
Jul 7
3 min read

Updated: Jul 24

Meet Your Host:

Meet Your Host:

Hosted by: Rosie Talley, Author of Linus the Troll

Produced by: Sweet Meadowlark Stories

🌐 Author Website

📧 Email: pastandpen@gmail.com

Watch Episode Nine:

https://youtu.be/m79xn41yhsY

In this episode of Past and Pen, we’re decoding real-life spy stories that sound straight out of a mystery novel. We’ll uncover how George Washington used invisible ink to outsmart the British, how a lemon helped catch a WWI spy, and why WWII agents turned to baking ingredients and ultraviolet lights to hide their secrets. Oh, and one very suspicious fruit ends up in a museum!

Whether you're a curious kid, or a history buff with a sneaky side, this is one story you won’t want to miss. So grab your magnifying glass and your favorite notebook—it’s time to reveal what’s been hiding between the lines.

Karl Muller's Letter 1915

Reading List:

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Spy Science: 40 Secret-Sleuthing, Code-Cracking, Spy-Catching Activities for Kids by Jim Wiese

Spies, Code Breakers, and Secret Agents by Carole P. Roman

Secret Coders by Gene Luen Yang

Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief by Wendelin Van Draanen

Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Way to Bea by by Kat Yeh

Writing Prompt:

Your mission, should you choose to accept it:

Imagine you’ve found a letter that looks ordinary until you treat it with heat or a special chemical and secret words appear. Who wrote it? What does it reveal? Does it warn of danger, or launch an unexpected mission?

Write a short scene where the message appears at just the right moment. You can send your story, drawing, or ideas to pastandpen@gmail.com. I would love to see what you come up with.

Thanks so much for joining me as we explore the past and let our pens do the talking! New episodes drop every other Tuesday at 4 PM CST—so mark your sundials, set your hourglasses, or just let history repeat itself and tune in!

Patreon Members can answer the Question of the Month for a chance to be featured on the show! This month’s question is:

You find an old journal buried in the sand. The first page says, "This summer something unbelievable happened." What happens next?

P.S. If you want even more summer reading fun, check out my new summer reading program ⁠Wander and Wonder⁠. It’s a parent/child book club with options for kids ages 4 to 12. You’ll get kitchen classroom recipes inspired by the books we read, a printable PDF journal with drawing or writing prompts, and hands-on activities to bring each story to life.