So, You Want to Be a Coder?

June 6, 2016
Bedell drafts an encouraging how-to guide for budding computer coders, the eighth title in the Be What You Want series, introducing the basics of what coding means, the necessary knowledge and skills, programming languages, and career opportunities. Bedell brings in additional real-life perspective through interviews with individuals working in the tech industry, young coders, and profiles of innovators like Sister Mary Kenneth Keller, the first American woman to receive a Ph.D. in computer science. Quizzes, tech timelines, resource lists, and sidebars on related topics further round out the career advice. While it’s a solid resource for any reader, the focus on female coders and innovators make it an especially apt choice for girls interested in STEM fields. Ages 8–12.

August 1, 2016

Gr 5-7-Bedell has packed this title with information perfect for aspiring coders. Sections cover writing code, website coders, artificial intelligence and robots, coding languages, and more. Early on, readers are asked to take an "Is Writing Code Right for Me?" quiz. Each chapter is prefaced with a cheesy but fun joke (for example, "What do you call a programmer in Scandinavia? A Nerdic."). The writing is chatty and engaging. The text is peppered with biographical spotlights of famous and influential people in the coding world-from Charles Babbage (1791-1871), the father of computing, to Henry Edward Roberts (1941-2010), the father of the personal computer. Profiles of more current people are also included, for instance, Kelly Clarke, a software engineer for NASA, and Louise Stinnett, a retired senior systems programmer, who in her profile explains what it was like to be a woman coder in the 1960s. Cartoon illustrations dot each page. Although the pictures aren't colorful, they don't hamper the overall upbeat tone. A glossary and an extensive list of resources finish off the text. VERDICT A timely and lighthearted addition to the careers section for tweens.-Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI

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