Digital Badges

March 1, 2014

Gr 3 Up-DIY culture and industrial design-interested readers will find these books informative introductions. Each title aims to impart basic but foundational knowledge and then quickly gives way to project instructions that inspire and challenge. Rich, color images help readers comprehend topics that might seem somewhat nebulous. Digital Badges describes its subject as a "new way for us to express ourselves and tell stories to one another" by showing friends and family the different types of skills they have mastered that are not traditionally quantifiable (such as soft skills like helpfulness or learned skills like soldering). Game Design dissolves the notion that games are complicated, instead portraying them as an enjoyable series of tactics, strategies, incentives, and outcomes. The book positively encourages children to accept criticism as part of the design process to continually improve game creations. E-Textiles is slightly less direct than the other two titles. It breaks the concept down into "wearable electronics" and half-heartedly covers electronic sewing tutorials, but the topic isn't described simply and lacks accompanying graphics. The underlying idea of an electronic textile (for instance, a self-cleaning shirt, an illuminated carpet) is defined easily enough, but the project examples fall short of exciting. New vocabulary words are bolded and listed in a helpful glossary at the end of each book (a "prototype" is a first model, as defined in Game Design). Digital Badges and Game Design prove to be solid additions to libraries serving patrons enthusiastic about the sciences and DIY culture.-Amy M. Laughlin, Darien Library, CT

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2013
Grades 4-7 As the maker movement of tech-based DIY enthusiasts becomes an increasingly important presence in libraries, it's great to have a series of related books targeting young readers. The Makers as Innovators series does just that. Each slender title presents a single topic in a straightforward manner, giving novices a good idea of what's happening without getting bogged down in a great many details. Sidebars offer tips, intriguing facts, and historical perspective. Like the movement itself, the texts communicate a level of energy and involvement that adds to the overall appeal. Page design is simple and attractive, and the illustrations, mainly color photos, are effective. Remember merit badges? Digital Badges introduces the twenty-first-century equivalent and discusses how to design, award, and display them. Libraries looking for materials to support community interest and programming in these areas should consider this useful series, which also includes books on Arduino, e-textiles, game design, and makerspaces. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)