Code Like a Girl: Rad Tech Projects and Practical Tips

Gr 6-9-Peskowitz conceived of this project after attending a White House conference on girls and technology; she learned to code so that she could write this book. She tells readers that if she could learn, so can they. Readers are encouraged not to get frustrated if the coding fails, because learning how to debug is part of the journey. Peskowitz divides the book into sections on coding with Scratch, building a Raspberry Pi computer, coding with Python, and tinkering by combining coding with technology to create items like a light-up scarf or bracelet. She guides readers step by step through the process of each project. The directions are accompanied by colorful hand-drawn illustrations that are suitable for most of the projects, but it may be difficult to envision the end result of others. The text is written with different fonts of various colors, which makes for an upbeat design. Readers with little tech background but high interest should be able to follow the directions. A list of sources for all the materials is given, and the book includes a glossary and index. VERDICT This book is well suited for readers who want to dip their toes into technology but don't know where to start.-Elizabeth Kahn, Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Academy, Avondale, LA