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Thursday, April 2, 2020

#NetGalley Book Review: Coding Capers by Angela Cleveland and Tamara Zentic

This is a fun, informative STEM adventure.
Coding Capers
by Angela Cleveland and Tamara Zentic
Illustrated by Juan Manuel Moreno
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Age Range: 8 - 12 years
Grade Level: 3 - 6
Series: Coding Capers
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: National Center for Youth Issues (November 21, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1937870634
Genre: Children School Issues, Computers, Robots, STEM
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0.


Join Luci and her friends as they go on an adventure to find a missing robot! In the process they learn the foundational concepts of coding, the increasing capabilities of technology, and the power of persistence.
Was it just a dream?! Luci wakes up after dreaming about robots only to learn that her teacher has a robot emergency at school! The class robot has disappeared, and the students must decipher codes to locate it, reprogram it, and return it.
We huddled together. "Hurry! Read the card!"
Go to the gym where you'll find a maze,
Up and down and then sideways,
Over and over with your group,
Not a pattern, but a ______.
This STEM-friendly tale takes children on a fun game of hide and seek that teaches coding terminology and how technology and computer science work together to create and manage so many of the things we use in our daily lives.
With a little ingenuity and a lot of perseverance, Luci and her friends follow the clues and end up with a surprise that will allow each of them to help others and inspire the next generation of leaders.


Review:
Luci and her friends get to work together as a team to solve a special treasure hunt. Their teacher has created a programable robot and one is ‘lost’ within the school. The teams must solve the clues and apply them properly. The team that gets to the robot first and solves its programming problem will each get a surprise.

This story has relatable young school children and fun rhyming clues like the example in the blurb. The blanks to fill in are all words the children have learned in their technology, computer lessons. As an adult, I was glad to be reminded of my early years of programming. The story is laid out well and reads quickly. I received the print book this week and was pleased to see that the production is glossy and inviting. The images are bright, distinct and fit the text blocks. I enjoyed the informative lesson and think it would be appropriate for young students. I look forward to sharing this with my 7 and 8-year-old granddaughters. I recommend this to encourage young children who have any interest in robots and programming.

Source: NetGalley 2019. This qualifies for 2020TBR, 2020NetGalley and 2020Alphabet goals.

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