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Computing, Gaming & Coding

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Children’s books about gaming, computing and coding

We’ve put together a list of books for young readers interested in computers and video games. There is an increasing thirst for books on this topic, which holds such a high interest to many young readers. Level up your reading collection with our selection of the best books about gaming, computers and coding.

Books about gaming

Ruth Morgan
Chapter book

Designed to appeal to children with a love of gaming, Ant Clancy: Games Detective is a fast-paced adventure story that could be enjoyed by any reader who likes an action-packed mystery story. Ant is the only person in Westford Abbey who can’t get into playing Ray-Chay, the new virtual reality game that everyone else is obsessed with. Soon something goes very wrong with the game, which somehow spills over into real life, and Ant is the person who will get to the bottom of what’s happening and try to put things right. As the story unfolds, the line between the gaming world and reality is blurred even further in the race to uncover the truth.

Tom Nicoll
 & Anjan Sarkar
Chapter book
Videogame-obsessed Flo gets more than she bargained for when she finds herself INSIDE her favourite game. Turns out, virtual reality isn't as much fun when it's not so virtual. When Flo's engineer mum creates a device that will make her image appear in her videogames, Flo can't wait to use it! Ignoring her mum's warnings that it's not ready, Flo accidentally transports herself into the game, along with her not-so-keen-on-videogames-and-wishing-he'd-stayed-home best friend Max. Immersed in the world of Star Smasher, they not only have to face armies of soldiers, but also the very real possibility that there may not be a way out...
David Baddiel
 & Jim Field
Chapter book
Fred and Ellie are twins who love video games. One day a Mystery Man sends the twins a mysterious-looking video game controller that gives them control of real-life people. Witty and fast-paced, David Baddiel spins a winner of a story for gaming fans.
Ross Welford
Chapter book

Georgie Santos loves dogs more than anything in the world. Soon, Georgie is no longer allowed to see her beloved pet Mr Mash after he becomes sick with a deadly and highly contagious disease that threatens the life of every dog in the country. The only thing distracting Georgie from the pain of not being able to see Mr Mash is her new friendship with Dr Pretorius, an eccentric old scientist who is developing a curious virtual reality project inside a domed room. As time goes on and the deadly disease becomes even more serious, Georgie begins to wonder whether Dr Pretorius might hold the key to changing the future and, together with her beloved Mr Mash, embarks on a hair-raising virtual adventure to save the world.

Jon Claydon & Tim Lawler
Chapter book

This Top Gear spin-off is a fast-paced action story featuring cars, computer games, an evil billionaire, racing tournaments and of course, The Stig. The appeal will be obvious to some readers, but even readers with no experience of Top Gear can quickly become absorbed in this page-turning adventure full of twists and turns.

Sam Wheeler is new to his town, and nobody else seems to notice the strange goings-on there because adults and children alike are addicted to a mysterious new computer game called Xenon. Together with his new friends Mini Cooper and Ford Harrison, Sam begins to investigate the strange happenings and save his town from disaster.


Chris Bradford
 & Andres Frang
Chapter book
Street kid Scott jumps at the chance to be a Virtual Kombat gamer. If he can battle his way up the ranks, the ultimate prize will be his. But then his friend Kate goes missing in the battle arena, and Scott's dream turns into a nightmare ... A sleek new edition of the first book in Bodyguard author Chris Bradford's action-packed dystopian trilogy. Particularly suitable for struggling reluctant or dyslexic readers aged 8+.
Helen Harvey
Chapter book
Emmy is brilliant at the computer game, Illusory Isles. Her avatar is a powerful fire elemental with magma claws and flaming breath. When Emmy's gaming video gets a front-page feature, thousands of devoted fans flock to watch her battle the ultimate online baddie, the Mulch Queen herself. Life at school is the exact opposite. Emmy is friendless and bullied by Vanessa AKA the Queen of Mean. To Vanessa and her gang, Emmy is a weirdo with bad handwriting, horrible fashion sense and no dad. But if Emmy can take on the Mulch Queen online, perhaps she can also find a way to take on Vanessa too? Emmy decides to level up and solve this challenge alone. But then Emmy discovers that Mulch Queens and Mean Queens are much easier to face when you have a little help from new friends...
Thomas Flintham
Chapter book
A book for kids aged 7+ who love video games but aren't allowed to play as often as they'd like. Sunny's favourite game is Super Rabbit Boy and he loves to pit his skills against King Viking who hates fun and happiness and wants to steal Singing Dog and bring sadness to Animal Town for ever! Can Sunny help Super Rabbit Boy get to Level 6 and rescue Singing Dog and restore joy to Animal Town? Only if he defeats the Robot Army, dodges the Robo-Crabs and Lakes of Lava before battling King Viking himself! Has Sunny got the skills? Has Super Rabbit Boy eaten enough super magical carrots? The first in a full-colour series of graphic novels about - and for - kids who love gaming. Join Sunny as he and Super Rabbit Boy take on the world, one move at a time.

Books about coding

Sophie Deen
 & Anjan Sarkar
Chapter book

Agent Asha is a clever and engaging story that weaves computing knowledge – such as how the internet works and if/then logic – into the story. Asha is from an Indian family in Brent and her family are delighted when she visits the library – supposedly to study. Little do they know that she is actually getting involved in a secret spy mission! She triumphs in this secret mission with wit, intelligence and a little dash of disobedience.

Malorie Blackman
Chapter book
A cyber-crime thriller from the former Children's Laureate Malorie Blackman. Vicky's father is sent to jail for stealing a large sum of money from the bank and she sets about to prove that he is innocent. Using her brilliant computer skills, Vicky decides to hack into the bank computer files to find evidence of the truth about the real thief.
Aimee Lucido
Chapter book

Suitable for Upper KS2/Lower KS3, this is a verse novel about an American girl called Emmy who tries to figure out the ups and downs of life while balancing her two separate passions; coding and music. As the book progresses, Emmy’s two worlds begin to interweave, showing how notes, beats and rhythms overlap with code, language and algorithms.

Books about the internet

Jo Simmons
 & Nathan Reed
Chapter book

A laugh-out-loud chapter book that will appeal to anyone who has ever wished they could upgrade their sibling for a better model. Johnny is fed up of being picked on by older brother Ted, so when he stumbles across a website called SiblingSwap.com, he turns to the internet to solve his problems. What follows is a hilarious series of not-quite-perfect alternative siblings. There is also an accompanying activity pack available to go with this book.

Tom McLaughlin
Chapter book

A laugh-a-minute story about overnight internet success. Ollie and Hector dream of being rock stars, but unfortunately they have very little musical talent. One day, as they are making their own music video in Ollie’s room, a twist of fate shoots them to overnight success online. Before they know it, they become the biggest stars in the world – even though it was actually Ollie’s pet cat Nigel who is responsible for their music going viral.

Jeanne Willis
 & Tony Ross
Picturebook

This is a great choice of book for exploring the topic of e-safety and cyberbullying with young children. Billy the Goat and his friend Cyril are playing with a phone when they decide to send mean messages to the troll living under the bridge. Soon the two friends discover that their online actions have had a big impact on troll’s feelings and that their messages were not such a fun idea after all. For more on online safety, you may also like Chicken Clicking and #Goldilocks by the same authors.

Non-fiction books about computing

Diane Stanley
 & Jessie Hartland
Non-fiction Picturebook
From nonfiction stars Diane Stanley and Jessie Hartland comes a beautifully illustrated biography of Ada Lovelace, who is known as the first computer programmer. Two hundred years ago, a daughter was born to the famous poet, Lord Byron, and his mathematical wife, Annabella. Like her father, Ada had a vivid imagination and a creative gift for connecting ideas in original ways. Like her mother, she had a passion for science, math, and machines. It was a very good combination. Ada hoped that one day she could do something important with her creative and nimble mind. A hundred years before the dawn of the digital age, Ada Lovelace envisioned the computer-driven world we know today. And in demonstrating how the machine would be coded, she wrote the first computer program. She would go down in history as Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer. Diane Stanley's lyrical writing and Jessie Hartland's vibrant illustrations capture the spirit of Ada Lovelace and bring her fascinating story vividly to life.
Rachel Ignotofsky
Non-fiction
Explore the fascinating history of the computer, and the people who made them, in this beautifully illustrated guide for children by bestselling author and illustrator Rachel Ignotofsky. Computers make our lives easier in so many ways - they help us do our work, get directions, check the weather, exercise, shop and understand what's happening around the world. But who created them, and why? How have they transformed the way we interact with our surroundings and each other? Packed with accessible information, fun facts and discussion starters, this charmingly illustrated book takes you from the ancient world to the modern day, focusing on important inventions from the earliest known counting systems (such as the Incan quipu) to the sophisticated algorithms behind AI, space travel and wearable tech. The History of the Computer also profiles a global and diverse range of key players and creators - from An Wang and Margaret Hamilton to Steve Jobs and Tim Berners-Lee - and illuminates their goals, their intentions and the impact of their inventions on our everyday lives. This entertaining and educational journey from the bestselling author of Women in Science will help you understand our most important machines and how we can use them to enhance the way we live. You'll never look at your phone the same way again!
Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
 & Aura Lewis
Non-fiction
In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Steve Jobs, the visionary whose ideas still shape the world. Steve Jobs grew up surrounded by inventors, in sunny Silicon Valley, California. He and his friend Stephen Wozniak channelled their love of computers into their own inventions, building a successful company from Steve’s garage. Steve thought that computers were the future, and his big ideas would transform the world and the way people use technology. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the brilliant businessman’s life.

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