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Topic: Computing, Gaming & Coding

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.

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!

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.

Non-fiction

Do you know what the difference between a bit and a byte is? Have you ever accepted cookies and not known what they were for? Did you know that phishing has nothing to do with chips? Learn about all of these words and more in this exciting and colourful series while challenging yourself to games and puzzles throughout each book.

Chapter book

Welcome to the sleepy island of Penfurzy, where nothing exciting ever really happens. OR DOES IT?

Adventure awaits Demelza and her new best friend in the whole world, Nessa, as they explore the island and uncover the mysteries of the Penfurzy Knights. With a honking pet goose sidekick, quirky islanders and a legendary treasure to find, it’s up to Nessa and Demelza to ride their bikes, solve the puzzles before them, and face down danger with frisbees, water-balloons, feathers …. and a toilet plunger.

THEIR FRIENDSHIP WILL WARM YOUR HEART. THEIR BRAVERY WILL MAKE THEM LEGENDS.

Picturebook

Billy Goat and his best friend Cyril are messing about with the farmer’s mobile phone, taking selfies and playing games… until they discover the number for a troll. Grandpa Gruff says all trolls are bad, so Billy and Cyril decide to get their own back by sending mean messages. After all, trolls really do stink! Don’t they?

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 formatted for dyslexic readers in KS2.

Chapter book

An original, inventive and heart-warming novel from an exciting debut author about a lonely new girl and an unlikely friendship formed in a school code club that will appeal to fans of Sarah Crossan.

When twelve-year-old Emmy’s musical family moves to California so her dad can take a job with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Emmy has never felt more out of tune. But when she ends up in a school computer science club, she finds that she can understand code through a language she is familiar with: music. Slowly, Emmy makes friends with Abigail and the two girls start to discover their voices through the programming language of Java.

Extraordinarily crafted, the novel begins to incorporate Java’s syntax and concepts as Emmy, and ultimately the reader, learns to think in code. By the end, Emmy doesn’t feel like a wrong note, but like a musician in the world’s most beautiful symphony.

Chapter book

MESSAGE: This is the system operator. Who is using this account? Please identify yourself . . .

When Vicky’s father is arrested, accused of stealing over a million pounds from the bank where he works, she is determined to prove his innocence. But how? There’s only one way – to attempt to break into the bank’s computer files.

Even if Vicky is the best hacker in the world, will she find the real thief before they find her?

Chapter book

Ray-Chay is the new virtual reality game that everyone’s playing and the world loves its eccentric billionaire creator, Kody Crunch. Ant loves gaming and feels like the only person who can’t get into Ray-Chay. But when something goes very wrong with the game, Ant is determined to help. Can Ant and his friends work out the real deadly game behind the game?

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