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Screenwise Verdict
This is the real deal. Not edutainment, not gamified nonsense—actual programming taught clearly and with humor. Briggs respects his audience enough to teach them Python 3, a language that runs half the internet, while keeping it accessible with monsters and secret agents.
The 2022 update matters: Python 3, new projects, troubleshooting appendix. It's current and practical. The progression is smart—start with basics, build to turtle graphics (immediate visual feedback), then full games with tkinter. By the end, kids have genuine skills.
The catch: this requires focus and persistence. It's not a YouTube tutorial you can zone out to. Some kids will thrive; others need more time with Scratch first. But for the right kid at the right moment, this book is transformative. It's the difference between playing games and making them.
Age Fit
Best for ages 10-16, though motivated 8-9 year olds with strong reading skills can handle it with support. Adults learning to code also love it (multiple reviews confirm this). Upper age depends on interest—if a teen wants to learn programming, this is perfect regardless of age.
WISE Breakdown
Wholesome
88
Clean, encouraging tone throughout with humor that lands (ravenous monsters, thieving ravens). Briggs guides rather than lectures, building confidence through accomplishment. No toxic patterns, just steady progression with playful examples that keep the mood light.
Imaginative
92
Programming is fundamentally about creating something from nothing. The book teaches turtle graphics for drawing patterns, tkinter for building games and animations, and culminates in two full game projects (Pong clone and a platformer). Puzzles throughout stretch thinking. This isn't just learning syntax—it's learning to build worlds.
Safe
98
It's a book about programming. No concerning content whatsoever. The humor is kid-friendly (secret agents, silly monsters). No ads, no data collection, no social features. The only 'risk' is syntax errors, which the second edition addresses with a troubleshooting appendix.
Enriching
95
Teaches genuine computational thinking: data structures, functions, control flow, modular code organization. Python is a real professional language used everywhere. Kids learn problem-solving, logic, and debugging—skills that transfer far beyond coding. Updated to Python 3 means it's current and practical. The progression from basics to full games shows real skill development.
Parent Info
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Why It Might Be Great
Teaches Python 3, a real language used by professionals at Google, Netflix, everywhere—not a toy language
Builds two complete games (Pong and a platformer) so kids see their code come to life
Genuinely funny examples (thieving ravens, secret agents) keep it from feeling like a textbook
Structured progression with puzzles that build confidence and actual understanding
Works on everything: Windows, Mac, Linux, even Raspberry Pi
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What to Watch For
Requires reading stamina—this is a real book, not a flashy app or video tutorial
Younger kids (under 10) will need parent support for troubleshooting and staying motivated
Less immediately gratifying than visual tools like Scratch—more powerful but steeper learning curve
Some kids will bounce off if they're not ready for text-based coding yet
Conversation Starters
"What's the coolest thing you could build if you knew how to code anything?"
"Want to walk me through how your program works? I'm curious what you figured out."
"What was the hardest bug you fixed today? How'd you solve it?"
"Should we try modifying the Pong game together—what if we added power-ups?"
