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.