Gutsy Girls Go for Science: Programmers

Do you like solving problems? Are you dying to automate even the simplest of processes? Do you always need to know how things?

Programming is the process of breaking down complex tasks into a set of instructions. This is what programmers do when they write code that will make your computer do what you tell it to! In Gutsy Girls Go for Science: Programmers with STEM Projects for Kids, readers ages 8 to 11 meet five female programmers who made revolutionary discoveries and inventions that changed the way people used technology! Ada Lovelace, Grace Hopper, the ENIAC women, Dorothy Vaughan, and Margaret Hamilton all broke through barriers of both gender and race to succeed in a field they loved.

Using a fun narrative style, engaging illustrations combined with photography, fascinating facts, essential questions, and hands-on projects, this book invites kids to make real-world connections and deepen their critical and creative thinking skills.

Programmers is part of a set of four Gutsy Girls Go for Science books that explore career connections for young scientists. The other titles in this series include Paleontologists, Engineers, and Astronauts.

Karen Bush Gibson is the author of more than 30 nonfiction books for children and a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. One of her books about women aviators was named a 2014 Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People by the NCSS and a selection in Air & Space/Smithsonian's Best Children's Books of 2013 roundup of aviation and space-themed books. Karen lives in Norman, Oklahoma.

Shululu (Hui Li) has always been driven by curiosity. She received a PhD in computational chemistry from the University of Chicago and is the illustrator of the Physical Science for Kids set of nonfiction picture books from Nomad Press. She is devoted to bringing joy and science to young readers through fun illustrations! She lives with her husband in New York, New York.

School Library Journal Series Made Simple
These sprightly biography anthologies spotlight five women whose curiosity and determination led them to break barriers and change perceptions. QR codes support information relayed in time lines, archive photos, reflective questions, sidebars, and pull quotes. The codes are used to their very best effect, sending readers to news reports, archival video, websites, TEDx talks, and even a webcomic. Each link is listed in the backmatter. The five or six activities per book range from simple observation to rather involved projects and forgo detailed instructions, instead encouraging readers to make choices and assemble materials and create their own challenges. Engineers is a standout for showcasing little-known stories like water safety pioneer Ellen Swallow Richards, while Programmers has the best activities and uses real programming tools. VERDICT: A holistic approach incorporating personal stories, history, and STEM content.