Javascript for Kids
IrishCyborg, (aged 13) is an avid programmer, and here’s his review of a new programming book that we received from No Starch Press.
I recently got a new book from No Starch Press. Yay! Another month of nerd fun! Whoo-hoo! If you liked a Python for Kids: A Playful Introduction to Programming
As you may know, I’m a avid programmer, and this isn’t my first programming book. However, I still think this book was very beneficial to me, because it explains Javascript very well. I think this is a perfect book for beginning programmers and those who already know a bit of programming but want to learn Javascript. Javascript for Kids is the kind of book that you get right into. You can start coding as soon as you get the book using just a browser and a text editor. You will need some sort of IDE, or Integrated Development Enviroment, which you will need to use to write your code, and there are a lot of good free ones. I used Komodo Edit.
Javascript for Kids is broken into three parts.
Basics: The first part is about the fundamentals, like variables and calculations. You will also learn a little HTML, which doesn’t stand for Highly Trained Men with Lasers, and use it to make webpages. At the end of this part, you will create a Hangman game using what you’ve learned.
Advanced Javascript: The second part goes into more advanced stuff, like functions and objects. Using objects takes class! (That was a nerd joke. If you didn’t get that, you are not part of the nerd club. Read this book to join!) Once you’ve finished this section, you will have the chance to create a cool game, Find the Buried Treasure!
Canvas: In the third and final part you’ll learn to put Javascript and HTML together with Canvas, which is a simple drawing tool built into all browsers, and make a really cool game, Snake! I think I might have tested Snake a bit too much 😉
The book is illustrated throughout in full colour by Miran Lipovača, who also illustrated Python for kids. There are all sorts of wacky illustrations like my favourite, a Lego ghost.
All chapters end with some colourful puzzles that logically build on one another, to re-enforce your child’s understanding. You shouldn’t let them continue until they get the previous concepts. The solutions for the puzzles are available for download on the No Starch press website.
Javascript for Kids is an introduction to programming, but goes through simple programming mechanics a bit quickly. This is okay for an older child to start with, but for younger children I recommend Python for kids. You should definitely do both if you can, one after the other.
Here’s the official IrishCyborg rating for this book:
