ARC Review: Girls Who Code

Title: Girls Who Code: Learn to Code and Change the World

Author: Reshma Saujani

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: August 22, 2017

Source: Viking Books for Young Readers

Part how-to, part girl-empowerment, and all fun, from the leader of the movement championed by Sheryl Sandberg, Malala Yousafzai, and John Legend. 

Since 2012, the organization Girls Who Code has taught computing skills to and inspired over 40,000 girls across America. Now its founder, Reshma Saujani, wants to inspire you to be a girl who codes! Bursting with dynamic artwork, down-to-earth explanations of coding principles, and real-life stories of girls and women working at places like Pixar and NASA, this graphically animated book shows what a huge role computer science plays in our lives and how much fun it can be. No matter your interest--sports, the arts, baking, student government, social justice--coding can help you do what you love and make your dreams come true. Whether you're a girl who's never coded before, a girl who codes, or a parent raising one, this entertaining book, printed in bold two-color and featuring art on every page, will have you itching to create your own apps, games, and robots to make the world a better place.

ARC Review: Kid Athletes

Title: Kid Athletes: True Tales of Childhood from Sports Legends

Stories by David Stabler

Illustrations by Doogie Horner

Publisher: Quirk Books

Publication Date: November 17, 2015
Source: ARC from Quirk Books

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The author and illustrator of Kid Presidents have teamed up again to share twenty true tales from the childhoods of famous athletes.

From Babe Ruth (so incorrigible that his parents put him in reform school at age seven) to Muhammad Ali (who learned to fight at age twelve after a thief stole his bicycle), Kid Athletes is packed with inspirational stories from the world of sports. Billie Jean King rose from modest circumstances to win thirty-nine Grand Slam championships; race car champion Danica Patrick fended of bullies who told her "girls can't drive"; and martial arts legend Bruce Lee credited his success, in part, to childhood dance lessons.

Every goal, touchdown, and championship comes to life in these kid-friendly and relatable stories, all with Doogie Horner’s whimsical full-color illustrations. Kid Athletes is a slam dunk for young sports fans everywhere.

Book Review: Very Good Lives

Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination

Author: J.K. Rowling

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Publication Date: April 15, 2015

Source: Purchased

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In 2008, J.K. Rowling delivered a deeply affecting commencement speech at Harvard University. Now published for the first time in book form, Very Good Lives offers J.K. Rowling’s words of wisdom for anyone at a turning point in life, asking the profound and provocative questions: How can we embrace failure? And how can we use our imagination to better both ourselves and others?

Drawing from stories of her own post-graduate years, the world-famous author addresses some of life’s most important issues with acuity and emotional force.