Coding with ScratchJr by Aalvaro Scrivano, Sue Downing
Published by Lerner Publications (Tm) on January 1st 2019
ISBN: 1541538757
Pages: 32
Goodreads

This short ScratchJr primer will get younger elementary-age kids coding within minutes of downloading the ScratchJr app by walking them through four very simple projects with quick but satisfying results, such as importing their photo into an astronaut that lands on the moon, or animating a cat that can play basketball. Caregivers and educators will also likely be thankful for this introduction as well, as the book is also well-suited to adults and younger children working together to figure out where to begin with this introductory programming language targeted at children ages 5-7. However, those seeking information about coding fundamentals and programming concepts explained easily for children will need to seek elsewhere, as the only real purpose of this book is to provide a very basic overview of the app’s interface and illustrated step-by-step instructions for the four basic projects. There are also random “Did You Know?” facts about space, castles, sports, etc that are somewhat haphazardly thrown in because they relate loosely to the project themes, but they clutter the pages more than serving the text. There is a glossary and a very brief “Further Information” page at the back of the book, which only contains two links and two additional books to explore, which felt lacking.

This book might be a worthwhile addition to a library seeking more up-to-date print content about coding for kids, but like any other tech manual, note that the inevitability of upgrades or changes to the ScratchJr app interface could possibly render this one obsolete.

Reviewed by Kat Luedke, Long Island Community Library