Python for Kids 2nd Edition is a lighthearted introduction to the Python language and to programming in general, complete with illustrations and kid-friendly examples. We begin with the basics of how to install Python and write simple commands. In bite-sized chapters, you'll discover the essentials of Python, including how to use Python's extensive standard library, the difference between strings and lists, and using for-loops and while-loops.
By the end of the book, readers have built a couple of games and created drawings with Python's graphics library, Tkinter. Each chapter closes with fun and relevant exercises that challenge the reader to put their newly acquired knowledge to the test.
Published, October 2022, by No Starch Press.
Available from:
Looking for solutions to the Programming Puzzles in the book? Download the PDF.
The errata for the book can be found here.
Looking for more help? Check the blog posts about the book.
If you're having trouble with any of the examples in the code, you can download the code snippets from GitHub here.
If you need information about the original 1st edition, check here.
Reviews
"If you’re completely new to programming, this would be a fantastic book to get started with."
-- The Security Noob
"A book designed to bring coding with Python to life for kids. . . . Briggs breaks down terminology into simple terms and offers explanations for what your child will be doing [to] help them apply their skills to real-life situations."
-- Amy Boyington, Parenting and Family Lifestyle Writer
"Fun and effective, [Python for Kids] is an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, family, middle school, high school, and community library Computer instructional reference collections."
-- Midwest Book Review
Reviews of the first edition
"An excellent introduction to programming for anyone interested in learning to program, regardless of their age. The material is extremely well organized and presented, and makes for a great resource for either home or school."
-- Roy Wood, GeekDad
"Jason Briggs manages to successfully describe programming to kids without sounding like he’s dumbing down the content. . . . The lessons are well-constructed and leave the reader with a feeling of accomplishment in each chapter."
-- Marziah Karch, Wired.com's GeekMom blog
"This book offers a good introduction to computer programming. . . . Using Python for Kids to learn this skill would be an excellent family bonding experience, and the added perk of jointly creating a computer game wouldn't hurt."
-- Patrice Gans, Education Week's BookMarks blog
"Easy to read, provides sound programming advice and very clear explanations of how programming languages work. A great book for anyone who wants to break into programming without pangs of inadequacy."
-- Sandra Henry-Stocker, ITworld
"The use of colorized text in this book makes the material so much easier to comprehend and read . . . I am now generally conversant with the basic tools used in Python."
-- Phil Shapiro, Opensource.com
"The book is well-written, engaging, and full of simple words for simple people like me. . . There's nothing quite like seeing the simple lines of code create something on the screen and knowing how and why it happened."
-- Copil Yáňez, Full Circle Magazine
"The book is engaging and full of colors to keep young readers engaged in their programming adventures . . . I recommend this book to both kids and new users who wish to learn Python."
-- nixCraft
"The nice, easy to read style of the book that keeps to a gamification style of programming throughout will certainly appeal to youngsters."
-- Carl Turland, Coding at School
"A step-by-step guide that is equal parts serious coding instructions and light-hearted jokes and project instructions. Aimed at expanding the horizons of each student."
-- Scholastic's Tech Tools blog
"The author’s writing style and the cute little cartoon character illustrations scattered throughout the book made it much less 'dry' than a typical computer programming guide."
-- Dana Hinders, Smart Mom Picks
"Whoever you are, if you're looking for an in-depth yet very accessible approach to learning to program, Python for Kids offers a whole lot of knowledge in a step-by-step way that will have you writing code in no time at all."
-- Amy Nelson, Games Fiends
"If you haven’t programmed before and want to give it a try, I highly recommend this book."
-- C# Helper
"Despite the title, a fun book for all ages. The provides a clear, easy to follow, introduction to python programming. The content is easy to understand, the examples are clearly illustrated and straightforward."
-- Technical YA, Best Books to Learn Python Language in 2021