Python for a child: choosing a tutorial. Jason Briggs: Python for kids. Programming tutorial

Information technology Young people, and sometimes even children, are increasingly interested. A book was written and published especially for them. "Python for Kids". For the author Jason Briggs, who has been programming since the age of 8, made her debut.

Jason also published his articles in such magazines as JavaWorld and ONJava. In addition, he is a developer software and system architect for large companies.

The book is a tutorial on programming in Python language. This language is used to create games, programs and problem solving and much more. Despite its extensive functionality, it is easy to learn.

The publication follows the principle from simple to complex. A separate section is devoted to installing the program, where the sequence of actions is explained in detail and shown. First, basic definitions and syntax are given, then they are reinforced with assignments.

Gradually the complexity increases, the reader learns about algorithms, and at the end even creates own games. Almost all tasks are accompanied by photographs from the right option code. At the end of each chapter you can find puzzles that will help you consolidate your knowledge and find your own solutions.

Many tasks were completed in game form, which makes the process more fun. Another advantage is the beautiful illustrations and colorful characters, such as monsters and secret agents. The author writes clearly and clearly. Throughout the book, a certain logic can be traced, one topic follows from another, and for more complex operations it is necessary to master the previous ones.

Despite the title, the book is suitable for study by both children and adults, and even better by them together. It combines humor with practical advice and easy presentation. At the end there is a dictionary that contains the basic concepts necessary for a novice programmer.

Thus, Python for Kids is ideal for taking the first steps in programming. It will also serve as a complement to those who already have experience in this field. Funny illustrations and detailed explanations The authors allow you to master the language step by step and enjoy it.

“This book is a tutorial on one of the most popular programming languages today - Python. Starting from the very simple actions, step by step you will write your programs and comprehend the intricacies of this language.”

About the book This book is a tutorial on one of the most popular programming languages today - Python. Starting with the simplest steps, step by step you will write your programs and comprehend the intricacies of this language. You can test your knowledge right away - with funny examples and hilariously funny tasks, which gluttonous monsters, secret agents and thieving crows will help you cope with. You will learn how to: use the basic elements of Python - lists, functions, modules; draw using built-in Python tools; animate images with tkinter; write real games - "Jump-jump!" (a clone of the famous game Pong) and the adventure game "A Man is Looking for an Exit", where you need to jump on platforms to get to the exit. About the Python language The Python programming language is powerful tool for creating programs for a wide variety of purposes, accessible even to beginners. You can use it to solve problems various types. Today, programs for banks and telecommunications companies are written in this language; many analysts work with data using this particular language. Its clear and defined syntax makes it very easy to start programming. Python code is easy to read, and the interactive shell allows you to type programs and get immediate results. In addition to the simple language structure and interactive shell, Python has tools that significantly speed up learning and allow you to create simple animations for your video games. One of these tools is the turtle module, specially created for teaching, which simulates “turtle graphics” (used in the Logo language in the 1960s). Another tool is the tkinter module for working with the Tk graphics library, which allows you to create programs with advanced graphics and animation. Features of the book At the end of the book there is a glossary and a list of the most important words from the programming language. You'll have fun while studying the book and create fun games and characters. The book includes all the basic functions and blocks that a young programmer needs to know. At the end of the book you will find material on what to do next, what to study and how to develop. Who is this book for? For children from 10 years old and adults who want to learn how to program in Python. Quotes from the book What are operations Operations are any actions that are performed with with the help of operators. Mathematical operations are performed in order, depending on their priority (unless you specify a different order using parentheses). Multiplication and division have more high priority than addition and subtraction, which means they will be performed first. In other words, when evaluating a mathematical expression, Python will first multiply and divide the numbers, and then move on to addition and subtraction. Variable In programming, the word variable refers to a named location for storing data, such as numbers, text, lists of numbers or characters, and so on. A variable can also be thought of as a label that marks some data. Error Syntax error- this is an incorrect arrangement of words in a sentence or - in our case - words and symbols in a program. A SyntaxError message means that you entered data in a different order than Python expects, or you did not enter the data it expected from you. Function Variables created in the body of a function cannot be used after the function has completed because they exist only during its execution. In such cases, programmers say that the scope of variables is limited to the function.

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Work by Briggs Jason "Python for kids. Programming tutorial" belongs to genres "Children's literature" And "Computers".

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My son became interested in programming in Python, and I had a question: is it possible today to buy a book for a child as a self-teacher? Self-instruction books for adults are not suitable for children - even adults don’t always have enough motivation to work their way through programming textbooks on their own, and for a child, a boring “academic” presentation can generally kill all interest in the subject on the fifth page.

For the little ones - fun and with pictures

K. Vorderman et al.
Programming for Kids: An Illustrated Guide to Scratch and Python, 224 pp.

Publisher: Mann, Ivanov and Ferber, 2017
ISBN: 978-5-00057-472-0, 978-5-00100-073-0, 978-5-00100-557-5, 978-5-00117-348-9

Carol Vorderman. Computer Coding for Kids: A Unique Step-By-Step Visual Guide, From Binary Code to Buildings Game, 224 pp.
Publisher: DK Children, June 2014
ISBN: 978-1-40934-701-9, 978-0-24118-169-0 (eBook)

Dorling Kindersley is the Ferrari of the children's publishing world. Therefore, on the one hand, when buying books with this logo, you can be sure of the quality of both text and printing, but on the other hand, Ferrari does not come cheap. All this applies fully to this particular book - excellent quality printing, thoughtful and aimed specifically at children's perception - but at a cost noticeably higher than the average for the sample under consideration.

This book differs from all others in that it the target audience– the most junior schoolchildren, and their introduction to programming begins not immediately with Python, but with the language visual programming Scratch, the equivalent of which in our education system is PervoLogo. The information in the book is distributed as follows: 64 pages are devoted to Scratch, 94 pages are devoted to Python, and the material is presented in comparison with Scratch, and the last two chapters of 45 pages talk about the structure of computers and the Internet.

The only drawback of this edition from the point of view of the Russian-speaking reader is that the phrases in English language, used in the example programs, are left without translation. A young Russian reader at the target age most likely does not yet know English so fluently to be able to read them even with a dictionary - and this cannot be done without the help of parents, but the skill of reading in English can also be improved.
The printing quality of the publication is excellent, color print on good white paper, semi-hard cover, sewn block ensures durability and child resistance.

K. Vorderman et al.
Python Programming: An Illustrated Guide for Kids, 224 pp.

ISBN: 978-5-00117-399-1
Carol Vorderman. Computer Coding Python Projects for Kids, 224 pp.
Publisher: DK Children, June 2017.
ISBN: 978-0-24128-686-9, 978-0-24131-432-6 (eBook)

The next book in the same serial design is for more advanced children. All 224 pages are entirely dedicated to Python, and this time the publisher also translated all the phrases from the example programs into Russian. The text of the book and the example programs do not duplicate the previous edition - everything is different here, the order of presentation is also slightly different.

And just so you know, Carol Vorderman is never a programmer, but a TV star who hosted the super-popular puzzle show Countdown for 26 years; under her name, as a well-known brand, a fair amount of science fiction for children has been published in Britain. Her name on the cover helped the book sell, and the rest of the team of 5 authors, hiding behind the abbreviation “et al.”, was responsible for the quality content. The same story with the previous book - only the set of 5 real authors is a little different.
The printing quality of the publication is excellent, color printing on good white paper, semi-hard cover, sewn block.

, 96 pp.

Publisher: AST, 2017
ISBN: 978-5-17982-809-9
Louie Stowell. Coding for Beginners using Python, 96 pp.
Publisher: Usborne Publishing Ltd, March 2017.
ISBN: 978-1-40959-934-0, 978-0-79453-950-4

If the price tags of the first two books in the review unpleasantly surprised you, then, fortunately, we have more affordable option for younger ages! Louis Stowell's book, which lost its authorship during publication in Russian, is available without any discounts a worthy alternative to the previous edition of DK, but costs much less. The number of pages here is smaller - but the book itself is larger in format and has a more compact layout, so the volume of material is almost the same.

In this edition, as in the first book of the review, phrases in English from sample programs are not translated into Russian; the young programmer will need a dictionary or the help of parents. But knowledge of the language is never superfluous - so the lack of translation can be considered a plus.
The printing quality of the publication is excellent, color printing on good paper, semi-hard cover, sewn block.

For those who are older - more serious and fewer pictures

D. Briggs.
Python for Kids: A Programming Tutorial, 320 pp.

Publisher: Mann, Ivanov and Ferber, 2018
ISBN: 978-5-00100-616-9, 978-5-00117-231-4
Jason R. Briggs. Python for Kids: A Playful Introduction to Programming, 344 pp.
Publisher: No Starch Press, December 2012.
ISBN: 978-1-59327-407-8

The most venerable book in this review– original 2012. The number of positive reviews about it on the Internet is huge - and the book is really good, but with one important caveat: in structure it is more of a textbook than a self-instruction manual. With color pictures, but here is a classic school textbook, with an appropriate approach to presentation: everything is consistent, with practice, explained in great detail for those who are encountering programming for the first time, but, alas, with almost no intermediate results that maintain interest. As a textbook for courses/clubs, it is generally ideal, provided it is supplemented with some side activity that maintains interest. English phrases in the examples have been translated.

B. Payne.
Python for children and parents, 352 pages.

Publisher: Eksmo, 2017
ISBN: 978-5-69995-169-7
Bryson Payne. Teach Your Kids To Code: A Parent-Friendly Guide To Python Programming, 336 pp.
Publisher: No Starch Press, April 2015.
ISBN: 978-1-59327-614-0

This book is also structured as a textbook, but in my opinion, it is more suitable than the previous one for the title of a self-instruction manual for a child - it is written in a much more lively language, there are entertaining intermediate results, each chapter summarizes the results and offers ideas for independently finalizing the resulting programs (with the ability to download ready-made options modifications if something doesn’t work). English phrases in the examples have been translated.

The printing quality of the publication is excellent, color printing on good white paper, hard cover, sewn block.

P. Tomashevsky.
Hello Python! My first book on programming, 256 pages.

Publisher: Science and Technology, 2018
ISBN: 978-5-94387-748-3

Another textbook book, much more “school” than the previous ones - the chapters are called “lessons”, each “lesson” is divided into “tasks”, there is noticeably less animation of the text, the intermediate results are never entertaining, but purely functional.
The printing quality of the publication is budget, black and white printing on grayish paper, soft cover, glued block.

D. Koltsov.

Python: Creating programs and games, 400 pp. Publisher: Nauka i Tekhnika, 2017
ISBN: 978-5-94387-746-9

Despite the name, the games in this book occupy a small part of the volume of presentation (3 chapters out of 37); this is a classic tutorial for adults, which, perhaps not intentionally, due to the name and cover design, mimics a book for children. On the plus side, it contains much more material on language than in “children’s” books, but this publication is not suitable for a child.

The printing quality is minimal: black and white printing on newsprint, very soft cover, glued block.

We learn by playing - you can do that too!

E. Sweigart.
Learn Python by making cool games, 416 pp.

Publisher: Bombora, 2018
ISBN: 978-5-69999-572-1
Al Sweigart. Invent Your Own Computer Games with Python, 4 edition, 376 pp.
Publisher: No Starch Press, December 2016.
ISBN: 978-1-59327-795-6

The original of this book in English is completely free (in the online version), so my complaints below regarding the approach to presentation do not apply to the original - if something does not suit you, then in the world free cheese you just take another piece, but with a paper book for money you have to choose more carefully before the banquet starts.

I didn’t really like the approach to presenting the material - in each chapter, the reader is first asked to mechanically type the code of the next game, and then also mechanically read a couple of dozen pages describing what exactly is happening in this code. There is no reader involvement in learning - unlike the other books in the review. For the “hype”, the publisher of the translation called the games from the book “cool” - however, the author in the original did not promise anyone any special “coolness”; the games in the book are quite “ordinary”, although very diverse. On the plus side, the presentation proceeds sequentially from simple to complex, and using purely gaming examples from the book, you can really learn to program from scratch. There are no pictures, English phrases in the examples are translated.

Unfortunately, the quality of the printing of this edition is let down - black and white printing on white but translucent paper (the text on the back is visible and next page), plus program texts are typed in small font (Condensed font). Unfortunately, this does not add convenience to perception at all - in fact, it is more difficult to read than if the paper was originally newspaper (for example, see the last book of the previous section of the review). Thick soft cover, glued block.

K. Richardson.

Programming with Minecraft: Create Your World with Python, 368 pp. Publisher: Mann, Ivanov and Ferber, 2017
ISBN: 978-5-00100-819-4
Craig Richardson. Learn to Program with Minecraft: Transform Your World with the Power of Python, 336 pp.
Publisher: No Starch Press, December 2015.
ISBN: 978-1-59327-670-6

If your child is a Minecraft fan, then this and the following review books give unique opportunity learn Python without leaving your favorite game. With the help of the proposed example programs, you can create in Minecraft world something that is extremely difficult to create manually. The actual training follows the classical scheme from simple to complex; in each chapter the reader learns new tricks and immediately sees the result. To involve in the learning process, an unusual technique is used - in some of the sample programs, small blocks of code are deliberately omitted, which the reader is invited to write independently, guided by detailed description missing functionality and knowledge gained in previous chapters. The “burdening” point compared to the books above is the need for parallel study internal device Minecraft - but for a fan, that's the beauty of it.

The printing quality of the publication is excellent, color printing on good white paper, thick soft cover, sewn block.

D. Vale, M. O'Hanlon.

Minecraft: Program your world in Python, 224 pp. Publisher: Peter, 2018
ISBN: 978-5-44610-951-7
David Whale, Martin O"Hanlon. Adventures in Minecraft, 2nd Edition, 320 pp.
Publisher: Wiley, November 2017.
ISBN: 978-1-119-43958-5, 978-1-119-43955-4 (eBook)

Pay attention to the year of publication - in 2016, the first edition of this book was published in Russian (blue cover), which used Python 2.

According to the authors, even primary school students can master the first half of the book, since in addition to adapting to Python 3, they specially revised the second edition to simplify understanding of the meaning and structure of the proposed example programs. A special feature of this book is a library of ready-made routines for manipulating objects in Minecraft, written specifically for it, which makes for impressive visual results can be achieved with less effort on your code.

The printing quality of the publication is excellent, color printing on good white paper, thick soft cover, sewn block.

What if you are already 18+?

Then read this post “”, its author is just considering the issue of choosing literature for adults.

But if you still want color pictures and funny examples, then take something from my review!

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About the book

You will learn how:

Read completely

You will learn how:
use the basic elements of Python - lists, functions, modules;
draw using built-in Python tools;
animate images with tkinter;
write real games - "Jump-jump!" (a clone of the famous game Pong) and the adventure game “A Man is Looking for an Exit,” where you need to jump on platforms to get to the exit.

About Python
The Python programming language is a powerful tool for creating programs for a wide variety of purposes, accessible even to beginners. It can be used to solve various types of problems. Today, programs for banks and telecommunications companies are written in this language; many analysts work with data using this particular language. Its clear and defined syntax makes it very easy to start programming.

The Python code is easy to read, and the interactive shell allows you to enter programs and get immediate results. In addition to the simple language structure and interactive shell, Python has tools that significantly speed up learning and allow you to create simple animations for your video games. One such tool is the turtle module, specially created for teaching, which simulates “turtle graphics” (used in the Logo language in the 1960s). Another tool is the tkinter module for working with the Tk graphics library, which allows you to create programs with advanced graphics and animation

Book chips
At the end of the book there is a glossary and a list of the most important words from the programming language.
You'll have fun while studying the book and create fun games and characters.
The book includes all the basic functions and blocks that a young programmer needs to know.
At the end of the book you will find material on what to do next, what to study and how to develop.

Who is this book for?
For children aged 10 years and older and adults who want to learn how to program in Python.
2nd edition.

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