Coding and Programming

Computers are everywhere: at school, in our homes, and in factories and offices. Many people have a mini-computer in their pocket! This engaging series looks at computers and their uses, with an emphasis on the STEM principles that underpin how they work. Computers can carry out a lot of tasks, but they need instructions. Computer programming is the process of telling a computer what to do. The instructions are called programs and are written in code, which are the letters and numbers that make up the instructions. Find out about codes and programs, the people who write them, and how computers follow them.

Nancy Dickmann grew up reading encyclopedias for fun, and after many years working in children's publishing, she now has her dream job as a full-time author. She has had over 200 titles published so far, mainly on science topics, and finds that the best part of the job is researching and learning new things. One highlight was getting to interview a real astronaut to find out about using the toilet in space!