Check out some of the best children’s books about computers, programming and programmers as recommended by teachers and librarians! There are so many amazing computer books for kids that teach them about famous programmers, coding basics and coding in history. Great for the Hour of Code. Picture books are a great way to teach about almost any topic. These are excellent children’s books about computer and programming to share with your students as suggested by the educators in the Picture Book Brain community!
If you’re a member of the Picture Book Brain Trust Community, you already have access to EVERY lesson plan and activity for these books! Just click on the Lesson Plans button in the menu!
Check out the books:
Ada Lovelace Poet of Science
Two hundred years ago, a daughter was born to the famous poet, Lord Byron, and his mathematical wife, Annabella.Like her father, Ada had a vivid imagination and a creative gift for connecting ideas in original ways. Like her mother, she had a passion for science, math, and machines. It was a very good combination. Ada hoped that one day she could do something important with her creative and nimble mind.
A hundred years before the dawn of the digital age, Ada Lovelace envisioned the computer-driven world we know today. And in demonstrating how the machine would be coded, she wrote the first computer program. She would go down in history as Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer.
Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine
Another biography of the world’s first programmer better suited for 2nd grade and up that actually allows students to see the first “computer” she programmed with a colleague. When she meets Charles Babbage, the inventor of the first mechanical computer, Ada understands the machine better than anyone else and writes the world’s first computer program in order to demonstrate its capabilities.
Get the lesson plan and activities for Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine HERE
Grace Hopper Queen of Computer Code
Grace Hopper coined the term “computer bug” and taught computers to “speak English.” Throughout her life, Hopper succeeded in doing what no one had ever done before. Delighting in difficult ideas and in defying expectations, the insatiably curious Hopper truly was “Amazing Grace” . . . and a role model for science- and math-minded girls and boys. With a wealth of witty quotes, and richly detailed illustrations, this book brings Hopper’s incredible accomplishments to life.
I, personally, think that this should have been titled the “Admiral of Computer Code” because she was an admiral in the Navy.
Get the lesson plan and activities for Grace Hopper Queen of Computer Code HERE
Margaret and the Moon
Margaret Hamilton loved numbers as a young girl. She knew how many miles it was to the moon (and how many back). She loved studying algebra and geometry and calculus and using math to solve problems in the outside world.
Soon math led her to MIT and then to helping NASA put a man on the moon! She handwrote code that would allow the spacecraft’s computer to solve any problems it might encounter. Apollo 8, Apollo 9, Apollo 10, and Apollo 11 could not have been completed without her code.
This is one of the best children’s books about computers and programming because it shows a real life example of the importance of coding to students.
Get the lesson plan and activities for Margaret and the Moon HERE
How to Code a Sandcastle
All summer, Pearl has been trying to build the perfect sandcastle, but out-of-control Frisbees and mischievous puppies keep getting in the way! Pearl and her robot friend Pascal have one last chance, and this time, they’re going to use code to get the job done. Using fundamental computer coding concepts like sequences and loops, Pearl and Pascal are able to break down their sandcastle problem into small, manageable steps. If they can create working code, this could turn out to be the best beach day ever!
Charlotte’s world is fully charged! With her dog at her side, she’s always tinkering, coding, clicking, and downloading. She’s got a knack for anything technological–especially gadgets that her parents don’t know how to fix! Then, she receives a new toy that is quite a puzzle: a doll! What’s she supposed to do with that? Once she discovers the doll’s hidden battery pack, things start to get interesting…while her faithful canine sidekick wonders if he’ll be overshadowed by the new and improved Doll-E 1.0!
Best Children’s Books About Computers and Programming
Did I miss any great fairy tale books for kids? I’m sure I have! There’s not nearly enough on the list. Let me know in the comments and I’ll add them! I’m always looking for new great picture books!
[…] breaker, chance taker, and troublemaker. Grace Hopper coined the term “computer bug” and taught computers to “speak English.” Throughout her life, Hopper succeeded in doing what no one had ever done […]