Little Computer Scientists

Binary, debugging, HTML, and computer networks arrive here not as a list of technical terms, but as discoveries made by a group of young friends. Little Computer Scientists turns early computer science ideas into an illustrated story designed to invite children into the subject.

Written by Julie Darling and illustrated by Darren “D. J.” Cools, the book follows its amateur coders as they work with binary, fix code, build a website, and set up a local area network so they can game together. The story gives caregivers and educators a lively way to introduce computing vocabulary and concepts to young learners.

Computer science, introduced through a story

Rather than presenting computing as something children only observe, the book places its characters in the middle of the action. They try things, work through code, and use technology to make something together. That narrative approach gives new concepts a memorable setting and a human cast for children to follow.

From binary to building a website

• Binary: encounter one of the basic ways information is represented in computing.
• Debugging: see code being checked and corrected as part of the process.
• HTML: follow the characters as they use it to build a website.
• Local area networks: discover how a LAN can connect computers for shared gaming.

Together, these ideas offer an inviting first look at several parts of computer science, from how computers handle information to how people create and connect using technology.

For curious young learners and the adults beside them

Caregivers, teachers, and librarians can use the story to open conversations about computing and introduce its vocabulary in context. The book is also connected to a separate companion teaching guide, Supporting the Development of Computer Science Concepts in Early Childhood, for adults seeking additional support. A three-book set pairs the guide with this story and Little Hackers.

For a first encounter with coding and computer science, Little Computer Scientists makes the subject feel approachable, social, and full of possibilities. 💻📚