Home > Sean's Technology and Writing Blog

How to Code shortlisted for Educational Writers' award

15 November 2017

Book cover: How to Code I am delighted to say that my book Super Skills: How to Code has been shortlisted for the ALCS 2017 Educational Writers’ Award. The book was illustrated by Venitia Dean and published by QED Publishing/Quarto.

Each chapter covers a different super skill in coding, using Scratch to make interactive programs and HTML for website design. The book includes one of my favourite Scratch games of those I've created, a platform game called Treetop Catnap.

The judges said: "Providing a lively way into an exciting new subject for all age groups, this book approaches complex ideas with both humour, and beautiful clarity. Full of handy tips and easy-to-understand instructions, it succeeds in making coding a fun activity for both boys and girls."

The other shortlisted entries are:

Secrets Of The Sea (Author: Kate Baker; Illustrator: Eleanor Taylor)
Fluttering Minibeast Adventures (Author: Jess French; Illustrator: Jonathan Woodward)
Genius! The Most Astonishing Inventions Of All Time (Author: Deborah Kespert; Designer: Karen Wilks)
Tree Of Wonder: The Many Marvelous Lives Of A Rainforest Tree (Author: Kate Messner; Illustrator: Simona Mulazzani)
The Book Of Bees (Author: Wojciech Grajkowski; Illustrator: Piotr Socha; Translator: Agnes Monod-Gayraud)

The winner will be announced at the All Party Writers Group (APWG) Winter Reception at the House of Commons on Tuesday 5th December.

I'd like to thank the team at QED and illustrator Venitia Dean for all their great work on How to Code, and the judging panel and organisers for reviewing and shortlisting the book. You can find out more about How to Code here, and you can play Treetop Catnap below if you have a compatible browser (click flag to start; cursor keys move, space jumps):

[UPDATE: Congratulations to Piotr Socha, Wojciech Grajkowski and Agnes Monod-Gayraud on winning with The Book of Bees! Many thanks to ALCS, the Society of Authors and the APWG for a lovely evening on the Terrace at the House of Commons, and for shortlisting How to Code for the award.]

Permanent link for this post | Blog Home | Website Home | Email feedback

Dip into the blog archive

Credits

Visit www.sean.co.uk for free chapters from Sean's coding books (including Mission Python, Scratch Programming in Easy Steps and Coder Academy) and more!

Discover my latest books

100 Top Tips: Microsoft Excel

Power up your Microsoft Excel skills with this powerful pocket-sized book of tips that will save you time and help you learn more from your spreadsheets.

Scratch Programming IES

This book, now fully updated for Scratch 3, will take you from the basics of the Scratch language into the depths of its more advanced features. A great way to start programming.

Mission Python

Code a space adventure game in this Python programming book published by No Starch Press.

Cool Scratch Projects in Easy Steps

Discover how to make 3D games, create mazes, build a drum machine, make a game with cartoon animals and more!

Raspberry Pi For Dummies

Set up your Raspberry Pi, then learn how to use the Linux command line, Scratch, Python, Sonic Pi, Minecraft and electronics projects with it.

Earworm

In this entertaining techno-thriller, Sean McManus takes a slice through the music industry: from the boardroom to the stage; from the studio to the record fair.