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Secret Coders Book Review

Title: Secret Coders
Author: Gene Luen Yang
Illustrator: Mike Holmes
Publisher: First Second
Publication Date: September 29, 2015
ISBN-13: 978-1626720756


96 pp.


ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley


Secret Coders is exactly the kind of book I love to booktalk, especially when promoting Summer Reading Club. It has a mystery, it has a diverse cast, it has basketball, it has a friendship theme, and it has STEM. And best of all, it's a graphic novel.

Graphic novels are my go-to booktalk because they appeal to kids who say they don't like to read. These kids may have reading difficulties, they may be English learners, or maybe they just haven't found the right book yet. But a graphic novel, especially one like Secret Coders, has the visual appeal to grab their interest and keep them turning pages. Mike Holmes delivers a lively and cartoony style. His artwork during the coding explanations are clear and accessible.

Secret Coders is the first in a series about Hopper, a new kid at school who wants to join the basketball team and who notices weird things going on at Stately Academy. After a bad start at making friends, she joins forces with Eni to figure out what's going at the school.

Tons of fun here and I'd recommend Secret Coders to readers who liked Cece Bell's El Deafo or Raina Telgemeier's Sisters.

Secret Coders Bonus Video:


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