Hack Attack

The coding club

by Thomas Kingsley Troupe, Scott Burroughs (Illustrator)

After a hacker breaches the school's grading system and gives students failing grades, Grady Hopkins wants to set the record straight. Along with coders Ava and Marco, Grady follows a trail of IP addresses as he searches for the perpetrator. Will they find the truth before everyone flunks sixth grade?

80 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sixth grader Grady Olsen’s two main interests—basketball and coding—collide in this latest episode in The Coding Club series. Grady may not be the best student, but when his report card arrives in the mail with all D’s and F’s—even in P.E., he knows something isn’t right. He turns to his friends at the after school coding club, and together they set out to discover the hacker. Troupe’s fast paced mystery is a good bridge for young readers just starting chapter books. Along the way, they’ll pick up some coding basics and terminology, like IP addresses and CSV. The mini-lessons do feel a bit instructive at times, but the who-done-it plot will keep students interested. Burroughs’ black and white cartoon illustrations featuring a diverse cast complement the story, but at times are a bit stiff and lifeless. Fans of this serviceable series of high interest beginning chapter books will enjoy this story of kids using their computer skills along with critical thinking to solve a problem.

*review copy received from publisher for review for the Children's Literature Database