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Girl Code: Gaming, Going Viral, and Getting It Done
Perfect for aspiring coders everywhere, Girl Code is the story of two teenage tech phenoms who met at Girls Who Code summer camp, teamed up to create a viral video game, and ended up becoming world famous. The book also includes bonus content to help you get started coding!
Fans of funny and inspiring books like Maya Van Wagenen’s Popular and Caroline Paul’s Gutsy Girl will love hearing about Andrea “Andy” Gonzales and Sophie Houser’s journey from average teens to powerhouses. Through the success of their video game, Andy and Sophie got unprecedented access to some of the biggest start-ups and tech companies, and now they’re sharing what they’ve seen. Their video game and their commitment to inspiring young women have been covered by the Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, CNN, Teen Vogue, Jezebel, the Today show, and many more.
Get ready for an inside look at the tech industry, the true power of coding, and some of the amazing women who are shaping the world. Andy and Sophie reveal not only what they’ve learned about opportunities in science and technology but also the true value of discovering your own voice and creativity.
Fans of funny and inspiring books like Maya Van Wagenen’s Popular and Caroline Paul’s Gutsy Girl will love hearing about Andrea “Andy” Gonzales and Sophie Houser’s journey from average teens to powerhouses. Through the success of their video game, Andy and Sophie got unprecedented access to some of the biggest start-ups and tech companies, and now they’re sharing what they’ve seen. Their video game and their commitment to inspiring young women have been covered by the Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, CNN, Teen Vogue, Jezebel, the Today show, and many more.
Get ready for an inside look at the tech industry, the true power of coding, and some of the amazing women who are shaping the world. Andy and Sophie reveal not only what they’ve learned about opportunities in science and technology but also the true value of discovering your own voice and creativity.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 7, 2017
111 people are currently reading
2042 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 249 reviews
July 8, 2018
I'm super happy that I picked this audiobook up, as an ex-computing student and coder myself, it was great to hear the experiences of two young female coders creating their own game and promoting it to the world. The narrators are the two authors themselves which I found great, since I could connect with them easily. Andrea and Sophie meet at a summer camp for a group known as Girls Who Code and then team up to create a project which then goes viral. Their game is called Tampon Run, the menstrual cycle is heavily mentioned throughout the audiobook. Both of their backgrounds and behind the scenes look at designing and developing the game were fascinating to learn about. The terminology used more or less, was familiar to me as someone who used to be designing websites and planning video game designs.
If you're looking for a great STEM listen, this is one you need to go for!
If you're looking for a great STEM listen, this is one you need to go for!
September 6, 2017
I loved this book. I've been interested in programing for 35 years. I'm not much good at it but still find it fascinating. That's why I picked this book up, I'm surely not the targeted audience old white male, but I learned a lot about feminism, ambition, and the courage to put yourself out there to accomplish a goal that you feel is worth doing even if other parts of your life are sacrificed in the process. Great book I'd recommend this to everyone, but most especially anyone interested in pushing their own boundaries, also after the story there is a great little tutorial section on coding
February 11, 2017
*4.5 Stars*
I don't read many memoirs. To me, books are an escapism from reality, and memoirs and other non-fiction books are the complete opposite. Because of this, I became kind of reluctant after I requested this book and found out it was a memoir, but I still dove in with high hopes- hopes that were definitely met!
For a brief summary, Girl Code revolves around Sophie and Andrea, who at first are more or less normal teens who like many of the same things other teenagers do. But then they decide to give coding a try at a special camp, and this is where they meet and become close friends. Together they create a game called Tampon Run, and even though they were only expecting a few people to play it, it ended up going viral, and this is the story of how it came to be and what followed.
I loved pretty much everything about this book, and I can't really find anything negative to say about it. From the relatable authors to the basic code manual, there is something awesome in this book for everyone!
Sophie and Andrea are two completely different people with completely different interests, but coding is the one thing they had in common which brought them together. They both went through many struggles while learning to code as well as creating and broadcasting their game, but they persevered so well and never gave up, even if their brains were urging them to. It definitely takes a lot of patience and determination to code (trust me, I even got frustrated when I tried out the easiest coding site), and those are two things both Andrea and Sophie had a lot of! I believe that they have the potential to inspire and move many people with their lovely story, making them realize that practice always makes perfect!
This book also empowers readers in so many other ways such as showing girls that they can be anyone they want to be, no matter what stereotypes are out there. Most people have fallen for stereotypes at least once, even unknowingly, and this book definitely shows that you are free to break that box anytime you want to! Coding is mostly seen as a boys' thing, but Sophie and Andrea defied the odds and wowed the world with their amazing, uplifting game. I could go on and on with all the morals, but I think that by now you all get the idea of how fantastic this pair's story is. ;)
There is a *basic* code manual on the last pages of the book, and I enjoyed trying it out and seeing what it was like for Sophie and Andrea on their first days of coding. Although some of the directions did get a tiny bit frustrating at times, I still found it to be so much fun to try!
All in all, Girl Code was an amazing memoir, and I just know that it will inspire so many readers once it comes out. Sophie and Andrea are two very relatable girls, and I was able to find a little bit of myself in both of them. So, if you're looking to be empowered and moved, then mark March 7th on your calendar, and then rush out to get your copy of this beautiful book! <3
*I received an advanced reader copy of this book from Indigo Books & Music Inc. in exchange for an honest review.*
I don't read many memoirs. To me, books are an escapism from reality, and memoirs and other non-fiction books are the complete opposite. Because of this, I became kind of reluctant after I requested this book and found out it was a memoir, but I still dove in with high hopes- hopes that were definitely met!
For a brief summary, Girl Code revolves around Sophie and Andrea, who at first are more or less normal teens who like many of the same things other teenagers do. But then they decide to give coding a try at a special camp, and this is where they meet and become close friends. Together they create a game called Tampon Run, and even though they were only expecting a few people to play it, it ended up going viral, and this is the story of how it came to be and what followed.
I loved pretty much everything about this book, and I can't really find anything negative to say about it. From the relatable authors to the basic code manual, there is something awesome in this book for everyone!
Sophie and Andrea are two completely different people with completely different interests, but coding is the one thing they had in common which brought them together. They both went through many struggles while learning to code as well as creating and broadcasting their game, but they persevered so well and never gave up, even if their brains were urging them to. It definitely takes a lot of patience and determination to code (trust me, I even got frustrated when I tried out the easiest coding site), and those are two things both Andrea and Sophie had a lot of! I believe that they have the potential to inspire and move many people with their lovely story, making them realize that practice always makes perfect!
This book also empowers readers in so many other ways such as showing girls that they can be anyone they want to be, no matter what stereotypes are out there. Most people have fallen for stereotypes at least once, even unknowingly, and this book definitely shows that you are free to break that box anytime you want to! Coding is mostly seen as a boys' thing, but Sophie and Andrea defied the odds and wowed the world with their amazing, uplifting game. I could go on and on with all the morals, but I think that by now you all get the idea of how fantastic this pair's story is. ;)
There is a *basic* code manual on the last pages of the book, and I enjoyed trying it out and seeing what it was like for Sophie and Andrea on their first days of coding. Although some of the directions did get a tiny bit frustrating at times, I still found it to be so much fun to try!
All in all, Girl Code was an amazing memoir, and I just know that it will inspire so many readers once it comes out. Sophie and Andrea are two very relatable girls, and I was able to find a little bit of myself in both of them. So, if you're looking to be empowered and moved, then mark March 7th on your calendar, and then rush out to get your copy of this beautiful book! <3
*I received an advanced reader copy of this book from Indigo Books & Music Inc. in exchange for an honest review.*
February 15, 2018
This was really interesting. I picked this up on a whim at the library and honestly I had no idea anything to do with the creators of tampon run or what it was in the first place. However i was really inspired by their story. ive always wanted to learn how to code and i am super excited to learn more about coding and see what these amazing women do in their futures
June 12, 2018
an interesting read about what it's like to be a female coder, as someone who is intrigued by the coding industry and wants to learn how to code, I found this an enlightening read that has lead me on to some useful websites. these girls are rather inspiring and empowering.
June 30, 2022
Ok so, this book is a good starting point to organize some of my thoughts on Women in Tech (as a Woman in Tech that's the same age as the authors hehe)
I was surprised by how much I liked this book. I was skeptical upon picking it up because I have a kind of ingrained bias against some of the efforts to promote diversity in tech. I find they can be infantilizing; like something just rubs me the wrong way about making everything pink and simple and bubble-lettered (and, I suppose, giving it that menstruation-and-feminism bent) in order to attract girls to the field. Idk it might just be me? but it just feels like focusing on the wrong thing-- "look, this is so easy and anyone can do it, even a girl like you" instead of "this stuff can be difficult, but you can do it, gender be damned." The difference is a bit subtle, and yeah it's very much my personal bias and so also kinda dependent on my mood LOL.
Anyway it was a pleasant surprise to me that that didn't really apply here: I think the authors were very honest about both the good and the bad in their coding journeys, and they didn't try to hide how frustrating and difficult it can be, which I appreciated. Although a bit stilted and hamburger-paragraph high school essay-ish in narration, a lot of their experiences resonated with me, both inside and outside of the tech portion of their lives. I loved Sophie's arc about overcoming her social anxiety like omG yes BRING IT GIRL and Andrea's mild alienation after seeing how her white friend's relationship with her parents differed so much from her own as a second-generation asian immigrant-- wow hits home. I liked how they both reflected on how startup culture might suit them: Sophie's almost starry-eyed ambition and Andrea's hesitance and ambivalence. I legitimately just love seeing young girls running and tumbling but ultimately learning about themselves and thriving uwu
Despite the authors' personal honesty, however, I couldn't help but be aware of the dark sort of undercurrent; the idea that these girls, in giving their personal stories to a large publisher, are in a way acting as figureheads delivering messages that are not quite palatable to me. The Women in Tech movement loves painting computer science as a way to "build cool things," but coding becoming about Building Things instead of Cool Math and New Technology just feels like capitalist propaganda to me? Building web apps in javascript or iOS games in obj-C only scratches the surface of What's Cool in computer science and I wish people focused more on cool stuff, the things that don't have to do with products. Lol ik I sound a little ridiculous rn but focusing on only the components of the field that are Conducive to Capitalism is just typical of our society that teaches only enough math for us to be able to do our taxes, that looks down on the liberal arts because they don't teach you to "contribute", etc etc.
Alsooo need to mention: the popularized image of the tech industry as a magical disneyland where everyone gets free food. I definitely am speaking from a place of privilege, where these comfy office perks are just the norm for me. I remember how 17-year-old me thought it would be the Absolute Dream to work for google and get that free breakfast lunch n dinner lol. But idk I'm just so jaded by now, and after stalking Andrea and Sophie on linkedin, I wonder if they are too (both ended up going into CS degrees and then the tech industry). The veneer of comfort and fun and hipness and lots of $$$$ masking the fact that most jobs in the industry make you tweak configs and build boring software that are the antithesis of the creative aspirations that brought you to the industry in the first place. The truth is, working in tech is not that Cool. You have to search really hard to find a job that's not Just Another Job. After a while you start to wonder, "why the fuck am I being rewarded so highly for copy and pasting all day?" (generalization btw but true) and the answer is not super pretty. Not that it's the authors' fault to not have explored this stuff, they're just writing what they know (I was in their exact shoes just a couple years ago), but dang we could stop propagating the idea that it's somehow romantic and exciting to Work for a Company. I feel like the publisher just picked them out to write this as part of a well-intentioned (feminist) but misguided (capitalist) agenda. ("Andy and Sophie got unprecedented access to some of the biggest start-ups and tech companies, and now they’re sharing what they’ve seen" like plz that blurb im dyingggg)
I am just a naive little child exploring what capitalism means to her for the first time!! please don't disturb the child while she is playing hehe
So in summary!! girls discovering themselves and their place in the world, fighting misogyny and advocating for social good: very excellent!! girls naively lauding capitalism and providing a somewhat misleading account of what tech is about: less enjoyable!!!
I was surprised by how much I liked this book. I was skeptical upon picking it up because I have a kind of ingrained bias against some of the efforts to promote diversity in tech. I find they can be infantilizing; like something just rubs me the wrong way about making everything pink and simple and bubble-lettered (and, I suppose, giving it that menstruation-and-feminism bent) in order to attract girls to the field. Idk it might just be me? but it just feels like focusing on the wrong thing-- "look, this is so easy and anyone can do it, even a girl like you" instead of "this stuff can be difficult, but you can do it, gender be damned." The difference is a bit subtle, and yeah it's very much my personal bias and so also kinda dependent on my mood LOL.
Anyway it was a pleasant surprise to me that that didn't really apply here: I think the authors were very honest about both the good and the bad in their coding journeys, and they didn't try to hide how frustrating and difficult it can be, which I appreciated. Although a bit stilted and hamburger-paragraph high school essay-ish in narration, a lot of their experiences resonated with me, both inside and outside of the tech portion of their lives. I loved Sophie's arc about overcoming her social anxiety like omG yes BRING IT GIRL and Andrea's mild alienation after seeing how her white friend's relationship with her parents differed so much from her own as a second-generation asian immigrant-- wow hits home. I liked how they both reflected on how startup culture might suit them: Sophie's almost starry-eyed ambition and Andrea's hesitance and ambivalence. I legitimately just love seeing young girls running and tumbling but ultimately learning about themselves and thriving uwu
Despite the authors' personal honesty, however, I couldn't help but be aware of the dark sort of undercurrent; the idea that these girls, in giving their personal stories to a large publisher, are in a way acting as figureheads delivering messages that are not quite palatable to me. The Women in Tech movement loves painting computer science as a way to "build cool things," but coding becoming about Building Things instead of Cool Math and New Technology just feels like capitalist propaganda to me? Building web apps in javascript or iOS games in obj-C only scratches the surface of What's Cool in computer science and I wish people focused more on cool stuff, the things that don't have to do with products. Lol ik I sound a little ridiculous rn but focusing on only the components of the field that are Conducive to Capitalism is just typical of our society that teaches only enough math for us to be able to do our taxes, that looks down on the liberal arts because they don't teach you to "contribute", etc etc.
Alsooo need to mention: the popularized image of the tech industry as a magical disneyland where everyone gets free food. I definitely am speaking from a place of privilege, where these comfy office perks are just the norm for me. I remember how 17-year-old me thought it would be the Absolute Dream to work for google and get that free breakfast lunch n dinner lol. But idk I'm just so jaded by now, and after stalking Andrea and Sophie on linkedin, I wonder if they are too (both ended up going into CS degrees and then the tech industry). The veneer of comfort and fun and hipness and lots of $$$$ masking the fact that most jobs in the industry make you tweak configs and build boring software that are the antithesis of the creative aspirations that brought you to the industry in the first place. The truth is, working in tech is not that Cool. You have to search really hard to find a job that's not Just Another Job. After a while you start to wonder, "why the fuck am I being rewarded so highly for copy and pasting all day?" (generalization btw but true) and the answer is not super pretty. Not that it's the authors' fault to not have explored this stuff, they're just writing what they know (I was in their exact shoes just a couple years ago), but dang we could stop propagating the idea that it's somehow romantic and exciting to Work for a Company. I feel like the publisher just picked them out to write this as part of a well-intentioned (feminist) but misguided (capitalist) agenda. ("Andy and Sophie got unprecedented access to some of the biggest start-ups and tech companies, and now they’re sharing what they’ve seen" like plz that blurb im dyingggg)
I am just a naive little child exploring what capitalism means to her for the first time!! please don't disturb the child while she is playing hehe
So in summary!! girls discovering themselves and their place in the world, fighting misogyny and advocating for social good: very excellent!! girls naively lauding capitalism and providing a somewhat misleading account of what tech is about: less enjoyable!!!
January 5, 2018
So. I didn't mean to take a 12 month hiatus from Goodreads. I also didn't mean to gain about 12 pounds over Christmas break, but both already happened. So, here I go, picking up where I left off, on vegetables and on book reviews.
I figured I may as well start 2018 with a memoir, and Girl Code had a pretty cute cover, which seemed a good enough reason as any to pick up the book. I don't have any particular interest in computer science, nor can I even pretend to have an inkling of knowledge about coding. As far as gaming goes, the extent of my expertise ends with growing crops and matching colored jewels on the iPhone.
At first, I thought I probably wasn't the target audience for Girl Code, but I learned pretty early on that it's really more a story of girl power than one requiring any degree of technological savviness. The story is told by two college aged females who smartly and humorously detail their experience in an all-female coding program that helped them launch Tampon Run, a game addressing the unspoken shame commonly associated with menstruation. United by a strong desire to creatively share their positions on various social female social issues, the authors used their game as a platform to encourage other females to find confidence and strength in the field of technology.
What I liked about Girl Code was that it was endearing and funny, giving enough information about coding and gaming to create interest without actually getting deep enough into the subject to alienated readers that may not already have experience with either coding or gaming. The authors presented an inspirational voice that will likely resonate with younger female readers and the resources at the end of the book give adequate direction to those who wish to further pursue topics introduced throughout the story.
There were rare parts of the book here and there that came off as awkwardly condescending, although it may have been missed attempts at humor. While I may have rolled my eyes a time or two in these sections, it certainly wasn't enough to distract from the overall message.
I think Girl Code will likely be most enjoyed by high school aged females who can relate to the struggles that the authors expressed in finding life direction and identity in young adulthood. But, I do think that any female questioning her career decisions could find inspiration in this tale of girl power and success in the most unlikely of places. Girl Code was overall a solid start to 2018, and I'm not disappointed I took a chance based solely on a cute cover.
I figured I may as well start 2018 with a memoir, and Girl Code had a pretty cute cover, which seemed a good enough reason as any to pick up the book. I don't have any particular interest in computer science, nor can I even pretend to have an inkling of knowledge about coding. As far as gaming goes, the extent of my expertise ends with growing crops and matching colored jewels on the iPhone.
At first, I thought I probably wasn't the target audience for Girl Code, but I learned pretty early on that it's really more a story of girl power than one requiring any degree of technological savviness. The story is told by two college aged females who smartly and humorously detail their experience in an all-female coding program that helped them launch Tampon Run, a game addressing the unspoken shame commonly associated with menstruation. United by a strong desire to creatively share their positions on various social female social issues, the authors used their game as a platform to encourage other females to find confidence and strength in the field of technology.
What I liked about Girl Code was that it was endearing and funny, giving enough information about coding and gaming to create interest without actually getting deep enough into the subject to alienated readers that may not already have experience with either coding or gaming. The authors presented an inspirational voice that will likely resonate with younger female readers and the resources at the end of the book give adequate direction to those who wish to further pursue topics introduced throughout the story.
There were rare parts of the book here and there that came off as awkwardly condescending, although it may have been missed attempts at humor. While I may have rolled my eyes a time or two in these sections, it certainly wasn't enough to distract from the overall message.
I think Girl Code will likely be most enjoyed by high school aged females who can relate to the struggles that the authors expressed in finding life direction and identity in young adulthood. But, I do think that any female questioning her career decisions could find inspiration in this tale of girl power and success in the most unlikely of places. Girl Code was overall a solid start to 2018, and I'm not disappointed I took a chance based solely on a cute cover.
April 13, 2017
Excellent book about the technical world of gaming. I recommend this book if this is a subject you're interested in or you to be part of this industry. I appreciated how it's simple to read and doesn't bog you with techno babble.
February 14, 2018
This is the true story of Andrea Gonzales and Sophie Houser. Andy and Sophie are alumnae of the Girls Who Code summer camp but more importantly, the geniuses behind "Tampon Run" and "Catcall Run," video games to promote social justice and increase awareness of women's issues, specifically taboos surrounding menstruation. Not only do Andy and Sophie share their journey through the wonderful world of computer code, they talk about the issues they faced as teenaged girls navigating the male-dominated world of computer science and just figuring out their lives.
LOVED IT! Although I have never been a techy person, I really connected with Sophie and Andy's story. They talk about their path to the Girls Who Code camp, issues with parents and paralyzing public speaking phobias (I'm with you, Sophie!), the pressure to maintain excellent grades as well as extracurriculars, their respective journeys to "find" themselves while trying to bring awareness to social justice issues, and just figuring out computer coding languages. Highly recommended!
Tie-ins: Computer science, video games, gaming, coding, girls who code, Silicon Valley, startups, apps, menstruation, menstrual taboos, social justice,
LOVED IT! Although I have never been a techy person, I really connected with Sophie and Andy's story. They talk about their path to the Girls Who Code camp, issues with parents and paralyzing public speaking phobias (I'm with you, Sophie!), the pressure to maintain excellent grades as well as extracurriculars, their respective journeys to "find" themselves while trying to bring awareness to social justice issues, and just figuring out computer coding languages. Highly recommended!
Tie-ins: Computer science, video games, gaming, coding, girls who code, Silicon Valley, startups, apps, menstruation, menstrual taboos, social justice,
September 8, 2017
I only came across this gem because I'm doing Book Riot's Read Harder challenge, and it met the non-fiction about technology criteria. It's a novella-size memoir by the two teenagers who developed the game Tampon Run at Girls Who Code. (I'm old. I'd never heard of either of these things.) It's a lovely testament to the strength of friendship, creativity, and collaboration. If there had been any kind of "Not all women have a uterus, and not all people who have a uterus are women" hat tip to balance out "Every girl/woman goes through this. Why is menstruation still such a taboo subject?" it would have been a five-star read for me, but I still enjoyed it very much, and I think these young women are amazing.
April 5, 2020
As a girl (now woman) in tech, this book was arguably one of the greatest stepping stones into my career. I would recommend this to any young person interested in coding. Annie and Sophie are amazing role models and I was so thrilled to get my personal copy of this signed by the author.
March 13, 2018
I stumbled across this book when looking for any coding books on my library app – turns out there aren’t that many. But actually, I’m really glad I ran across it as I found it such a relateable story. Sophie and Andy were two teenage girls who found themselves at a coding camp together and through that camp, they built a game called ‘Tampon Run’ which was intended to challenge the taboo of talking about periods when people are perfectly fine with guns and violence. The game was only really intended for a few people to see, but it ended up going viral and getting international attention.
Partly a story about their experiences with the reaction to such a ‘controversial’ game, the part of the story I related most to was their experience of being a female in the world of coding.
I was the only girl in most of my computing classes at school, I spent 8 years at my last company and I was the only woman who was ever on the development team, and although I’m really lucky that the place I work now has a more even gender balance, there’s still such a disparity in the dev world in general and it was great to hear about the more positive experiences that Sophie and Andy had.
I really appreciated that the book was written by both girls. Although they both have a huge shared interest, they’re very different people and this book celebrates that. It’s also intensely personal in parts, with both girls opening up and sharing things about their private life which impacted on their coding life too.
I’d guess this book was mainly aimed at young girls looking to get into coding, but actually I’d say it’s a valuable read for a much wider range of people than that – whoever you are, you’ll probably learn something.
One of my favourite quotes from the book (although completely serious, it really made me laugh):
Posted on: http://emmaloui.se/2018/03/08/andrea-...
Partly a story about their experiences with the reaction to such a ‘controversial’ game, the part of the story I related most to was their experience of being a female in the world of coding.
I was the only girl in most of my computing classes at school, I spent 8 years at my last company and I was the only woman who was ever on the development team, and although I’m really lucky that the place I work now has a more even gender balance, there’s still such a disparity in the dev world in general and it was great to hear about the more positive experiences that Sophie and Andy had.
I really appreciated that the book was written by both girls. Although they both have a huge shared interest, they’re very different people and this book celebrates that. It’s also intensely personal in parts, with both girls opening up and sharing things about their private life which impacted on their coding life too.
I’d guess this book was mainly aimed at young girls looking to get into coding, but actually I’d say it’s a valuable read for a much wider range of people than that – whoever you are, you’ll probably learn something.
One of my favourite quotes from the book (although completely serious, it really made me laugh):
Coding is like making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for someone who has never heard of either ingredient, never opened a jar, or used a knife. You can’t just tell them to put jelly and peanut butter on a piece of bread and smush it together. You need to explain how to pick up the bread and how to pull it out of the packaging and then how to open the jar and how to pick up the knife…
And if your steps don’t make sense, you get a coder’s worst nightmare: a bug, the programming term for when a program fails to run the way you expect it to. The bug will either make the computer follow the steps incorrectly (like trying to spread the peanut butter on the plate instead of the bread), or the program won’t run at all.
Posted on: http://emmaloui.se/2018/03/08/andrea-...
May 15, 2017
There are a lot of "irons in the fire" in "Girl Code": Coding culture, the story of two young women, & the taboo of menstruation as a conversational topic. Though I think it could have been easy to get lost a bit in those themes, authors Gonzales & Houser (also the subjects of the book) do a very good job of fleshing them all out and not letting their message get muddled.
Basically, "Girl Code" tells the real-life story of how Sophie & Andy met at a special Girls Who Code camp. Though coming from totally different backgrounds, the female pairing formed a connection by collaborating on the final project of the camp, that being creating a game called "Tampon Run". The success of their small project "went viral", thrusting them into the spotlight of normalizing menstruation as well as being "ambassadors for coding females", of sorts.
What I really like about "Girl Code" is the overwhelmingly positive message. Sure, Sophie & Andy endure trials throughout their journey (taking about menstruation in front of strangers was initially quite difficult, as was getting a handle on different coding styles/languages), but the overall message of the book is that girls can (and should) pursue a field that hasn't always been open or approving of them in the past.
I also appreciate the message of normalizing menstruation (at least as much as is physically possible for my Y chromosome to comprehend :) ). This topic will likely discourage many boys/males from reading "Girl Code" at all, and that would be a shame, as I didn't find any of the material here to be overtly objectionable. In fact, I even found some of the anecdotes interesting, such as how a school in Texas allowed guns but not tampons onto school grounds, citing "potential for harm". Did I have the "initial cringe" upon hearing the subject matter of Tampon Run? Sure. But that is kind of the point here, as the authors then go on to explain why that occurs and what can be done to prevent that overwhelming negative or sexist response.
Overall, I very much enjoyed Sophie & Andy's story in "Girl Code". In a world that seems to be beating down or trivializing young people/millenials at this time, it is great to see this pair of young women striving towards their goals and meeting them. As the duo would be the first say it isn't always easy, but through hard work and perseverance they have achieved a great deal of personal and professional success. An uplifting story, to be sure.
Basically, "Girl Code" tells the real-life story of how Sophie & Andy met at a special Girls Who Code camp. Though coming from totally different backgrounds, the female pairing formed a connection by collaborating on the final project of the camp, that being creating a game called "Tampon Run". The success of their small project "went viral", thrusting them into the spotlight of normalizing menstruation as well as being "ambassadors for coding females", of sorts.
What I really like about "Girl Code" is the overwhelmingly positive message. Sure, Sophie & Andy endure trials throughout their journey (taking about menstruation in front of strangers was initially quite difficult, as was getting a handle on different coding styles/languages), but the overall message of the book is that girls can (and should) pursue a field that hasn't always been open or approving of them in the past.
I also appreciate the message of normalizing menstruation (at least as much as is physically possible for my Y chromosome to comprehend :) ). This topic will likely discourage many boys/males from reading "Girl Code" at all, and that would be a shame, as I didn't find any of the material here to be overtly objectionable. In fact, I even found some of the anecdotes interesting, such as how a school in Texas allowed guns but not tampons onto school grounds, citing "potential for harm". Did I have the "initial cringe" upon hearing the subject matter of Tampon Run? Sure. But that is kind of the point here, as the authors then go on to explain why that occurs and what can be done to prevent that overwhelming negative or sexist response.
Overall, I very much enjoyed Sophie & Andy's story in "Girl Code". In a world that seems to be beating down or trivializing young people/millenials at this time, it is great to see this pair of young women striving towards their goals and meeting them. As the duo would be the first say it isn't always easy, but through hard work and perseverance they have achieved a great deal of personal and professional success. An uplifting story, to be sure.
January 30, 2018
This is an adorable peek into the story behind Tampon Run, that computer game that went viral due to its creators willingness to use code to confront taboos surrounding menstruation. In their memoir, Andy and Sophie bravely describe what are probably typical mental hangups of teenage girls facing fears and limitations in what they are defined as being capable of. (I'm a generation older, and I recognized so many of those fears and imagined limitations.) They also describe their experiences at a Girls Who Code camp, and the opportunities following the worldwide exposure of Tampon Run. The book also includes a coding appendix to try some code for yourself. One of the most valuable lessons that Andy and Sophie learn, is that now more than ever, those limitations are fading into mist - and coding is the weapon doing the work. Why not seize it?
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June 28, 2019Girl Code: Gaming, Going Viral, and Getting It Done by Andrea Gonzales and Sophie Houser recounts the story of two high school girls from New York City who signed up for a summer coding program with Girls Who Code (GWC)…and their project goes viral. They are interviewed by the press, make television appearances, and are invited to Silicon Valley. They are role models for any girls who might consider a career in high technology. The book is full of examples of successful women in technology and career advice.
A must read for any junior high or high school girl considering a career in STEM. Note: Their 2014 viral game is Tampon Run.
For my expanded notes: https://1book42day.blogspot.com/2019/...
Check out https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20... for book recommendations.
A must read for any junior high or high school girl considering a career in STEM. Note: Their 2014 viral game is Tampon Run.
For my expanded notes: https://1book42day.blogspot.com/2019/...
Check out https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20... for book recommendations.
July 20, 2018
4.5 stars for me.
This is a great book, especially for high-school girls who are not sure whether they want to follow a career path in computer science or not. But it is also for grown up people who are still unsure whether they want to learn how to code. This is not a self-guide to teaching yourself coding, but it is a guide to how not to be afraid of learning how to code.
For me, who is currently studying computer languages, this was a very inspirational and interesting book. I loved to read and learn about the journey of Sophie and Andy! They are truly amazing!
It was funny how I didn't understand I had reached the end until I read the final part starting with, "Since you finished this book"...I couldn't stop laughing! :d
This is a great book, especially for high-school girls who are not sure whether they want to follow a career path in computer science or not. But it is also for grown up people who are still unsure whether they want to learn how to code. This is not a self-guide to teaching yourself coding, but it is a guide to how not to be afraid of learning how to code.
For me, who is currently studying computer languages, this was a very inspirational and interesting book. I loved to read and learn about the journey of Sophie and Andy! They are truly amazing!
It was funny how I didn't understand I had reached the end until I read the final part starting with, "Since you finished this book"...I couldn't stop laughing! :d
May 15, 2021
Sometimes with young adult, I struggle with how to rank it. 5 stars if you are a teenager reading this, but more like if 3 Stars for adults. Honestly some adults might be closer to a 4 because it is so wonderful to know there is a new generation of females challenging norms and continuing the normalization and equality of women. As a teacher, I am fortunately very aware of this new amazing generation though, so although the premise is unique and important, I feel like a great news article could have given me a solid enough overview as an adult reader about Andrea and Sophie’s journey. Yet this is an important nonfiction read for lots of young girls, so I’m averaging it to a solid 4! These girls are my heroes!
March 1, 2020
I hadn't heard of this book until my husband brought it up when I said I needed a young adult non-fiction. I can't believe I hadn't heard of it! This book is a gem. I wish I had read something like this when I was in high school. Not only are these two girls smart, but they are super relatable. I loved their attitudes throughout the book and how they reacted to different situations. I made me want to go code again! I highly recommend this book, especially to middle and high school girls. I hope this book will push more girls into STEM.
January 12, 2021
This was an inspiring read. I enjoyed reading about Andy and Sophie, their friendship, challenges and experiences. It was nice to read about two people who are human and living their life.
If you are looking for a non-fiction book to read, pick this one up. Not only is it YA, it's a memoir and is about 2 girks who made a game that tackles a taboo topic (menstruation) and are thrown into a busy life of fame.
If you are looking for a non-fiction book to read, pick this one up. Not only is it YA, it's a memoir and is about 2 girks who made a game that tackles a taboo topic (menstruation) and are thrown into a busy life of fame.
April 2, 2018
These girls are a true inspiration! I loved reading the story from their point of view. While reading I had experience some emotions that they would have been feeling as well. While that wasn't normally a book I would read, the whole story was interesting and it kept me reading.
March 13, 2019
What a fun read! I appreciated the honesty the girls had with the hard work and lack of confidence they felt at times, and how they were able to overcome their insecurities. Bonus points for having step-by-step coding instructions in the back—that was a fantastic touch.
September 17, 2018
The true story of two girl (now women) coders and how they got into the field. They also address the difficulties women face in the tech field (including GamerGate) and in everyday life. Inspiring.
January 28, 2020
Wow what amazing girls. But I have to admit, I discovered, I am seriously "Coding Challenged"
PopSugar Challenge 2020 - a book about or by a woman in STEM
PopSugar Challenge 2020 - a book about or by a woman in STEM
August 15, 2018
OMG!!!!! I just might have to use this in my classroom! Squeeze over, Shakespeare! Andrea and Sophie are hopping on to my syllabus!!!
May 24, 2020
I want every girl in my troop to read this book.
Julie S, I think we've found GE 2021! You will love this! Catherine S if you're out there...Constance, you too.
Julie S, I think we've found GE 2021! You will love this! Catherine S if you're out there...Constance, you too.
November 28, 2018
This is a fabulous book! It’s written by two teenagers and I love their honest voices. I feel like I know them after reading the book. This book is oozing girl power and is worthwhile for every young person to read. It empowers girls and teaches boys what young ladies deal with in terms of stigma and struggles. The book is the authors’ paths through learning how to code and creating a game together. I’d recommend this to adults as well.
September 12, 2018
Things I enjoyed about this book:
I LOVE that this book is about two girls who are killing it in the world. I think they are such wonderful role models. I enjoyed hearing their journey and the details behind them working together. I thought it was important that they showed pieces of their personal lives and personalities to show that its not just “nerdy” girls who code.
The Things I Didn’t Enjoy:
I think with any memoir or nonfiction information gets repetitive. I felt that a lot throughout the book. I think it could have been condensed in areas.
MRS BIRDS WORDS REVIEW
Andrea Gonzales and Sophie Houser deserve five bird feathers for their book Girl Code. Part of me is partial, yes the writing and content probably doesn’t deserve five feathers, but the concept and message is worth every feather! These girls are breaking their way into the world of stem sciences and making their mark. I’ve already played tampon run many times and my highest score is 53. Download the game! Support these girls because they are awesome. Have your girls read this book and let it inspire them. We need more girls in the tech world.
Parent’s Guide:
There is a lot of talk of menstruation, which isn’t a bad thing and should be talked about… However if your child knows nothing about menstruation perhaps it wise to give them a crash course prior to the book. Just download tampon run, they’ll get it.
For more reviews check out Mrsbirdswords.com
I LOVE that this book is about two girls who are killing it in the world. I think they are such wonderful role models. I enjoyed hearing their journey and the details behind them working together. I thought it was important that they showed pieces of their personal lives and personalities to show that its not just “nerdy” girls who code.
The Things I Didn’t Enjoy:
I think with any memoir or nonfiction information gets repetitive. I felt that a lot throughout the book. I think it could have been condensed in areas.
MRS BIRDS WORDS REVIEW
Andrea Gonzales and Sophie Houser deserve five bird feathers for their book Girl Code. Part of me is partial, yes the writing and content probably doesn’t deserve five feathers, but the concept and message is worth every feather! These girls are breaking their way into the world of stem sciences and making their mark. I’ve already played tampon run many times and my highest score is 53. Download the game! Support these girls because they are awesome. Have your girls read this book and let it inspire them. We need more girls in the tech world.
Parent’s Guide:
There is a lot of talk of menstruation, which isn’t a bad thing and should be talked about… However if your child knows nothing about menstruation perhaps it wise to give them a crash course prior to the book. Just download tampon run, they’ll get it.
For more reviews check out Mrsbirdswords.com
February 11, 2019
I thought this book was overwhelmingly enlightening. I guess I never took enough time to realize that there is a serious problem with the way society, in every country and culture, treats the menstrual cycle. According to them, it is supposed to be a matter that is hidden, and if you experience anything surrounding it, you should feel embarrassed. That's what we are teaching the children of tomorrow, and I for one am tired of it. I'm glad to see that Sophie and Andy were just as tired of it, if not more so, therefore prompting a game that I must admit is quite addictive. It is inspiring to see two ordinary girls just like you and me that were passionate enough about coding, promoting girls in STEM fields, and breaking down barriers around the topic of menstruation. It is a completely natural process that every woman goes through. It is shocking and disheartening to hear how women in developing countries stop going to school during their periods, or cease to go to school after they hit puberty simply because they naturally bleed once every month for a week. It's not fair, and as much as Sophie and Andy have made impressive strides in addressing this social issue, there is still more to be done. I hope to join their cause. I liked learning about coding. Seeing how cool it could be to start a program on a computer through Sophie and Andy's eyes was awesome and I'd love to try it for myself. Especially after reading the bonus coding content at the end of the novel. Sophie and Andy seem like really amazing girl bosses out in the real world and it puts a smile on my face to see that the next generation is so enthusiastic about making a real change in the world. It was also great to still see them as humans. Throughout all the press, the interviews, the questions, the book tour, etc., they both managed to be normal. They stressed about their workload and presenting projects in front of a multitude of people. I have nothing but respect for them and I cherish their advice. They tell young girls that it is okay to not know what you want to do, that it's okay to be uncertain, and that the future will not be as intimidating as it seems. The truth of the matter is that even adults struggle. We are all unsure of what we are doing in this world, but what matters is that we keep living it. I want to thank you, Andy and Sophie, for normalizing my fear of the real world and allowing me to face it head-on anyway. (You should be motivational speakers, tbh.) I wasn't expecting for the start of their journey to have begun in 2014, but I guess it takes a while to get worldwide. If you want a really good read because you feel like you're drowning and need a life raft, read this book. You won't be disappointed.
November 25, 2022
WOW!!! What an amazing story! I loved listening to it and hearing these girls describe learning to code... and hearing the EXACT SAME examples and demonstrations that I use in teaching students to program in Python, Java, C#, C++, Scratch, MIT App Inventor, Android Studio and Xcode is both reassuring and hilarious (at least to me)!
Listening to their story and how they came together to create their socially significant game was very inspiring. My computer science department has 3 teachers and I'm the only male. However, consistently over the years... only around 10% of my load of 125ish students are girls. And those girls are spread over 5 different classes such that every year, I have a class or two with only 1 brave girl in a room full of high school boys from freshmen to seniors.
We have Girls Who Code at the high school where I teach, and I will definitely be recommending this book to every student who walks through my doors now... particularly the girls. They need to see that the stereotype of a guy sitting in a semi dark room in sweats and a hoodie hunched over a keyboard madly typing away with empty energy drink cans and chip bags on the floor is *NOT* typical nor accurate. However, there is a HUGE need for more women and non-Caucasians in the field. They bring so much more perspective and creativity to the table when they are present and the tech field needs that creativity if it expects to continue at the breakneck pace it advances at.
Listening to their story and how they came together to create their socially significant game was very inspiring. My computer science department has 3 teachers and I'm the only male. However, consistently over the years... only around 10% of my load of 125ish students are girls. And those girls are spread over 5 different classes such that every year, I have a class or two with only 1 brave girl in a room full of high school boys from freshmen to seniors.
We have Girls Who Code at the high school where I teach, and I will definitely be recommending this book to every student who walks through my doors now... particularly the girls. They need to see that the stereotype of a guy sitting in a semi dark room in sweats and a hoodie hunched over a keyboard madly typing away with empty energy drink cans and chip bags on the floor is *NOT* typical nor accurate. However, there is a HUGE need for more women and non-Caucasians in the field. They bring so much more perspective and creativity to the table when they are present and the tech field needs that creativity if it expects to continue at the breakneck pace it advances at.
May 22, 2017
Clearly I love a great book about female empowerment, and Girl Code is no exception.
Absolutely awesome! This is my new favorite book and I have bought several copies for my high school library to give to both male and female aspiring coders and any student who needs to be inspired to persevere in the midst of hardships.
This true story is about how two girls, Andrea Gonzales and Sophie Houser, met at a Girls Who Code camp the summer between their junior and senior years of high school. Their alternating chapters share their many experiences as well as their many challenges in the weeks of coding camp, and they explain how they worked together on their final project to break menstrual taboos as well as learn how to write pretty tough code.
Both girls are not perfect, and they explain how they had to overcome shyness and uncertainty. When their game, Tampon Run, went viral, they were offered a number of amazing opportunities, and they talked about the positive and negative aspects of many of them.
I was fascinated by their story and also in the end how it molded but didn't totally shape their decisions about internships after high school, college choices, life choices etc. I also love that the girls themselves read their chapters, so their voices really highlighted their own emotions.
Absolutely awesome! This is my new favorite book and I have bought several copies for my high school library to give to both male and female aspiring coders and any student who needs to be inspired to persevere in the midst of hardships.
This true story is about how two girls, Andrea Gonzales and Sophie Houser, met at a Girls Who Code camp the summer between their junior and senior years of high school. Their alternating chapters share their many experiences as well as their many challenges in the weeks of coding camp, and they explain how they worked together on their final project to break menstrual taboos as well as learn how to write pretty tough code.
Both girls are not perfect, and they explain how they had to overcome shyness and uncertainty. When their game, Tampon Run, went viral, they were offered a number of amazing opportunities, and they talked about the positive and negative aspects of many of them.
I was fascinated by their story and also in the end how it molded but didn't totally shape their decisions about internships after high school, college choices, life choices etc. I also love that the girls themselves read their chapters, so their voices really highlighted their own emotions.
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