Paths & Portals (Secret Coders Series #2)

by Gene Luen Yang, Mike Holmes (Illustrator)

Overview

Gene Luen Yang is the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature and is a MacArthur Fellow, a recipient of what's popularly known as the MacArthur "Genius" Grant.

There's something lurking beneath the surface of Stately Academy—literally. In a secret underground classroom Hopper, Eni, and Josh discover that the campus was once home to the Bee School, an institute where teachers, students, and robots worked together to unravel the mysteries of coding. Hopper and her friends are eager to follow in this tradition and become top-rate coders. But why are Principal Dean and the rugby team suddenly so interested in their extracurricular activities?

From graphic novel superstar (and high school computer programming teacher) Gene Luen Yang comes the second volume of Secret Coders, Paths & Portals, a wildly entertaining new series that combines logic puzzles and basic programming instruction with a page-turning mystery plot!

This title has Common Core connections.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781626720763
Publisher:	First Second
Publication date:	08/30/2016
Series:	Secret Coders Series , #2
Pages:	96
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Gene Luen Yang writes, and sometimes draws, comic books and graphic novels. As the Library of Congress’ fifth National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, he advocates for the importance of reading, especially reading diversely. American Born Chinese, his first graphic novel from First Second Books, was a National Book Award finalist, as well as the winner of the Printz Award and an Eisner Award. His two-volume graphic novel Boxers & Saints won the L.A. Times Book Prize and was a National Book Award Finalist. His other works include Secret Coders (with Mike Holmes), The Shadow Hero (with Sonny Liew), New Super-Man from DC Comics (with various artists), and the Avatar: The Last Airbender series from Dark Horse Comics (with Gurihiru). In 2016, he was named a MacArthur Foundation Fellow.

Mike Holmes has drawn for the comics series Secret Coders, Bravest Warriors, Adventure Time, and the viral art project Mikenesses. His books include the True Story collection (2011), This American Drive (2009), and Shenanigans. He lives with a cat named Ella, who is his best buddy.

Editorial Reviews

08/01/2016
Gr 4–6—In this second installment in Yang and Holmes's graphic novel series, which takes place right after the first one ended, the coding gets serious. Students Eni and Hopper and the tag-along comic relief Josh expand their skills as they are tutored by Mr. Bee in his coding classroom and laboratory deep under the school. Mr. Bee reveals to them the history of his fall from grace and his former coding school and drops hints that he knew Hopper's father. The characters are diverse, and this volume begins to touch more on their family lives. The rugby team, hired by the evil principal to find Mr. Bee's most powerful robot turtle, provides most of the villainous action. The narrative is spread a little thin, but the clearly articulated coding lessons are integrated into the plot through the emotional connections among the characters. The children are learning to code with the language Logo, with clever allusions to Logo's history. The black, white, and green drawings are simple and dynamic, with slapstick humor and cleverly depicted coding problems. VERDICT This sequel and the first book are essential for any graphic novel collection and libraries where kids are interested in coding.—Lisa Nowlain, Darien Library, CT

School Library Journal

"Gene Yang brings computer coding to life." —Entertainment Weekly

"Gene Luen Yang’s talent is prodigious, his enthusiasm contagious....Even this confirmed technophobe was ready to learn coding." —Katherine Applegate, author of Crenshaw and The One and Only Ivan

"Well-rounded, informative, and gamelike, this will appeal to plenty of graphic-novel fans." —Booklist

From the Publisher

2016-04-16
Following Secret Coders (2015), Hopper, Josh, and Eni unlock more of Stately Academy's secrets—but they learn they aren't the only ones doing so. Starting off right at the cliffhanger from the previous book, the multicultural protagonists—Asian-American Hopper, African-American Eni, and racially indeterminate Josh—must code their way out of custodian Mr. Bee's challenge. Through teamwork and trial and error, they succeed, and Mr. Bee gives them a secret history of the secret, abandoned Bee School beneath Stately. After an efficient rundown on the programming language Logo, he shows the kids the artistic possibilities of code, a lesson promptly used by Hopper to cheat on her Chinese homework. She's found out, but trash duty with Mr. Bee is an ineffectual punishment now that it has become programming with Professor Bee, and even Josh misbehaves his way into joining. With this second volume, character development comes to the fore, and a central interpersonal storyline finds the three unifying into a trio. Helping to resolve the simmering conflict between Hopper and Josh are encounters with rugby team bullies, who walk a line between comical and intimidating in a way that serves tone while maintaining tension. Holmes' green, gray, and white panels convey characterization, action, and coding principles with equal ease.Between the creativity-encouraging coding lessons and the character-driven plotlines, this sequel charms from PenDown to PenUp. (Graphic fiction. 8-14)

Kirkus Reviews