Bite-Size Python: An Introduction to Python Programming, April Speight, Wiley, £18.99

Learning a programming language, especially a text-based one like Python, can be hard going. Unlike a graphical programming language, which you can start to use straight away without knowing any technical terminology at all, Python demands such knowledge from the outset. With that in mind, the structure and layout of this book are impressive. The way it works is as follows: a concept is introduced and explained. There follows a mini-project that makes use of that concept.

In appearance, the pages are very simple, and at first glance you would be forgiven for thinking the target audience are rather young. However, the language used, plus the fact that the projects build up in complexity, serve to dispel this initial impression. The ‘checkpoints’ throughout provide useful guides to what should have been learnt in that chapter, with answers at the back of the book. There’s a very useful index as well.

This review was first published in Teach Secondary magazine.