Lauren Ipsum

Lauren Ipsum

A Story About Computer Science and Other Improbable Things
by Carlos Bueno
December 2014, 192 pp.
ISBN-13: 
9781593275747
Full Color

"A looking glass tale for the computer age."
—School Library Journal

"Positive, smart, empowering philosophies and thinking skills couched in a wacky adventure."
—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review (Read More)

"An absolutely brilliant kids' book about computer science."
—Cory Doctorow for Boing Boing (Read More)

"Perfect for the budding scientist or programmer."
—Booklist

"Captures the spirit of problem-solving and ignites readers’ imaginations."
—Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO and author of Lean In

Look Inside!

Lauren Ipsum is a whimsical journey through a land where logic and computer science come to life.

Meet Lauren, an adventurer lost in Userland who needs to find her way home by solving a series of puzzles. As she visits places like the Push & Pop Café and makes friends with people like Hugh Rustic and the Wandering Salesman, Lauren learns about computer science without even realizing it—and so do you!

Read Lauren Ipsum yourself or with someone littler than you, then flip to the notes at the back of the book to learn more about logic and computer science in the real world.

Suggested for ages 10+

Author Bio 

Carlos Bueno is a former Facebook engineer, graphic designer, librarian, calligrapher, data scientist, and video game repairman. He now writes bad jokes about algorithms and dinosaurs.

Table of contents 

The Computers in this Book

Chapter 0: Mostly Lost
Chapter 1: A Hidden Ally
Chapter 2: Sense and Sensibleness
Chapter 3: Rounding Error
Chapter 4: What the Tortoise Said to Laurie
Chapter 5: Welcome to Symbol
Chapter 6: A Tinker's Trade
Chapter 7: Read Me
Chapter 8: More That One Way to Do It
Chapter 9: Don't Repeat Yourself
Chapter 10: A Well-Timed Entrance
Chapter 11: A Fair Exchange
Chapter 12: An Improbable Twist
Chapter 13: The Game of Life
Chapter 14: In the Abstract
Chapter 15: Cleverness When It Counts
Chapter 16: A Change of Plan
Chapter 17: Chasing Elegants
Chapter 18: Many Hands Make Light Work
Chapter 19: Branching Out
Chapter 20: Fin
Chapter 21: One More Tning

The Field Guide to Userland

View the detailed Table of Contents (PDF)

Reviews 

“Both girls are adventurers, but where Alice treads lightly on the leaves of logic under Lewis Carroll’s direction, Lauren (or Laurie) plunges headlong into the infinite corridors of computer science.”
—Prof. Benjamin Wells, ACM's Computing Reviews (Read More)

Lauren Ipsum on Kottke and the opensource.com 2015 summer reading list.

Featured on Adafruit.

"Lauren Ipsum is part of a much larger movement that seeks to bring
programming skills to, well, everyone."
—Wired

"Although this is perfect for the budding scientist or programmer, any kid looking for a silly story will be entertained and might accidentally learn to use logic to test new ideas."
—Booklist

"A fantastical journey into the 21st century tech 'Wonderland' that both educates and entertains."
—Ruthe Farmer, Chief Strategy & Growth Officer, National Center for Women & IT

"Lauren Ipsum is a modern-day Alice, to be enjoyed by precocious children and philosophical adults alike. It is an enchanting fable that just happens to be grounded in fundamental concepts of computation."
—Jocelyn Goldfein, Former Director of Engineering at Facebook

"This charming book is a must-read for anyone looking to spice up their learning or teaching of computer science."
—Dr. Hélène Martin, University of Washington

"Through the unthreatening medium of storytelling, Lauren Ipsum sheds a positive light on computing for those who might otherwise miss out."
—Gail Carmichael, Carleton University faculty and Board Advisor for the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology

"Lauren Ipsum is a wonderful guide to the ideas behind computing. I wish I’d had her as a friend when I was growing up."
—Dr. Robert St. Amant, author of Computing for Ordinary Mortals

"Bueno hits it right on the head; the story really is a lot of fun, and the ideas are presented in creative, lucid, and curiosity-inspiring ways."
—Brent Yorgey, The Math Less Traveled

"I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it as a gift for any child in your life."
—John Dupuis, Confessions of a Science Librarian (Read more)

"An entertaining read."
—Slashdot, front page review (Read more)

"Recommended for anyone of any age who wants to learn."
—The MagPi (Read more)

"A great introduction to the thinking skills and concepts that make a great engineer."
—Embedded Computing Design (Read more)

"A book that is a perfect companion for a young person learning to code."
—Testhead (Read more)

"Loved this. I would highly recommend it for any child who is considering working in...any field that may require problem solving."
—Once Upon a Bookshelf (Read more)

"I wish it were around when I was a kid."
—Cool Mom Tech (Read more)

"If you’d like to encourage your young reader to learn more about computing, Lauren Ipsum is a must."
—Cute Everything (Read more)