Lauren Ipsum: A Story About Computer Science And Other Improbable Things    by Carlos Bueno & Miran Lipovaca Order:  USA  Can No Starch Press, 2015 (2015) Softcover, e-Book      Reviewed by Jessica Maguire Inwardly I groaned when I first picked up this book. I was an English major. I love actual, physical books, the freedom of creativity, and using my imagination. Computers, and, worse yet, computer science sounds as enjoyable to me as having fire ants dumped down my pants while buzzards peck at my eyes. But I started thumbing through the pages anyway. How bad could it be? After all, the target audience for this chapter book with color illustrations is the young reader in primary school. I liked this book from the start. The prologue comes with the warning that 'you won't find any computers in this book.' Intrigued? Well, this book is a tool to help parents teach children computational thinking. And instead of reading like a boring instruction manual which no one reads anyway (think math textbooks and your blu-ray manual), it reads like a fun story. The protagonist, Lauren Ipsum, is journeying through a land that runs on logic. Along the way she meets all kinds of characters, such as Tinker and Winsome, and solves many puzzles, not unlike a programmer. What I found was entertainment and education while reading about 'thingamajigs in userland.' Bueno, a former Facebook engineer, is a writer with a focus on computer science. He has artfully blended fun and functionality in a user-friendly book that parents and children alike will adore. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews