Excellent Start for Beginners

Hello World! provides a gentle but thorough introduction to the world of computer programming. It is written in language a 12-year-old can follow, but anyone who wants to learn how to program a computer can use it -- even adults! Written by Warren Sande and his son, Carter, and reviewed by professional educators, this book is kid-tested and parent-approved.

This book uses the Python language to teach general programming concepts. Python is a free and open-source language used by professionals, but it is simple enough that a complete beginner can learn quickly. Learn with a language that will be useful even as your skill advances, opening up new possibilities as your expertise grows.

You don't need to know anything about programming to use the book, but you should know the basics of using a computer -- e-mail, surfing the web, listening to music, and so forth. All you need to get started is the ability to start a program and save a file. The book will teach you the rest.