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Girl Code by Andrea Gonzales and Sophie Houser

Girl Code: Gaming, Going Viral, and Getting It Done by Andrea Gonzales and Sophie HouserVOYA Reviews 2017 February
High school students and authors Gonzales (Andy) and Houser describe their paths to finding a career that will satisfy their needs and passions. They both had been questioning what direction their lives would take. Gonzales felt constrained by her Filipinos parents’ view that their children had to choose one of three paths: doctor, lawyer, or engineer. The computer technology field, being a type of engineering, would satisfy them. Houser, sure of herself academically, was full of insecurities whenever she had to speak in front of a group, often becoming paralyzed with fear. Both signed up for a summer program with Girls Who Code (GWC), a group that encourages females to learn coding and pursue tech careers in a male-dominated field. For a final project with GWC, they teamed up to develop a game they called Tampon Run, a response to the discomfort of openly discussing menstruation. It quickly goes viral. A round of publicity follows, including mentions on Late Night with Seth Meyers and Conan, articles in Time and Seventeen, and an unpleasant radio interview on the SiriusXM Jay Thomas Show. Silicon Valley comes calling. Gonzales and Houser are impressed with the encouragement and mentoring they receive from female entrepreneurs at the tech companies, as well as the collaborative efforts they encounter to finalize a product. There is a coding appendix with definitions and instructions for beginners. Sometimes advice is best served by peers, and readers of this memoir may come away with the belief that they, too, should try whatever path interests them, whether it involves career choices or self-improvement. This is a good text to add to STEM shelves needing female-centered information.—Jane Van Wiemokly. Index. Glossary. Further Reading. 3Q 2P J S Copyright 2017 Voya Reviews.