I received Volume 2 of *Abebe's Adventures*! Thank you so much (*^^*)

Abebe, the prince of the Kingdom of Dodaji and the protagonist of this picture book, sets out on a journey to tackle the programs left behind by his father in order to become a great king. However, it is the reader who guides his journey. Abebe’s story won’t move forward unless you decipher the programs presented one after another.
This picture book has a game-like feel that naturally draws both adults and children into engaging with it seriously, and it is designed so that as readers progress through the story, they acquire programming-style thinking skills—such as “sequential processing,” “conditional branching,” “loops,” “infinite loops,” and “variables.”

I’ve been following this ever since it first appeared as a supplement to the magazine “First-Grade Elementary School” under the name “Program Board Game,” and I’ve been buying it ever since. This picture book—conceived and produced by Masahiko Sato (known for shows like “Pythagoras Switch”), Taisho Ishizawa (who worked on NHK E-TV programs such as “The Thinking Crow” and “Why!? Programming”), and Tomoko Kaizuka (creator of the “Kon-gara-gatchi” picture book series)—helps children develop computational thinking skills simply by playing.

And speaking of Mr. Sato and Mr. Ishizawa… they’re also part of the team behind “Tekishiko,” an NHK program that fosters computational thinking. The phrase “the ability to enjoy logic” appears on the dust jacket of this picture book. It’s great to be able to enjoy logic, isn’t it?

I view computational thinking as a combination of logical and creative thinking, but compared to creative thinking, logical thinking tends to come across as a bit complicated. It’s like “creativity = fun” and “logic = difficult.”

This picture book teaches us that thinking through step-by-step processes is a fun activity that leads to solving complex problems and enriches our lives. And the same goes for *Texico*. This show helps us realize that when we unravel the step-by-step processes behind the systems that drive the world, we discover surprises and moments of wonder.

The latest episode of "Tekishiko" started airing yesterday. Be sure to check it out on TV or online! "Abebe's Adventure" and "Tekishiko." Enjoy learning about computational thinking through this combination of picture books and TV (*^^*)

■Abebe's Adventure

(Volume 1) https://www.shogakukan.co.jp/books/09725028　

(Volume 2) https://www.shogakukan.co.jp/books/09725049　

　

■Texico

https://www.nhk.or.jp/sougou/texico/origin/bangumi/

Broadcast Schedule: E-Tele

Wednesday, March 25, 3:30–3:40 p.m. #3

Thursday, March 26, 3:30–3:40 p.m. #4

Friday, March 27, 3:30–3:40 p.m. #5

The rerun is

Tuesday, March 31, 9:20–9:30 a.m.　

#3 April 1 (Wed) 9:20–9:30 a.m.　

#4 April 2 (Thu) 9:20–9:30 a.m. #5