“Informative, impactful. . . . The authors deftly weave factual information . . . in with the computer science narrative, and the texture of teenage life in the early 2020s: quizzes, parental pressure, Black Lives Matter protests, bullying, family strife, a Juneteenth barbecue, crushes, and frustrations. They come to know, and show the reader, the importance of diversity in the computer science field, and the empowerment involved in not only understanding it but moving the field forward.”
—Nina MacLaughlin, The Boston Globe
“Power On! is a fresh read from the otherwise superhero, fantasy, and science fiction stories that majorly fill this [comic book and graphic novel] space. In fact, the writers have created a group of heroes in their own right, just without all the multi-million-pound gadgets and special powers, that could hopefully inspire potential young readers… It’s about time that things begin to change, and graphic novels like these are a step in the right direction.”
—E&T Magazine
“What a cool concept: This new graphic novel follows four friends who use computer science to make the tech world—and the world more broadly—a fairer, more equitable place. Make sure to share it with a young person in your life.”
—Melinda French Gates
1 This Is Messed Up 1
2 Summertime 15
3 High School Begins 27
4 Why Do We Need to Learn Computer Science? 52
5 Someone Like Me 70
6 We Are the Change We Want 83
7 Students Take Lead: Computer Science for All 99
Authors’ Statement 123
Acknowledgments 125
Notes 127
