My first name, written in the secret letter code from my books (A = 1, B = 2 …).
I write puzzle mysteries that teach children to think like computer scientists, with nothing but a pencil.
A crown vanishes from a locked vault. Robots go wild at the science fair. A skyscraper races towards a midnight blackout. Leo, Poppy and their glitchy robot Bit need a fourth detective to crack 24 puzzles about binary, ciphers, logic and algorithms.
Coming next: Book 2 of the Codebreakers is in the works. After that, I'm planning new books for younger readers who are just starting out, and tougher challenges for older kids.
Hello! I'm a software engineer and a dad. For almost twenty years I have built computer systems that help engineers design cars, machines and factories. Today I run my own software company in Nürnberg, Germany.
At home, my favourite job is making puzzles for my 8-year-old son. It started with secret codes on the breakfast table and treasure hunts around the house. Soon there were binary riddles, logic puzzles and mysteries to solve before bedtime. He always asked for "just one more!", and those puzzles became my first book.
In my job, finding a bug is a lot like solving a mystery: collect the clues, test every idea, and never trust a computer just because it sounds sure. That's what I want children to discover. Computer science is not only about screens. It's about thinking clearly, asking good questions, and having fun with a pencil and paper.
Readers, parents, teachers, bookshops and press are all welcome. I read every message.
chinar@chinarkakutsey.com