Book excerpt: Parallel to the growth of computer usage in society is the growth of programming instruction in schools. This informative volume unites a wide range of perspectives on the study of novice programmers that will not only inform readers of empirical findings, but will also provide insights into how novices reason and solve problems within complex domains. The large variety of methodologies found in these studies helps to improve programming instruction and makes this an invaluable reference for researchers planning studies of their own. Topics discussed include historical perspectives, transfer, learning, bugs, and programming environments.