NeuronForge Academy presents Tech Trailblazers #1: Code to Chill

Can a robot help with stage fright? Ten-year-old Maya is about to find out.

The science fair is approaching fast, and Maya Washington can barely speak in front of her class without freezing up. Her solution? Program a robot named Emmy that detects when she's fidgeting nervously and plays her grandmother's Jamaican lullaby to help her calm down.

But when Emmy malfunctions the night before the fair, Maya must debug both her code and her courage. With help from her coding-whiz brother Jamal and her new teammate Leo, who shares her own struggles with anxiety, Maya gets Emmy working just in time. Their "emotional support robot" impresses the judges, earning them an invitation to the Regional Young Innovators Conference.

Soon, competitive fifth-grade coding champion Zara joins their team, bringing advanced technical skills and her own complicated reasons for wanting Emmy to succeed. As the three unlikely collaborators enhance Emmy with multiple sensors, adaptive learning, and culturally diverse calming techniques, they discover that the most powerful innovation combines cutting-edge technology with timeless wisdom.

When Maya uncovers the connection between her robot's programming and her great-grandmother's traditional healing songs, Emmy becomes more than a science project-she becomes a bridge between generations, connecting modern technology with the cultural heritage that makes Maya who she is.

• Authentic Coding Content: Real programming concepts like loops, sensors, debugging, and algorithms are explained in age-appropriate, engaging ways
• Practical Anxiety Management: The 4-7-8 "frog breath" technique and other evidence-based strategies help readers handle their own nervous moments
• Diverse Characters: Maya (Black), Leo (Hispanic), and Zara (South Asian) bring different perspectives and strengths to their collaborative project
• STEM + SEL Integration: Technical problem-solving parallels emotional challenges, showing how similar skills apply to both
• Family and Cultural Connection: Technology honors and preserves traditions rather than replacing them

• Young coders and STEM enthusiasts looking for characters like themselves
• Children who experience performance anxiety or nervousness about public speaking
• Readers interested in how technology can address emotional well-being
• Teachers and librarians seeking diverse STEM fiction that incorporates social-emotional learning
• Parents wanting stories that balance technical skills with emotional intelligence

• Engaging story with authentic coding challenges and emotional growth
• Post-story STEM activities at different skill levels
• Coding vocabulary glossary for young readers
• Discussion questions connecting story themes to readers' lives
• Tips for parents and educators to extend learning

"A refreshing middle-grade novel that shows how technology can enhance human connection rather than replace it. Maya's journey from nervous presenter to confident innovator will inspire young readers to see coding as a creative tool for solving real problems."

Keywords: middle grade STEM fiction, coding books for kids, anxiety in children, diverse STEM characters, emotional intelligence, computer science fiction, tech books for tweens, Black girl main character, social-emotional learning