Dubbed a "reluctant reader" by his teacher, twelve-year-old Derek spends summer vacation learning important lessons even though he does not complete his summer reading list.

Josh Swensen (otherwise known as Larry) can't seem to get off the couch. His usual overactive imagination and save-the-world mindset have all but vanished, and his best friend Beth is seriously worried. When Beth coaxes Josh into taking a walk at Walden Pond, Josh meets Gus Muldarian, a spiritual guru who convinces him to join his study group as a way to find deeper meaning in life. Josh thinks Gus is a joke. Still, feeling desperate and seeing no...

Those were the magic words and Beth knew it. How many times had I uttered that phrase to Ms. Robinson in guidance, the standard answer for what I wanted to do with my life? CHANGE THE WORLD. Did I still have the strength and determination to get it together and try to make a difference? Was it my destiny, my vocation? Or, was I just trying to impress a girl? As I looked at Beth, I wondered if the reason why even mattered. The indefatigable Larry...

My Life as a Coder is the ninth book in Janet Tashjian's much-loved, diary fiction My Life series starring reluctant reader Derek Fallon. Derek Fallon receives an exciting new gift--a laptop! But there's a catch: it has no Wi-Fi so he can't use it for gaming. If he wants to play computer games, he'll have to learn how to code them himself. Another unforgettable adventure awaits in Book 9 of the My Life series, this time involving tech and coding! Christy...