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    Electronics for Kids, 2nd Edition

    An Introduction with 21 Fun Projects

    Author Oyvind Nydal Dahl
    Illustrated by Samuel Barrios Miranda
    Ebook
    No Starch | No Starch Press
    On sale Jun 30, 2026 | 240 Pages | 9781718503519
    Grade 5 & Up
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    No coding. No computers. No kidding.

    "Don't be fooled by the title. This collection of hands-on projects for tinkering with (and learning about) simple electronics is substantive enough to engross even gadget-loving adults."
    — The Wall Street Journal

    ​​Electronics for Kids will teach you how electronics really work: what electricity is, how circuits behave, and how and why things like resistors, capacitors, and transistors do what they do. But reading about electronics isn't enough. 

    Across 21 hands-on projects, you'll put your new knowledge to the test. You'll learn to read schematics, solder components onto a circuit board, use integrated circuits, and think in digital logic.

    You'll build:
    • An intruder alarm
    • Your own electromagnet and motor
    • A sunrise wake-up alarm
    • A color guessing game
    • A circuit that senses touch
    • A secret code checker, and more

    By the end of the book, you'll combine everything you've learned to design and build a playable LED reaction game from scratch, not by following a recipe, but because you understand how every part of it works. (Don't skip any chapters if you can help it!)

    This second edition has been completely rewritten with all new full-color illustrations, clearer explanations, and a complete progression from basic electricity through digital electronics. Open to any page and see for yourself.Ages 10 and up. No experience needed.

    Check out the table of contents for the full list of projects.
    Øyvind Nydal Dahl has been taking things apart since he was a kid. He studied electronics and computer science at the University of Oslo, where he built his own microchip. He went on to develop products including see-through wall sensors and a coffee roaster before founding Ohmify, a learning platform for electronics. He teaches workshops around the world and writes at his website Build Electronic Circuits.
    Oyvind Nydal Dahl View titles by Oyvind Nydal Dahl
    Samuel Barrios Miranda View titles by Samuel Barrios Miranda
    Foreword
    Acknowledgments
    Introduction
    Part I: Playing with Electricity
    Chapter 1: What Is Electricity
    Chapter 2: Making Things Move with Electricity and Magnets
    Chapter 3: How to Generate Electricity
    Part II: Building Circuits
    Chapter 4: Creating Light with LEDs
    Chapter 5: Blinking a Light
    Chapter 6: Let’s Solder!
    Chapter 7: Controlling Things with Electricity
    Chapter 8: Integrated Circuits: Tiny Packets of Wonder
    Part III: The Digital World
    Chapter 9: The Basics of Digital Electronics
    Chapter 10: Circuits That Make Choices
    Chapter 11: Circuits That Remember Information
    Chapter 12: Let’s Make a Game!
    Handy Resources
    Index
    Praise for the first edition of Electronics for Kids:

    “Beautifully designed.”
    —Boing Boing

    “Enlightening and fun.”
    —The MagPi

    “Chock-full of photographs to help guide young learners along, this book is a great jumping off point for those who are interested in learning about simple circuits and electricity.”
    —School Library Connection

    “Electronics for Kids continues the No Starch Press tradition of publishing smart books that make STEM topics accessible and encourage kids to think.”
    —Homeschool.com

    “Electronics for Kids is a fantastic tool for diving into the world of electronics and circuitry.”
    —Vivify STEM

    “There’s just the right mix of reading and hands-on projects that I’m confident the kids won’t get bored. Even better, the projects won’t insult their intelligence… they feature real components, a real breadboard, and actual schematics. I have no doubt that young readers will finish this book with a solid understanding of the basics of electronics and maybe even a desire to go further and learn more… a win for a parent or a teacher!”
    —GeekDad

    “This kind of book is the cure for the sense of depression you feel when you go to the toy store and look at the “science” section and everything you see is crap. Just get this book.”
    —ScienceBlogs

    “The author has pulled off a tremendous balancing act by creating a book that is fun and interesting, that has the reader building things and making stuff happen right from the get-go, and that manages to explain the underlying theory without talking down to the audience.”
    —EE Times

    About

    No coding. No computers. No kidding.

    "Don't be fooled by the title. This collection of hands-on projects for tinkering with (and learning about) simple electronics is substantive enough to engross even gadget-loving adults."
    — The Wall Street Journal

    ​​Electronics for Kids will teach you how electronics really work: what electricity is, how circuits behave, and how and why things like resistors, capacitors, and transistors do what they do. But reading about electronics isn't enough. 

    Across 21 hands-on projects, you'll put your new knowledge to the test. You'll learn to read schematics, solder components onto a circuit board, use integrated circuits, and think in digital logic.

    You'll build:
    • An intruder alarm
    • Your own electromagnet and motor
    • A sunrise wake-up alarm
    • A color guessing game
    • A circuit that senses touch
    • A secret code checker, and more

    By the end of the book, you'll combine everything you've learned to design and build a playable LED reaction game from scratch, not by following a recipe, but because you understand how every part of it works. (Don't skip any chapters if you can help it!)

    This second edition has been completely rewritten with all new full-color illustrations, clearer explanations, and a complete progression from basic electricity through digital electronics. Open to any page and see for yourself.Ages 10 and up. No experience needed.

    Check out the table of contents for the full list of projects.

    Author

    Øyvind Nydal Dahl has been taking things apart since he was a kid. He studied electronics and computer science at the University of Oslo, where he built his own microchip. He went on to develop products including see-through wall sensors and a coffee roaster before founding Ohmify, a learning platform for electronics. He teaches workshops around the world and writes at his website Build Electronic Circuits.
    Oyvind Nydal Dahl View titles by Oyvind Nydal Dahl
    Samuel Barrios Miranda View titles by Samuel Barrios Miranda

    Table of Contents

    Foreword
    Acknowledgments
    Introduction
    Part I: Playing with Electricity
    Chapter 1: What Is Electricity
    Chapter 2: Making Things Move with Electricity and Magnets
    Chapter 3: How to Generate Electricity
    Part II: Building Circuits
    Chapter 4: Creating Light with LEDs
    Chapter 5: Blinking a Light
    Chapter 6: Let’s Solder!
    Chapter 7: Controlling Things with Electricity
    Chapter 8: Integrated Circuits: Tiny Packets of Wonder
    Part III: The Digital World
    Chapter 9: The Basics of Digital Electronics
    Chapter 10: Circuits That Make Choices
    Chapter 11: Circuits That Remember Information
    Chapter 12: Let’s Make a Game!
    Handy Resources
    Index

    Praise

    Praise for the first edition of Electronics for Kids:

    “Beautifully designed.”
    —Boing Boing

    “Enlightening and fun.”
    —The MagPi

    “Chock-full of photographs to help guide young learners along, this book is a great jumping off point for those who are interested in learning about simple circuits and electricity.”
    —School Library Connection

    “Electronics for Kids continues the No Starch Press tradition of publishing smart books that make STEM topics accessible and encourage kids to think.”
    —Homeschool.com

    “Electronics for Kids is a fantastic tool for diving into the world of electronics and circuitry.”
    —Vivify STEM

    “There’s just the right mix of reading and hands-on projects that I’m confident the kids won’t get bored. Even better, the projects won’t insult their intelligence… they feature real components, a real breadboard, and actual schematics. I have no doubt that young readers will finish this book with a solid understanding of the basics of electronics and maybe even a desire to go further and learn more… a win for a parent or a teacher!”
    —GeekDad

    “This kind of book is the cure for the sense of depression you feel when you go to the toy store and look at the “science” section and everything you see is crap. Just get this book.”
    —ScienceBlogs

    “The author has pulled off a tremendous balancing act by creating a book that is fun and interesting, that has the reader building things and making stuff happen right from the get-go, and that manages to explain the underlying theory without talking down to the audience.”
    —EE Times

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