Colin the Computer Meets Berty Binary: The Secret Language of Computers

By Matthew Allen

Colin the Computer uses ones and zeros all day long. But how do they actually work? Colin has no idea, and he rather wishes someone would explain.

Out bounces Berty Binary, a cheerful little robot in black and white stripes, who speaks the language of computers. Binary is everywhere, says Berty. A light switch is on or off. A door is open or closed. Yes or no, one or zero. With a hand up for one and a hand down for zero, Berty shows how two little bits make four different patterns, and how a few more make enough patterns to say almost anything at all. By the end, Colin and his friend Lily are sending each other secret messages across the desk.

A giggly first look at binary, the secret language of computers, in the gentle Mr Men style of the Colin the Computer series. Each page pairs a few simple sentences with a bright, full page illustration, and the book ends with a "What did we learn?" page, a hands on idea to try at home, and a free online quiz.

Written for primary school, ages 4 to 11. Read aloud at four, read alone at seven, and the ideas still land at ten. Book 2 in the Colin the Computer series.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1911912011
• ISBN13: 9781911912019
• Release Date: August 2026
• Publisher: Small Endian Press
• Length: 42 Pages
• Weight: 0.27 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 8.5" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 4 to 11 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 6