For many children, coding begins as a wall of unfamiliar symbols—brackets, loops, and commands that feel more intimidating than exciting. Screens light up, but understanding what truly happens behind them often feels out of reach. Watching this struggle firsthand, Aryan Poduri, a 17-year-old high school student from California, decided to change the story—not as a teacher or tech executive, but as a fellow learner who remembered what it felt like to start from zero.
In April 2025, Aryan self-published GOAT Coder, a children’s book designed to introduce young readers to the basics of Python programming through engaging exercises, relatable analogies, and hands-on projects. What began as a personal solution quickly found a wider audience. Within months of its release, the book sold over 2,000 copies, striking a chord with children and parents searching for a clear, friendly entry point into the world of coding.
Aryan’s journey with technology began early. Growing up in Mountain House, a tech-centric community in California, and influenced by parents who worked in the technology field, coding was always part of the background hum of daily life. He learned through school classes, YouTube tutorials, and personal curiosity—eventually building a web application called Voto Polo while still in middle school. “That definitely had an impact,” Aryan once shared. “Around here, everyone is coding. That’s when I realised this could be a future for me.”
The spark for GOAT Coder came closer to home. Aryan watched his parents spend hours trying to explain basic coding concepts to his younger sister, often struggling to find resources that made sense to a beginner. “When you’re first understanding the concept of what goes behind screens, it’s hard to wrap your head around,” he explained. It wasn’t a lack of interest—it was a lack of approachable tools. Aryan saw the gap and decided to fill it himself.
Over nine months, he built an entire curriculum from scratch, carefully stepping back into the mindset of a beginner. The book introduces children to coding through playful projects like building games such as Wordle and Tic-Tac-Toe, while gradually opening doors to bigger ideas in artificial intelligence, data science, and object-oriented programming. The challenge wasn’t just technical—it was emotional. “I had to remember what excited me when I first started,” he said. Despite the effort, the process felt more like play than pressure. “I was having fun while doing it.”
Beyond the pages of his book, Aryan continues to explore the many paths technology offers. He has interned at DataDios, co-authored two research papers on the company’s SmartDiff tool, and balances his academic pursuits with hobbies like basketball and digital art. Staying true to his hands-on approach, he even designed the graphics and cover for GOAT Coder himself.
At the heart of Aryan’s mission is a simple belief: coding should feel possible. “It’s important for people to know that coding is an option,” he says. While children grow up hearing about careers like doctors, scientists, or firefighters, software engineering often goes unnoticed. Aryan wants young learners to see coding not as an abstract skill, but as a real, creative, and viable future.
Now, as he promotes GOAT Coder and applies to colleges, Aryan is already thinking ahead—about a possible sequel, about entrepreneurship, and about learning far beyond code. “I don’t want to be stuck to just coding,” he says. “I really enjoy learning about new subjects and new things.” With GOAT Coder, Aryan Poduri hasn’t just written a book—he’s opened a door, inviting the next generation to step confidently into the digital world.
