First Steps With Your Spectrum by Carolyn Hughes is a 125 age reader aimed at getting new Spectrum users, particularly the young, through those first few difficult hours when everything is so tremendously complicated, to an understanding of programming technique and a familiarity with the computer. The book achieves its aims by being aware of the readers' problems, assuming nothing and most importantly being fun.

From a brief chat on what computers do, the text continues to make sure that everything goes in the right place when the unit is assembed, to vivid descriptions of the use of Spectrum Basic, to finally some simple but worthwhile games. Each topic is clearly and cleverly illustrated using wherever possible pictures instead of words, the effect being to make each point enjoyable and more memorable.

Suitable for kids of any age, First Steps With Your Spectrum is written by Carolyn Hughes, published by Armada and costs £1.25.

ISBN 0 00 692240 6