This is almost identical to Graphic Art For The BBC by the same author (Issue 43), covering the theory and practice of turtle graphics and art. It has instant appeal, reads fluently, and turns out to be rather insubstantial.

The theory of turtle graphics was introduced by Seymour Papert in Mindstorms, and Mr. Allan does little more than iterate Papert's ideas. But the book does get more interesting as it gets more practical, and the programs add a depth Papert couldn't - micros weren't so well developed when Mindstorms was written.

Each idea introduced is built up in subsequent chapters, giving a thorough and practical grounding in turtle graphics. The 'art' side is less tangible, partly because computer art is still loosely defined.

Piers Letcher