Secret Coders

In the middle section of the novel, Yang continues merging the narratives of Hopper finding friends and solving mysteries at Stately Academy with actual lessons about coding. Just as he did at the end of Chapter 1, he ends Chapter 2 by encouraging readers to work through a problem, this time the coding commands that Hopper entered into Little Guy to get back at Josh. This feature makes the book more interactive and emphasizes the idea that readers should be learning along with Hopper, practicing and applying what they’ve learned. This hands-on approach to storytelling reinforces the novel’s central idea that learning coding is not just about memorization but about active problem-solving and discovery.

In this section, Eni and Hopper realize that the custodian, Mr. Bee, is at the root of much of the strange happenings at Stately Academy. He is generally hostile toward students and explicitly threatens Hopper and Eni when he catches them sneaking around his supply shed. Soon, after they find Little Guy and the programs in the shed, they realize that the binary birds around the school are Mr. Bee’s doing, too. As a custodian who appears to have no formal training, Mr. Bee seems an unlikely mastermind of the coding secrets at Stately Academy. However, this choice shows that coding is for everyone and can be applied in a variety of ways, and Hopper and Eni learn there is a lot more to Mr. Bee than they thought. Yang’s depiction of Mr. Bee also challenges traditional power structures within educational institutions, demonstrating that expertise and innovation are not always tied to formal authority and further highlighting the idea of Computer Coding as a Fun and Accessible Discipline.

Hopper and Eni also learn that the birds are not inherently aggressive; they can manipulate them, and Little Guy, once they learn about programming commands. For the birds to take action, they simply have to be shown a certain number. They help Hopper and Eni when they show them the combination to the shed’s lock, but they also attack them when Mr. Bee shows them the number 15. Similarly, Little Guy follows programs and commands written by both Mr. Bee and the children; the birds and Little Guy do not show any loyalty to Mr. Bee because they are simply objects carrying out various commands. This reinforces an important concept in coding and artificial intelligence: Machines do not act on their own but simply execute the instructions they are given. This realization shifts the power dynamic, making Hopper and Eni recognize that they, too, can harness coding to control their environment.

Hopper also begins to find her place with her new friend Eni and her own identity as a coder. She has not yet found a comfortable relationship with her mother in their new home, however. As in Chapter 1, when Hopper’s mother offers to walk into school with her on the first day, she is still not physically present in the panels. Hopper’s mother is still only written as speech bubbles trailing off to the side, or “off-screen.” In Chapter 2, Hopper’s mother is calling to her from the kitchen. This choice of visual storytelling prolongs the revelation that her teacher is also her mother and shows the emotional distance that exists between them. In this scene, the reader knows more about what Hopper is up to than her mother does. In an example of dramatic irony, Hopper tells her mother that she has basketball practice, while the narration box admits that she was lying—she is leaving to meet Eni to break into the shed. By framing her mother’s presence as distant and disconnected, Yang visually represents Hopper’s feelings of isolation, reinforcing her struggle to adapt to her new environment.

In Chapter 2, Yang shows how coding can form friendships and help students feel empowered. Hopper certainly feels more confident, empowered, and in control when she learns how her programs and commands can control the birds and Little Guy. This shift in her confidence reflects a larger theme of self-discovery and Curiosity as a Positive Trait in a Child—by learning to code, Hopper is not only solving external puzzles but also beginning to understand her capabilities and agency in a new and unfamiliar world.