- Tiny Tales, Big Ideas

The Magic of Box #7: Variables Made Easy

Step into the world of Val, a curious young vulture, as she uncovers the power of Box #7—a mysterious chest that holds the kingdom’s most valuable information. But when Val realizes the map inside doesn’t match the real world, she discovers an incredible secret: she can update what’s stored in the box, and the map changes! Just like variables in coding, Box #7 holds and updates important data, making it easier to track, change, and use information.

What's Inside

Engaging, Kid-Friendly Story: Follow Val’s exciting journey as she learns the power of storing and updating information—just like a programmer!
Hands-On Learning: Encourages kids to think critically with real-world connections, helping them grasp the concept of variables in an easy-to-understand way.
Vibrant Illustrations: Lush, Pixar-style artwork brings the adventure to life, making it perfect for classroom read-alouds or bedtime stories.
Sneaky STEM Learning: Introduces one of coding’s foundational concepts—variables—through an imaginative, story-driven approach.
Dyslexia-Friendly Text: Designed with short, clear sentences and printed in Lexend, a font scientifically designed to support dyslexic readers.

Whether you’re a parent looking to introduce coding in a fun way, a teacher searching for engaging classroom resources, or a homeschool family eager to explore STEM, The Magic of Box #7 is an educator-approved book that makes variables easy to understand.

Join Val as she discovers how storing and updating information—just like using variables in programming—can change the way she sees the world!

About Tiny Tales, Big Ideas

At Tiny Tales, Big Ideas, we believe that accessible stories ignite big imaginations. Created by a passionate, licensed public school teacher, our books break down complex STEM concepts into fun, relatable narratives. Perfect for students, educators, and families, our stories deliver educational magic one tiny tale at a time!

About the Author

Brian Duryea is a public educator who has introduced thousands of students to the wonders of computer science. Inspired by a need to make complex ideas accessible, Brian developed the Tiny Tales, Big Ideas Computer Science series to bring abstract coding concepts to life through storytelling.

How to Use This Book in the Classroom

Read Aloud & Discuss: Read the story and ask: Why did Val update Box #7 instead of changing the map? How is that like a variable?
Act It Out: Use a real box labeled “Box #7” and swap notes inside to show how variables store and change information.
Paper Variables: Give students blank “variable” boxes to name (e.g., favorite food) and update with new values.
Flip the Classroom: Have students draw, act, or explain how Box #7 works, connecting it to coding.
Code the Story: Have students write simple Python code that mimics Box #7, like updating a variable to track a changing map.
Treasure Hunt Variables: Hide clues around the room, each stored inside a “variable” (box or envelope). Changing the clue updates the path!
Draw the Data: Let students sketch how Box #7 updates the map, showing how variables hold and modify information.

Helping Kids See the Power of Variables

The Magic of Box #7: Variables Made Easy introduces readers to one of the most important ideas in coding—variables. In programming, variables are named places in memory that store information. Just like Box #7 holds the kingdom’s map, variables in code store numbers, words, and other data that can be updated and used later.

In the story, Val doesn’t change the map directly. Instead, she updates Box #7 by adding a note, and the map reflects the change. This mirrors how variables work in coding: instead of modifying a program’s core structure, we update variables to store new values.

The magic of Box #7 is that it makes things easier—just like variables in coding. Instead of writing the same number or word repeatedly, programmers use variables to store and update information efficiently. Whether it’s tracking a score in a game or remembering a player’s name, variables help make programs flexible and powerful.

At Tiny Tales, Big Ideas, we believe storytelling makes abstract coding concepts feel real. The Magic of Box #7 transforms variables from a technical idea into a tangible adventure, helping young learners see that coding is about organizing, storing, and using information in creative ways.

Questions that turn this tiny tale into a big idea

What was inside Box #7, and how did it help Val?
Why did Val drop a note into the box instead of changing the map directly?
How is Box #7 similar to a variable in coding?
What happens when Val updates the information inside Box #7?
Can you think of something in real life that works like Box #7?
If you had a magic box like this, what would you store inside to help you on an adventure?