WordShops registration is open! Learn about the festival's master-class writing workshops and reserve your seat here.

This website has a .gov link

The .gov means it’s official.

Louisiana government websites often end in .gov. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a Louisiana government site.

HTTPS Connection

The site is secure.

The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Terysa Ridgeway

Home Featured Authors & Panelists Featured Participant Lineup 2026 Terysa Ridgeway

Terysa Ridgeway is a best-selling children’s author, computer scientist, and former rocket scientist whose stories inspire young readers to see themselves as problem-solvers and creators. She is the author of the Terysa Solves It series, including the new picture book The Kid Who Cracked the Code. Ridgeway is a technology leader at Google and the founder of Code+Play, a hands-on STEAM learning space in Lafayette, Louisiana, where children explore coding, robotics, and creative problem-solving through play.

 

Schedule

2:30 pm to 3:00 pm
Children’s Author Tent 2
The Kid Who Cracked the Code

3:15 pm to 4:00 pm
Cavalier House Books Tent
Book Signing

The Kid Who Cracked the Code

Meet the girl who never backs down from a challenge!

Written by Terysa Ridgeway, a computer scientist and manager at Google, this delightful book sparks curiosity in every young reader.

Eight-year-old Terysa is a creative thinker with a knack for figuring things out. But for her birthday, she gets her trickiest puzzle yet: an old computer that doesn't respond like she hoped. Can Terysa crack the code and bring it to life?

Inspired by real childhood adventures, this engaging story weaves computer science concepts into a warm, relatable tale about determination and how problem solving is fun. Along the way, readers will cheer for Terysa as she makes mistakes, tries again, and celebrates her successes.

Perfect for families, teachers, and young inventors, this book includes helpful back matter for introducing kids to the exciting world of computers, coding, and creativity.

If your child loves mysteries, math, or computers, one click is all it takes to start the adventure!