What is the preferred learn to code book for a 10 year old. I only have some python and Pascal experience to draw on to help with any debugging.

The Internet.

Find a simple game creation system and help your 10-year-old to make something basic

Code combat site? I think it'd be a good start.

Nah, ur kid should start off with the rudimentary basics of the shell. It will always remind him, of the progress, humanity is gone throug. Then buy a book, which is meant 4 adults. It will motivate him, when u tell him, hes reading a book, he should not read because of his age (worked fine 4 me) then switch over to the graphical environnement Qt. Its the best and easyest one for cpp. Good luck

Head First Programming. It uses Python.