Jon Duckett is a well-known author and educator in the web development community. He's written several popular books on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, including "HTML and CSS: Design and Build Websites" and "JavaScript and DOM Scripting".
One reader notes, "The layout of the book is great for learning, includes a lot of pictures and exercises you can do to learn more about the subject". Another reviewer, a computer science student, says it's "extremely well laid out" and uses "beautiful graphics and typography to explain points". It's a fantastic starting point that has been known to inspire a genuine love for coding.
The layout section of the book focuses heavily on and inline-blocks for positioning columns. While it is crucial to understand floats for maintaining legacy code, modern web layouts are built using CSS Flexbox and CSS Grid . These newer systems make responsive, multi-column designs significantly easier to write and maintain. Responsive Web Design (Media Queries)
Although first published in 2011, the book remains a "gold standard" for new learners due to its focus on timeless fundamentals. While it may lack modern CSS features like Flexbox or Grid, it provides a foundational understanding that empowers hobbyists, marketers, and aspiring developers to take control of their online presence. HTML & CSS Design and Build Websites Book for 2025