Here's a possibly useful post and comments on a similar question concerning a 12yo - although if your DS8 is specifically wanting to avoid materials aimed at children, only some of it will be useful. I second the Python recommendation, as it's a serious language that just happens to be popular with kids too, as it were.
http://blob.inf.ed.ac.uk/paul/2010/01/20/how-to-start-programming/

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