> K&R is a good example of this.

I don't see how K&R can be a good example (or a bad one or any kind of example at all) in the context of computer science education. Its purpose is to teach the C language to experienced programmers. It has no aspirations of teaching computer science.

K&R is not even about teaching you to code. It says in the preface to the first edition that it assumes you already know concepts like loops and assignment statements. It also says if you're a beginner, you need to supplement the book by seeking the assistance of someone with more experience.