McKellar, Danica. Math Doesn't Suck: How to Survive Middle School Math Without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail. New York: Plume, 2008. 296 pages. $15.00 ISBN 9780452289499
Plot Summary: Math Doesn't Suck is packed full of step-by-step math instruction geared toward the tweenage girl. Danica covers topics such as factors, multiples, fractions, decimals, percentages, word problems and algebra. She uses real life examples to illustrate her points, cute drawings and easy to follow guidelines and practice problems. The book is a girl friendly, tween engaging way to help struggling students succeed in math.
Critical Evaluation: This book is fantastic. Not only is it a great math help book, but it is also fun and encouraging. Danica is an amazing woman, moving between acting and mathematics. The book is full of great step-by-step directions for solving all sorts of math equations encountered during middle school. The book is geared towards girls, with cute illustrations, real-life examples like choosing a party outfit, and quotes from tween girls about math.
Reader's Annotation: Learn how to survive middle school math with actress and mathematician Danica McKellar.
Author Bio: Danica McKellar is most famous for her role as Winnie on The Wonder Years with Fred Savage, Josh Saviano and Dan Lauria. After The Wonder Years, Danica graduated summa cum laude from UCLA with a degree in mathematics. She is a firm supporter of promoting math education for girls and spoke before Congress about the importance of women in math and science professions. She recently starred as Elsie Snuffin on The West Wing, but continues to focus on math and published her second math book, Kiss My Math: Showing Pre-Algebra Who's Boss, in 2008. She also coauthored a mathematical physics theorem called The Chayes-McKellar-Winn Theorem.
Genre: Non-Fiction, Mathematics
Curriculum Ties: A great suggestion for math help.
Booktalking Ideas: Discuss the value of math and that it doesn't have to "kill" you in middle school. Talk about how Danica used to be a TV star when she was their age and is now a successful author and mathematician.
Reading Level/Interest Age: Ages 12 and up, Grades 6-9
Challenges: None!
Reason for including: I was a fan of The Wonder Years. A few years ago my dad sent me an article about Danica and her life work in mathematics. It was shortly before this book came out and she was talking about how she wants to get girls more interested in math and science. I was very interested in the book and thought it would be a great addition to tween materials.
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