Math Doesn't Suck: How to Survive Middle-School Math Without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail | 
 enlarge | Author: Danica Mckellar
Publisher: Hudson Street Press
Category: Book
List Price: $23.95
Buy New: $12.88
You Save: $11.07 (46%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  83 reviews
Sales Rank: 10846
Media: Hardcover
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.9
ISBN: 1594630399
Dewey Decimal Number: 510
EAN: 9781594630392
ASIN: 1594630399
Publication Date: August 2, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
From a well-known actress and math geniusa groundbreaking guide to mathematics for middle school girls, their parents, and educators
As the math education crisis in this country continues to make headlines, research continues to prove that it is in middle school when math scores begin to dropespecially for girlsin large part due to the relentless social conditioning that tells girls they cant do math, and that math is uncool. Young girls today need strong female role models to embrace the idea that its okay to be smartin fact, its sexy to be smart!
Its Danica McKellars mission to be this role model, and demonstrate on a large scale that math doesnt suck. In this fun and accessible guide, McKellardubbed a math superstar by The New York Timesgives girls and their parents the tools they need to master the math concepts that confuse middle-schoolers most, including fractions, percentages, pre-algebra, and more. The book features hip, real-world examples, step-by-step instruction, and engaging stories of Danicas own childhood struggles in math (and stardom). In addition, borrowing from the style of todays teen magazines, it even includes a Math Horoscope section, Math Personality Quizzes, and Real-Life Testimonialsultimately revealing why math is easier and cooler than readers think.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 78 more reviews...
 Not only a good book, but one your daughter might actually READ July 18, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
My oldest daughter used to like math; she could tear through and do her homework in no time. But after a couple of bad math teachers (who favored massive doses of homework instead of spending time explaining and helping students understand) she simply burned out. She didn't understand anymore, had no reason to believe it applied to her life, and felt math was a punishment. I can help explain it each evening, but for a pre-teen i, hearing that math applies to her life as well only carried so much weight coming from her father.
I heard about this book from a science blog i frequently read. I was skeptical but got a copy for her. On the surface it looks kinda "girlie girl" for her taste, but looking inside i saw there are good explanations that are more engaging to read. It's well written: not only does it explain without condescending or just inserting "So, like, omigod!" language here and there, but the book provides understandable examples tailored to concepts more appealing to a young girl. Obviously it doesn't explain everything (a book like that would be so thick it would scar away even Tolkein) but instead this book says just what it needs, and provides the encouraging support that textbooks lack.
She rolled her eyes at first, but politely gave it a try. A few weeks later, i found evidence that she was still consulting the book, even jotting notes in the margins. After six months i still see it hovering near or on top of her stack of books, and fresh notes appear inside from time to time.
I will not pretend it "cured" her and that her grades have skyrocketed, but she is far more willing to push through the piles of handouts. Math doesn't seem as scary to her as it once was. And, remembering how she felt when i was in grade school, i believe that confidence is a huge step for her in the long term.
 I simply don't see much here... June 17, 2008
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
...most of the book is devoted to fractions and related expressions such as ratios, proportions, decimals and percentages...the explanations offered for doing various mathematical operations on these expressions are no more lucid than those found in your average math textbook...and once you remove the "girly" sidebars and glitzy drawings, the presentation of these explanations really isn't much different either...I also found the presentation to be rather degrading to women -- implying that "girly" sidebars and drawings of pencils with flowers on them are somehow necessary to coax enthusiasm for math out of a woman...I suggest that for teaching math you should stick with a good basic math textbook -- most nowadays have supplemental workbooks and CD's as well as internet sites offering a variety of activities...supplement with diverse approaches like Jacobs' "Mathematics: A Human Endeavor"...and for additional tutoring in specific areas look at Edward Zaccaro's books...and if your looking for something to stimulate interest in math then I strongly recommend Sarah Flannery's "In Code" -- although a couple of grades above middle school math, it is a remarkable story that should be read by all young women...my qualifications: homeschooling two daughters.
Wonderful book for middle school girls May 23, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book is absolutely right on target. It contains math concepts put into a form that is friendly, fun, and engaging, and written in a way that perfectly reaches girls entering middle school math classes. I cannot recommend this book highly enough!
math for the masses in junior and high school classes May 5, 2008
13 out of 25 found this review helpful
This Danica is as good looking as the racing Danica and a great actress. She's a math whiz too. Well as a trained mathematician I can assure you that she proves in this book that she knows math, is proud of it and want other high school and junior high school girls to appreciate it too. The book is filled with interesting ways of teach junior and senior high school math that makes it fun and exciting. She would be a great teacher too. I think her goal is to be a role model for other girls who have an aptitude for mathematics. Girls have always been discouraged and discriminated against in this field. I remember at my high school I was the best math student but Linda Cirillo was a close second. Yet I was the one who got the encouragement and her talents were ignored. Years later I came back to my home town and found that while I was now a professional mathematician she was a house wife raising children. I hope things have improved over the last forty years.
This is a great book to give a child in high school who needs a little help and boost of confidence in math. When an author ahs the art of making things exciting rather than boring the student may develop an interest and capability that he or she never dreamed of!
 Math Doesn't Suck April 7, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I bought this book for my daughter. She finds it very helpful. It includes some neat tips. The only problem she finds with it is that it doesn't always cover all areas.
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