my daughter really likes this book. it is geared for girls. i figure the book will also be a great referral resource later on if she needs some refreshing on particular topics.

This book is fabulous!! My daughter is taking a self-taught pre-Algebra class this summer. We read through the textbook examples and then go to KMM for a better explanation and one that's fun and easy to remember. I have recommended both her books to every 6th and 7th grade girl I know. Several of the teachers at her school use it as a resource as well. All the "girly" extra stuff is fun to read, but it's her explanations put into simple terms that help you really understand the concepts. I love that she supports girls taking higher level math classes and stresses that it's really okay as a girl to like math and be good at it. She just does a fabulous job of getting her point across in a way that's understandable to an 11 year old and her Mom that hasn't done pre-Algebra in a few years! :>) I can't wait to see what's coming next. I'll buy it in a heartbeat! Keep writing Danica!!

This has helped my 13 year old not fear math and now its just another subject. It came on time and in good condition as well. Thanks!

McKellar teaches complex ideas in a nonintimidating and--more importantly in today's pop culture-driven world--an entertaining manner. Her book builds confidence and self-reliance for young people at a time in life when the pressures of finding an identity can be overwhelming. Even today as a middle-aged man, I can still recall my high school paralysis when confronted with math. Ironically, I learned some of McKellar's life-lessons in a boxing gym: specifically, the ones about facing challenges and dealing with the fear of failure (or worse, mockery). If only her book had been around then, I might have spared myself some punishment. As she puts it, math helps us "...to exercise that part of the brain that makes you stronger, more capable and successful in life: the part that does not give up." By "not giving up" so much of our potential can be realized. I admit I'm disappointed that McKellar's book is aimed at teenaged women and not everyone who has failed to confront their math phobias. I advise the public-at-large to ignore her short-sightedness. Reading her books is the perfect antidote to the "dumb is cool" ethos plaguing our world.

Frank M.
Chatsworth, CA

I am a mother that went back to college later in life. One of my classes was algebra. I had math anxiety and tried to find way to wiggle my way out of this class. The algebra class was very difficult for me. I could not understand the instructor or the book. I went to tutors,family members and friends and I could not get algebra. I failed the class. I was embarrassed and angry with my myself. I needed something right away. So my boyfriend and I went to Barnes & Nobles and purchased Kiss My Math & Math Doesn't suck. (I do suggest that you purchase both). So I had a six week break before I had to take the algebra class again. I am happy to say that I passed the algebra class with a B and I am looking forward to starting MATH 209 which is the second part of algebra. Danica was easy to understand and the experiences from other young ladies helped a great deal too. Thanks Danica!

I was a little concerned about buying these books for my sons, ages 12, 13, 14 so I wrote in and inquired if it was just for girls or would boys benefit as well. Ms. McKellar personally responded saying they would learn math and probably learn something about girls in the process. I told the boys that I got an email from the author and what she said and they replied, "Yea, we learned that boys/men don't want a dumb girl but they don't want the girl to be smarter than them either." I told them they better study their math then. : )

The boys are enjoying the books and they are a good reminder of the basics of algebra.

I bought this book and my son used it to understand math. a little hard for him because it was wrote with girls in mind but it was so helpful he got thru that and it helped his math a ton.

I highly recommend this book for high-school girls. It is a guide or a text in elementary algebra. What makes this book stand out is that it uses silly analogies, it explains the algebra well, it boosts the girl's self-esteem, and it is relevant to her life.

One of the first things Danika does is that she gives us the order of operations: parentheses, exponentiation and so forth, spelling the acronym PEMDAS. She calls these pandas and shows some pandas doing some math. She even expands PEMDAS into "Pandas eat mustard on dumplings and apples with spice." She makes functions into sausage factories. (for veggie sausages, let's hope). Silly analogies like this have been shown to enhance memory of things. So this would be a good book to use for studying for a test.

She explains the math well. Her use of a cutesy daisy for an unknown shows that there is nothing particularly special in alphabet letters. I like her way of dealing with word problems. Sometimes you get an equation with a large number of minus signs; this can be kind of hairy. Her remedy is to multiply everything by -1. Most textbooks say to clear complex fractions by multiplying by a common denominator, but few have this type of advice. She tells us that word problems involves English grammar as well as mathematics, and lists the mathematical equivalents for such expressions as "is less than" or "three times".

The book is not entirely about math. Math for some reason causes stress in people, including high-school girls. So she includes plenty of material on how to relieve stress. She tells girls how to deal with boys in an assertive and positive way. And she has plenty of testimonials from girls who deal with mathematics in some way.

One of her chapters is entitled "Nope, she never gets off the phone". She starts this chapter, on word problems, with a problem that has appeared in everyone's lives. There are two phone plans, which she calls Fabulous Fones ($14/month and 10 cents/min) and Happy Talk (no monthly charge and 30 cents/min) and she poses the problem of which is best. This word problem leads to an equation with a solution that tells when you should switch from one plan to the other. She shows us how to solve real world problems as well as the problems one is likely to encounter on math tests. One of the best sections of the book is a list of possible careers for women and how math is used in each.

Here are a few tips for improvement. She brings up a phrase "seven less than twice x". She tells us that this should not get a < sign because it is not a sentence. But what about the student that writes 7 - 2x? She should explain how this should be 2x - 7 instead. She brings up exponents in a few places and even has a good sidebar on how sending a kitty video to 5 people who in turn sends to 5 people can quickly reach a huge number of people. She should emphasize here that this could cause problems for web servers. Further, I would liked to have seen a section on what exponents and the exponential function mean for our world; many of today's problems are caused by exponential growth of people and material possessions.

But this is an improvement on her previous book and I highly recommend this book for young girls. She has helped bring mathematical literacy to the world.

I loved the show Wonder Years and Danica was great it it as Winnie Cooper. But it was interesting to see that she went on after that success to get a college degree in math from UCLA. These two books she has written are intended for elementary and junior high school girls to help them gain confidence in math. I think the books could be helpful to my boys as well had the come out earlier. My eldest son is in college and the younger one is in 11th grade. By the time she writes one on high school math like analysis and calculus they will both be in college. But keep it up Danica, an actress and glamour girl and a math whiz, what a amazing combination.

I loved the show Wonder Years and Danica was great it it as Winnie Cooper. But it was interesting to see that she went on after that success to get a college degree in math from UCLA. These two books she has written are intended for elementary and junior high school girls to help them gain confidence in math. I think the books could be helpful to my boys as well had the come out earlier. My eldest son is in college and the younger one is in 11th grade. By the time she writes one on high school math like analysis and calculus they will both be in college. But keep it up Danica, an actress and glamour girl and a math whiz, what a amazing combination.

This may be the best math resource for the new 7th grader that is on the shelf today. Our son started 7th grade pre-algebra this year and, while he is an A student in other subjects, this brought him (and us) to our knees. Danica's book has been able to make every chapter in the school text book capable of being understood. Danica has some funny ways she gets the kids to humanize some of the more technical aspects of math, making the concept easier to relate to and to remember. Our son just finished the first trimester with a B+ and we are certain this would have been a C or less if we did not have Danica's book. This is the best $15 you will spend helping your kids in pre-algebra.

Danica McKellar is a beautiful actress who is probably very well off and successful. So why did she go to UCLA to study math after being a very successful child star on the wonder years and then bother to write a book entitled Math Doesn't Suck. Well it is because she wanted to prove she was more than just a good looking actress. She had a brain and could handle math. The attitude that math is not for the ladies was a horrible prejudice in my high school years and even in this enlightened age we haven't quite gotten over it and many a capable young lady lacks the confidence and courage to try to do math. Danica is a rol model who proves that they can. Her first book was so successful and helped young middle school girls overcome their fears and lkearn that math is not really hard and can be fun and interesting whenit is approached in the riht way. So math does not suck! But in addition to convincing young girls and boys that they can learn it she became encouraged to write another book based on the encouraging emails from young ladies who benefitted from the book. Well love of math should not end with middle school and algebra, geometry and calculus are very different form the kind of math you learn in the elementary and middle schools that a good series of lectures in pre-algebra is needed to help those who become discouraged again in high school. It bothers Danica to see a girlfriend of hers give up on medical school just because calculus is required. So in the same interesting style as her first book Danica interest the high schoolers with concepts like negative numbers, mathematical inequalities, exponential functions and much more. By uncovering the mysteries of pre-algebra Danica unlocks the door to advanced levels of mathematics that students in high school need. This book is good for high school teachers and anyone else with an interest in mathematics. But it is aimed at and can help most high school girls who are capable of doing well in math and nedd it for the careers they seek, like med school.

I bought Ms. McKellar's first book to help my grand daughter in 4th grade when she began to struggle with some of the math concepts being presented in school. She was able to get a handle on the work by using that book. She started middle school this year and wasn't able to find some of the math they were now doing in the first book. Luckily, I heard about this second book and sent it along. My grand daughter has found the help she needed in this second book and even takes it to school with her. I think Ms. McKellar has performed a real service for a lot of girls who struggle with math.

This book explains math in a way that is easy for young girls (and boys) to get a more thorough understanding of Algebra. It builds off of the fundamentals learned in her first book. My daughter loves it and I do, too! Danica, you rock!!!

My 13-yr-old daughter struggles with math and doesn't apply herself. With this book, she enjoys learning and it sticks with her. Great job, Danica!

My 13-yr-old daughter struggles with math and doesn't apply herself. With this book, she enjoys learning and it sticks with her. Great job, Danica!

This book is written in an incredibly easy and fun format that will engage teenagers and provide lots of creative ideas for anyone trying to take the fear and mystery out of algebra. Even the most math phobic person will understand the concepts and probably even discover that math truly is fun. I use it for both my own children and my students. Well worth every penny and so is the companion book "Math Doesn't Suck"!!

Both of Danica's books are incredible! My daughter absolutely loves them! She's always had a hard time with math but with these books it's amazing how much they help!! If your girl has a hard time with math, don't wait, just buy these books!:-)

Any book that can get a group of 7th graders talking about math is something unique, so Kiss My Math has my vote for that point alone.

Working with middle school aged girls on math and science is often a difficult task in schools, so after hearing an interview and reading a review of Danica McKellar's book, I decided to order a copy for my 12 year old daughter--who has had her trials with math in the past year. I was surprised to see her take the book to a friend's house recently, and asked her later whether they had actually read any of it. She gave me one of those looks I get so frequently now that she is an adolescent, and smiled back, "we really loved her examples of how to do math problems, and spent most of the afternoon going through the book." Needless to say, that was a first. I would recommend that parents take a look at the chapters to make sure Danica isn't sharing some deep, dark secrets about boys that you don't want your daughter to learn (there weren't any I found to be objectionable). It might be a book to have in every middle school library (several copies) as recommended reading.....

See my review of "Math Doesn't Suck" - the books are very similar. Basically - a home run!

Danica's book is a gem. Her love for math is infectious. Math doesn't have to be a drag. Danica makes it fun: she'll make you laugh. She's sort of like a girlfriend who's all giggly about her boyfriend, but it's math.

I know the feeling -- it's the feeling of knowing something so well that you just want to share it. Danica's confidence will inspire confidence in her young readers. Plus, Danica gives young readers tools for raising self-esteem: a stress survey that young readers will surely appreciate, and a friends survey. Danica knows that self-esteem starts with self-approval, and if you can manage stress and have supportive friends, you'll have the confidence to succeed.

Here's what Danica wrote on her website: "My main concern with mathematics in high school is that there's a lot of fear involved! Math is not, generally speaking, presented in a fun way. The concepts, as I see them, ARE fun, and that's the way I'd like to convey them myself."

Danica has taken the concepts behind pre-algebra and presented them in a whole new way. Coefficients and variables get cozy and kiss, and absolute values are like a soothing sauna. You'd never know that integers fall into minty ranges, from ooky Harry Potter flavors (on the negative side of the number line) to yummy raspberry and orange (on the positive). And there's a reason for that. Read the book and find out what that reason is!

Kiss My Math isn't meant to replace a school textbook -- it's more like a supplement, and hopefully it will make reading your regular textbook more fun, plus, it should give you a new angle on your homework! Danica is careful never to make math seem simpler than it is, or trivial. Math is basically hard work, and Danica will make you work! She's even kind of sassy and bossy sometimes!

This book is written for girls, and Danica's advice is: don't dumb yourselves down! You can be a math scholar and still be popular. The thing is, have fun and be creative. If you don't like using x's and y's for variables, go ahead and use little flower and heart symbols. You can use whatever you want as long as you follow the rules!

Pre-algebra and algebra are lifelong skills, as revealed by so many women who share their stories in Danica's book. Plus, Danica shares a few stories of her own, never straying far from math, and always bringing things back to what you need to know. So why not have fun while you learn?

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R24O2VNIGQPZ8P Don't Like to Read, Then Don't, Listen!: How to Turn Any Type of Text Into Audio Files That Can Be Read to You! (isbn 1438252455)

Getting Things Done (isbn 0142000280)

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R24O2VNIGQPZ8P Don't Like to Read, Then Don't, Listen!: How to Turn Any Type of Text Into Audio Files That Can Be Read to You! (isbn 1438252455)

Getting Things Done (isbn 0142000280)

Danica has hit a homerun with this book that explain some of the more abstract ideas in math so a teen girl can understand it and not be embarrassed in class by teachers who say "I just went over that" to them in response to a question.

Great homework aid!

My daughter is already on chapter 3 and we received this book on Friday (I'm trying not to swamp her with "extra" work). At first, she tried to tell me she remembered all about intergers, she did not read the first chapter and brought me the review exercises ALL WRONG. I told her to read the chapter and THEN do the work.

I was not surprised when she came back to me and said, "this isn't like a regular math book, it makes sense!" She's hooked now, and I'm so thankful that Danica is a smart, pretty girl who is down to earth and not afraid to be smart! It's difficult to find a solid roll model these days!

As a math specialist in a K-8 school, the title intrigued me. Within in a week of seeing it for the first time, I had purchased two copies...one to use as a reference and one for a teacher who is teaching middle school math for the first time. Danica's explanations are clear and in terms that can be understood by most students. Teachers can use the examples to enhance their own lessons. Traditionally girls are more language oriented. This book uses language skills to make math concepts accessible. And so far, it has been fun to read. (The principal is reviewing my second copy. The school may be purchasing copies for the reference library.)

I gave this book to a niece and she absolutely loved it. Danica makes math fun, accessible and memorable. Her favorite parts are the testimonials where young women show that it is okay to be successful. This women such as Martha Tellez and Crystal McKellar are now her roles models. This book is highly recommended for all girls approaching pre-algebra.

I gave this book to a niece and she absolutely loved it. Danica makes math fun, accessible and memorable. Her favorite parts are the testimonials where young women show that it is okay to be successful. This women such as Martha Tellez and Crystal McKellar are now her roles models. This book is highly recommended for all girls approaching pre-algebra.