Motivating through math

Who’d have thought that cute little Winnie Cooper, you know, the actress from the Wonder Years would turn into a math wiz? Danica McKellar is actually much more than that, she’s turned into math guru for young teenage girls thanks to her two books Math Doesn’t Suck and Kiss My Math.

Who’d have thought that cute little Winnie Cooper, you know, the actress from the Wonder Years would turn into a math wiz? Danica McKellar is actually much more than that, she’s turned into math guru for young teenage girls thanks to her two books Math Doesn’t Suck and Kiss My Math.
The first was released a year ago to rave reviews south of the border. McKellar, who has a math degree from UCLA, deals with the basics kids need to learn in middle school like fractions, decimals and ratios. It’s all done in a style that girls can relate to – there’s lots of references to texting, boyfriends and, well, things other than math that suck.
“Let's get a few things straight: Acne sucks. Mean people suck. Finding out that your boyfriend kissed another girl? That would totally suck. Too much homework, broken promises, detention, divorce, insecurities: suck, suck, suck, suck, suck,” writes McKellar. “But math is actually a good thing. Here are a few reasons why: Math builds confidence, keeps you from getting ripped off, makes you better at adjusting cookie recipes, understanding sports scores, budgeting and planning parties and vacations, interpreting how good a sale really is, and spending your allowance. It makes you feel smart when you walk in a room, prepares you for better-paying jobs, and helps you to think more logically.”
McKellar has an advantage most parents can’t compete with – she’s a celebrity – which is why her message might resonate a bit better than ours.
“Most of all, working on math sharpens your brain, actually making you smarter in all areas. Intelligence is real, it's lasting, and no one can take it away from you. Ever,” she writes. “And take it from me, nothing can take the place of the confidence that comes from developing your intelligence—not beauty, or fame, or anything else ‘superficial.’”
Kiss My Math moves up a level to pre-Algebra. In the second book McKellar provides step-by-step instructions and time saving tips to explain negative numbes, variables, absolute values, exponents and more. Practice problems are answered with detailed solutions and there are lots of real world examples to help illuminate the topics.
“In the pages that follow, you'll hear my adventures as a terrified math student, a confident actress, and everything in between. Best of all, you'll see how sharpening your brain will put you on the fast track to feeling fabulous in all areas of your life. Oh yeah—I'll help you ace your next math test, too.”
With covers that look more like a teen magazine than a book, McKellar’s books do a great job of selling math.