Hot X: Algebra Exposed

Danica McKellar is the bestselling author of "Math Doesn't Suck, Kiss My Math, " and, most recently, "Girls Get Curves." Best known for her roles on "The Wonder Years" and "The West Wing," Danica is also an internationally recognized mathematician and advocate for math education. A summa cum laude graduate of UCLA with a degree in Mathematics, she has been honored in Britain's esteemed "Journal of Physics" and "The New York Times" for her work in mathematics, most notably for her role as co-author of a groundbreaking mathematical physics theorem, which bears her name (The Chayes-McKellar-Winn Theorem.) Her passion for promoting girls' math education began in 2000, when she was invited to speak before Congress on the importance of women in math and science. Since then, Danica has made it a priority to find time in her busy acting schedule to promote math education, often appearing around the country as a speaker at national mathematics conferences.

"A cross between a math class and a slumber party, and a perky, self-affirming slumber party at that: interspersed among the math are anecdotes about boys and testimonials about struggles and triumphs with math... McKellar exhorts her readers to be smart and confident... I found myself wishing that Ms. McKellar, who makes math relevant without dumbing it down, would cover the rest of the high school math curriculum."—Kenneth Chang, The New York Times

"A must-have for any teen or tween girl who feels nervous about algebra class this year."—The Washington Post

"McKellar... may well have done more to encourage girls to stick with math than any government task force... the wildly enthusiastic response [her books] have received speaks to the effect that can be achieved by reworking the contents of standard math and science problems and countering the perception that boys won't like girls who are smart."—Eileen Pollack, The New York Times

"As far as math goes, McKellar knows her stuff... Facing down a 432-page book devoted to algebra could give even math whizzes pause, but McKellar makes it work, taking the textbook-meets-Seventeen approach by mixing the explanations and equations with boy talk, quizzes, and testimonials from successful women. While a tutor might use this title as a teaching aid, teen girls will want to explore iton their own. Navigation is easy; students are encouraged to hop from chapter to chapter as their homework demands. The breakdown of equations is effective and certainly unconventional—explaining functions in terms of sausage factories, for example, or exponents in terms of whip-bearing female executives (makes sense in the book, promise)—and while McKellar keeps her focus on how to solve math problems, her approach is both readable and even entertaining."—Courtney Jones, Booklist