Sharks and Rays Of Australia - A Review

So if you're anything like me and you love sharks, you always need a good reference book about them. It's easy to identify the big ones or the common ones or the ones that appear on TV, but what about that shark-like shape you caught out of the corner of your eye or that strange shark you saw at a new dive site?

Australia is home to the greatest diversity of sharks and rays on the planet. Stingarees, fiddler rays, numb rays, ghost sharks, carpet sharks and stingrays are just some of the weird and wonderful members of the cartiliginous fish family found here and they live in habitats ranging from remote estuaries all the way through to the deep ocean depths.

Sharks and Rays of Australia is one of those 'must have' books if you are a scuba diver, scientist, fisherman, marine conservationist or you have more than a passing interest in Chondrichthyes - sorry couldn't help throwing in the latin - sharks and rays.

The first edition of Sharks and Rays of Australia was published in 1994 and was so popular it sold out in a few years...not bad for a reference book I reckon. This edition was published in 2009 and it contains updates on more than 100 species and includes 26 that have been discovered since the first edition. The book now contains 322 species found in Australian waters but many of them have much wider distributions so is useful over a much wider area than just Australia.

One of my gripes about fish ID books is finding the fish you're after; if you don't know the name of the animal, you have to leaf through pages and pages of photographs in the hope of finding what you're looking for. While I can't really think of an alternative, this book at least gives you a few ways to help narrow down your options. There's an introduction and illustrated glossary which can help provide some context if you don't have detailed knowledge of sharks. There's a key to identifying families of sharks and rays so if you're looking for a particular fish, this section can help you find the right part to look in. There's also some incredibly detailed colour drawings of each species at the back and there's two indexes - one of common names and one of scientific names.

Each individual animal section outlines distinctive features, colour, size and distribution and a 'remark' heading under which you'll find behaviours, breeding habits and any conservation issues. There's no colour photographs only the coloured line drawings but I don't think you miss out on anything by not having them.

It's described as a field guide but at almost 650 pages its pretty big to be toting around. Plus it's one of those hardcover coffee table books and if you're anything like me you won't want to get it dirty or creased! Mine lives on my bookshelf but comes out after most dives and sometimes I'll just have a flick through to see what animal I want to go and dive with next.

Jane Mitchell is a scuba diving instructor who works at a public aquarium for her day job. She loves introducing people to the joys that can be found underwater and discovering everything she can about shipwrecks and sharks.

Her website is http://www.shipwrecksandsharks.com/

The Thinker's Thesaurus - Indeed!

The Thinker's Thesaurus: Sophisticated Synonyms for Basic Words, by Peter Meltzer, goes beyond the realm of what we think a "thesaurus" should be by providing us with a level of useful words that exceeds what we've become used to in a normal thesaurus. The thesaurus that most of us are accustomed to suggests words that can be boring and repetitive. Meltzer gives us words contained in recent media, books and hundreds of newspapers and magazines to whet our appetite for more useful and dynamic words.

This unique thesaurus is not only informative, but entertaining - especially to those of us who are died in the wool "word addicts" and love to look up words for the simple enjoyment of it. If you're a writer, you'll use The Thinker's Thesaurus to move to a new, higher level of writing by using these incredible words in your poetry or prose.

The Thinker's Thesaurus takes us into modern times - far from the day of Peter Mark Roget in 1852. Roget decided to write a thesaurus himself, since he couldn't find one already published. Roget grouped words by related ideas and as a result earned a place in history as a lexicographical expert.

Others have written their own versions of a thesaurus, but most of the words in them are as common and dated as the original words and so, when writers are stuck and needing help with that one word to complete a thought or sentence, they were out of luck. Now, with Meltzer's "thinker's thesaurus," writers or word addicts can find sparkling words that can make the others almost obsolete.

Peter Meltzer's book, The Thinker's Thesaurus, is unique in three interesting ways:

1. This thesaurus provides sophisticated synonyms for the sophisticated writer, word addict, or those who simply want to sprinkle some glitter into their writing.

2. The Thinker's Thesaurus contains examples (not made up, but actually part of current writing) of almost all of the synonyms presented in the book.

3. You'll find words that you're probably unfamiliar with, but that will intrigue you in an entertaining way. Meltzer thought to insert a "clarifier" feature into the words' explanations so that you'll also have the benefit of choosing the most "target-centered" word rather than using a word that's merely near what you want.

If you're a little skeptical that words can be sophisticated and entertaining, have a look at Peter Meltzer's new book, The Thinker's Thesaurus: Sophisticated Synonyms for Basic Words. Meltzer's thesaurus was the Book Sense Pick of the Month of the American Booksellers Association and earned the award tenfold.

Lauren Smith is editor for the Virtual Book Review Network - reviews books by well known bestselling authors and books by soon to be recognized names. For more information, visit: http://VirtualBookReviewNetwork.com. This book review covers The Thinker's Thesaurus by Peter E. Meltzer.

ESL Teacher Textbook Review - The Oxford Picture Dictionary

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

If you are an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher looking for the ultimate textbook to teach your students vocabulary, then you are going to love the Oxford Picture Dictionary (Monolingual English). This textbook is perfect for any ESL student and any ESL teacher. It can be used by students of all levels, and contains important English words or vocabulary. We use this book at our ESL school, Hawaii Literacy's Drop In Center, because it can be used with any level of student. As long as the student has learned their basic ABCs and basics of English reading, they can learn from it effectively.

To understand the amazing adaptability of this ESL textbook, I will discuss a little more about how it is used in our school. The Drop-In Center is a free ESL school for the local immigrant community of Hawaii, hence student attendance is not consistent. Students are free to come and go and thus it is difficult to have a traditional lesson plan structure. In addition, since the school is mostly run by volunteers, there are often not enough ESL teachers to divide students into different levels.

The Oxford Picture Dictionary offers many advantages for us:

1) It has relevant vocabulary for all levels of students (you can check out the table of contents on Amazon.com).
2) Students and ESL teachers can begin on any page at any time (so new students will not feel like they are behind the class).
3) Pictures can be understood even if the student has a very minimal level of English.
4) All levels of students find the book useful and engaging.
5) The teacher's manual and workbooks are excellent and make teaching and learning much easier.
6) It is inexpensive for most students (about $17)

Of course, even with these many advantages, the book is a reference book...a picture dictionary. Therefore, in order to make it interesting to students, the ESL teacher will need to integrate it into an effective classroom experience.

For my class, I usually use the Teacher's Manual, which already has ready made sample dialogues, lists of sentences for dictation, discussion questions, related vocabulary and other suggested activities. I might throw in a quiz or two to help the students check their comprehension.

Then I have them go home and review the vocabulary on their own at ESL teacher http://www.eslteacherguide.blogspot.com/, a blog I created with the corresponding video lessons. We have the students work on only one page of the book a week, so that they have the opportunity to go home and absorb the words effectively. Some of the other ESL teachers at our school integrate the vocabulary into their grammar practices, or into their own self-created activities. Whatever your classroom focus is or what methods you use, the Oxford Picture Dictionary is by far the best textbook for American English vocabulary building.

Meylysa Tseng,
ESL Teacher (Resources for Students Learning English, Resources for the ESL Teacher), http://www.eslteacherguide.blogspot.com/

The American Skyscraper 1850-1940 - A Celebration of Height is Great Tour of America!

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Skyscraper

By day the skyscraper looms in the smoke and sun and has a soul.
Prairie and valley, streets of the city, pour people into it and they
Mingle among its twenty floors...
It is the men and women, boys and girls so poured in and out all day
That give the building a soul of dreams and thoughts and memories...

--Carl Sandburg's Chicago's Poems (p. 325)

Sheer serendipity brought me into the formal facilities planning and management activities I directed for many years. However, in many ways, it merged with an instinctual love of the architectural form in all of its beauty. Thus, for me, Joseph Korom's The American Skyscraper, will become much more--a "coffee-table" book to be picked up and read again and again.

In reality, however, it is a complete text on the history of America's creation and use of Skyscrapers with in-depth information and over 300 images highlighting buildings across the United States. It includes over 60 pages for the bibliography, index, footnotes, and tabular presentations of celebrated skyscrapers! The author notes, "Between its covers are the stories of 287 American skyscrapers which were, or still are, located in seventy-one cities and towns..." (p. 21) Reflections of exterior details or interior shots, as well as architects' personal pictures, create a significant historical contribution for the libraries of both students and professionals in the fields of architectural and engineering, as well as all those who, like myself, are awed with the majesty and beauty of structures.

Architect Joseph Korom earned a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he also served as mentor. He is an accomplished artist whose paintings are represented in many private collections and is a freelance writer, architectural critic, and photographer. He is a member of the Society of Architectural Historians, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Milwaukee Art Museum. Joseph Korom, who has also authored Look Up Milwaukee (1979) and Milwaukee Architecture A Guide to Notable Buildings (1995.

"Very tall buildings, those now known as "skyscrapers," were invented here-in America.... Humans built tall for many reasons: to do so was communally satisfying, personally fulfilling and perhaps most of all it was a celebratory act-for everyone. To build tall was defiant, it was risky and it was scary but inherent in these anxieties was the conquering of height itself, to pierce the sky with a manmade object while still tethered to the ground was simply irresistible..." (pps. 14-15) Korom thus introduces his impressive text with a brief historical perspective of the brave men who began to build high and chronicles "this country's unique contribution to architecture..." (p. 16).

Presenting Chicago's Sear Tower as his first picture, he notes that it "is the ultimate expression of skyscraper technology and is the embodiment of vertical manifest destiny. It stands 110 floors, 1,454 feet tall, and is North America's tallest skyscraper." The author includes interesting factual information such as when he notes, "When the sun sets, pedestrians at the Sears Tower's base are plunged into shade. But due to the curvature of the earth, shade covers the tower's floors from bottom moving upward at the rate of one floor per second. Consequently, those at the building's top enjoy approximately two more minutes of sunlight..." (p. 21)

When I explored the buildings on the West Virginia University campus, working to better manage the utilization of those facilities and then plan what was needed to meet future needs, it was always the older buildings that I found more intriguing. Exploring Woodburn Hall all the way up into the clock tower, or walking through Chitwood and Martin Halls, prior to their being gutted and renovated, I thrilled at the basic beauty we wanted to retain, while at the same time, create updated classrooms, offices, and teaching laboratories that were needed for our School of Journalism and many departments within our College of Arts and Sciences.

Thus, as I read through A Celebration of Height, it was not surprising that I eagerly studied the buildings with the older styles that were used during the "courageous beginnings" starting in 1850. (p. 22). Zachary Taylor was president "during the planning and erection of the famed Jayne Building in Philadelphia. Knowing that "Old Rough and Ready" was in charge helps place the birth of the American skyscraper in historical context." (p. 23)

The following buildings included in the Celebration are just a few of those particularly enjoyed by this former Facilities professional/reviewer! I am sure others will choose those more modern.

? The Palmer House Hotel in Chicago; built 1872, by the "first merchant prince of Chicago, Potter Palmer, at the cost of $200,000. (pps. 49-50)
? Madison Square Garden Tower, 16 floors, 304 feet, New York. (P. 158)
? Women's Temple, Chicago, 1892, home of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. (p. 166)
? Columbus Memorial Building, topped by a giant bronze status of Christopher Columbus, built in 1893. "In an utterly wanton act, this delightful skyscraper was demolished in 1959." (p. 179)
? Trinity Church, New York City. Its steeple once ranked it the tallest structure on Manhattan Island. (p. 190)
? The Carson Pirie Scott Store's main entrance is marked by a most robust example of foliage This twisting m?lange was executed in iron then painted a forest green. This building, completed in 1904, immediately was propelled into the annals of architectural immortality. The Chicago Loop was now home to a large department store, rising twelve stories, 168 feet. The building featured some of the most compelling ornamentation anywhere. (pps. 231-232)
? City Investing Building, New York City, 1908, 487 feet, and containing one-half million square feet, making it the world's largest office building. "If ever there was a skyscraper that evoked romance, historicism, capitalism, and the optimism of the early twentieth century the City Investing Building was it. Here was a tower that drew upon inspiration from French Baroque sources, and in so doing, cut a delightful profile on New York's skyline. (p. 271)
? Bromo-Seltzer Tower, Baltimore, 1911, 15 floors, 280 feet tall, with a facsimile of the original Bromo-Seltzer bottle atop its tower! (pps. 294-295)
? Peter Cooper first manufactured structural beam for the Cooper Union Building in New York, thus setting the stage for skeleton construction and ultimately the skyscraper. (p. 25). Also in New York, the mid-19th century marked the age of cast iron architecture and is still concentrated in the "Cast Iron District, as a living museum, near the Greenwich Village. (p. 28)
? And, of course, the history of the skyscraper must also include the invention of the elevator. Manhattan's Haughwout Building was the first commercial building to employ a passenger elevator. "It was capable of lifting one-half ton at the rate of forty feed per minute and it was the first of its kind anywhere" when it was installed in 1857. Any facilities professional will not be surprised to hear that Elisha Graves Otis who eventually founded the Otis Elevator Company installed it. (pps. 28-29)

In addition to detailed facilities information, I also enjoyed the smaller details Korom added for interest, such as "Probably for the first time unrelated men and women worked side-by-side for eight or more hours in the same one or two rooms...skyscrapers, probably from their very inception, were places where 'advantages were acted upon' or there were rumors of such behavior..." (p. 137) and the various interior shots of those men and women dressed as they were at that time. Truly, The American Skyscraper 1850-1940: A Celebration of Height is a book that is highly recommended to all those interested in America's history!

By his buildings great in influence and power...
His philosophy where, in "Form Follows function"
Sullivan has earned his place as one of the greatest
Architectural forces in America...

--Memorial Mark to Louis Henri Sullivan (p. 195)

The American Skyscraper 1850-1940:
A Celebration of Height
By Joseph J. Korom, Jr.
Branden Books 2008
540 Pages
ISBN: 13: 978-0-8283-2188-4

G. A. Bixler is co-owner of an online review site of Independent Professional Book Reviewers. She has over 40 years experience in educational administration and publishing. New or well-known, self-published, or small press authors are all welcomed! Compare our prices to other professional book review sites!

http://www.bookreviewers.org/

12 Excellent Reference Books for Collecting Vintage Costume Jewellery in the UK

Error in deserializing body of reply message for operation 'Translate'. The maximum string content length quota (8192) has been exceeded while reading XML data. This quota may be increased by changing the MaxStringContentLength property on the XmlDictionaryReaderQuotas object used when creating the XML reader. Line 1, position 8986.
Error in deserializing body of reply message for operation 'Translate'. The maximum string content length quota (8192) has been exceeded while reading XML data. This quota may be increased by changing the MaxStringContentLength property on the XmlDictionaryReaderQuotas object used when creating the XML reader. Line 1, position 8768.

You have a thirst for knowledge and want to know more about the vintage costume jewellery in your collection. But which book to buy if you are living in the UK?

There are hundreds of reference books to choose from and most have been written in the US by authors who have a collection based in the US. How specific is that to us in the UK?

So here's a brief guide of 12 books to give a good over view of knowledge from Victorian through to the eighties and beyond. Actually there are more than 12 books here, because some authors have written more than one book that is useful.

This guide should cover general unsigned pieces and some signed pieces of jewellery. However there are no specific books ever written for the majority of the mass produced signed costume jewellery made by UK companies or made for the UK market apart from Wilson and Butler.

1. Costume Jewellery: A Collectors Guide by Caroline Behr (Miller's) (ISBN 1-84000-373-1)

A good place to start with a general over view and time line from Victorian, Art Deco, Arts and Crafts, 1950s, Czech, Austrian and some designers. Easy to read and has good photographs. Hand bag size and ideal to read on the train

2. Vintage Costume Jewellery: A Passion for fabulous Fakes by Carol Tanenbaum (ISBN 1-85149-511-8)

A must to buy and has the time line with expanded information. Includes Art Nouveau, Birmingham silver, machine, intro to Bakelite and plastic and a glossary. Loads of good photographs but none of the backs (a must for identification but rarely included in any book)

3. Secrets To Collecting Jewelry: How to BUY MORE for less! by Leigh Leshner (ISBN 0-89689-180-1)

Again a time line and over view through history but an absolute gem of a book because it has shows the backs and mechanism or findings that are essential to dating jewellery. This book looks at style and materials with specific photographs. Prom jewellery, art plastic, retro, manufacturing methods, Scandinavian, cameos. Mostly brief information but a very good visual guide. US book with $ price guide (2005). Another fabulous book to read on the bus or train as fits into your bag.

4. Jewels and Jewellery Clare Phillips (V & A) (ISBN 978-1-85177-535-4) or Jewellery: The Decorative Arts Library edited by Janet Swarbrick (ISBN 1-902328-13-2)

Could not decide which of these UK books was the most informative. So have I have included both

Jewels and Jewellery contains materials, a chronology of styles and manufacturing and distribution. Photographs of museum and pieces. Includes silver filigree, Berlin Iron, pearls, glass and enamel. Faith jewellery, cut steel, mourning and love jewellery not just jet or bog oak. Lalique, Ashbee, Liberty Cymric, Wilson, Gaskins and a time line pre Victorian to the 2000s.

Jewellery is a visual celebration of the world's great jewellery making techniques. From the ancient world until 1989. Full of information and photographs with more specific references to Jewellery in the UK.

5. Popular Jewelry of the '60s, '70s & '80s by Roseann Ettinger (ISBN 0-7643-2470-5)

Three decades of jewellery showing fashion and political trends that influenced the designs. US book with $ price guide (2006) The majority of vintage jewellery found is from this period and so makes this book invaluable to read. Well illustrated with pieces that are recognizable here in the UK. Including Mod jewellery, eastern influence, Pop Art, novelty, revival pieces, love beads, Art Metal, jade, plastic, wood and pave. The author has produced other reference books on other decades which are well worth investing in.

6. Collecting Art Plastic Jewelry by Leigh Leshner (ISBN 0-87349-954-9)

Bakelite is rare to find in jewellery in such quantities and variety as in the States. It is useful to recognize and see the variety of designs plastic has been used or with other materials. Celluloid, Lucite, thermoset, thermoplastic, laminated, reverse carved are more commonly found here in the UK and easily over looked. This book does make you look at plastic accessories in a whole new light. Does not contain enough information on galalith, the early plastic type that is more common in the UK. For this read books on Jakob Bengel.

7. Collecting Costume Jewelry 303: The flip side Exploring costume jewelry from the back by Julia C Carroll. (ISBN 978-1-57432-626-0)

This is the book that gets to the basics must have knowledge of vintage costume jewellery. The different components including the stones and cabochons that can be invaluable in dating and hardware clues that can be missed. Cameos, rhinestones, signed jewellery and photographs of the signatures, art glass, pin backs and so much more. I look at this book and always find something that I have not noticed before. One of my most valuable books in terms of knowledge. Also has a section of designers including Jonette Jewelry Co (JJ) that are not always found in other books. US book with $ price guides (2010)

Julia Carroll has produced other books including Costume Jewelry 101 and 202 in this serious. Both books are well worth having for reference as well.

8. Baubles, Buttons and Beads: The Heritage of Bohemia by Sibelle Jargstorf (ISBN 0-88740-467-7)

This is another gem of a book; as we had an abundance of vintage jewellery imported into this country from Bohemia up until the Second World War and then in smaller quantities after. Still available to find and collect but prices are rising. Sections on buttons, filigree, glass beads, plastic and glass cameos, 1930s, enamel and more importantly the history. After reading this book it has helped me date and identify cameos, filigree brooches and brightly coloured rhinestone jewellery of the 1920s and 30s. Hand finished and machine made dress clips and the different finishes used.

Sibylle Jargstorf has produced other books on beads and glass that are invaluable.

9. Cameos: A Pocket Guide by Monica Lynn Clements and Patricia Rosser Clements (ISBN 0-7643-1728-8)

Although there are many books on cameos, this small packet guide is full of cameos in materials other than shell. Shell is the most collected cameo jewellery type but for me it did not have an appeal. I wanted to know more about the glass, plastic, metal and gemstone cameos that I was finding. How to identify the materials used and when were they made. This book has an abundance of photographs covering a huge amount of cameos in these materials and more importantly recognizable for the UK market. US book with $ price guide (2003) For more in depth information on cameo jewellery then obtain any of the editions of Cameos: Old and New by Anna M Miller.

10. Victorian Jewellery by Margaret Flowers (No ISBN)

Not a book on vintage but antique jewellery that is now out of print but still available in several editions. First published in 1951 but well worth reading. Insight into the Victorian influences and seen in revival pieces. Birmingham's role in mass produced jewellery. This book is often sited in later books as being influential. Has the Victorian period in 3 parts and each section has the most used motifs of that period. Did make me laugh at the sheer snobbish attitude of the author at times but well worth reading. Few photographs and mostly in black and white that are not that clear.

11. Scottish Jewellery: A Victorian Passion by Diana Scarisbrick

Scottish jewellery is found in abundance in the UK. From the mid nineteenth century with the rise in popularity, had factories in Scotland and England churning out designs and pieces in the thousands. This continued into the late twentieth century mostly in Birmingham. This book is a good introduction. Not as in depth as could have been and do not expect information on vintage Scottish souvenir jewellery from Miracle, The Ward Brothers, Exquisite or Hollywood. Pages of photographs of agate and silver brooches and bracelets. But complicated by the photo guide at the end of the book. A good starter book to recognize Scottish motifs.

12. Warman's Jewelry: Fine & Costume Jewelry 4Th Edition by Kathy Flood (ISBN 1-4402-0801-8)

This is the 4Th edition of the Warman's Jewelry Identification and Price Guide. So 3 other books to obtain and read. In this edition two centuries are covered with pearls, figural, cameos, Art Nouveau, Art Deco and plastic. The difference between Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian jewellery. Again page after page of jewellery photographs. Good mix of fresh antique, vintage and modern jewellery. A mix of world wide designs hat I found applicable to the UK. US book with $ price guide (2010)

This is just a brief reference of general books for vintage jewellery that will change as more books come onto the market or I discover out of print books. Then there are more specific books on Bengal, Avon, Sarah Coventry, Egyptian Revival jewellery, Haskell, D & E, Wilson & Butler and so many more to read

Even with this amount of information I still feel that I have just skimmed the surface. As said previously there is a lack of information on jewellery from Ciro Pearls, Sphinx, Exquisite, Miracle, Hollywood, Thomas Le Mott and many other companies that mass produced jewellery in this country in the twentieth century, which is now very collectible world wide.

Sue Weaver Jewels and Finery
Part Owned of Jewels and Finery. Novice vintage costume jeweler and passionate about UK mass produced jewellery pre 1980s.
More information is available on our website below

http://www.jewelsandfinery.co.uk/

And follow my blog at http://blog.jewelsandfinery.co.uk/ for regular updates on dating and identifying second hand jewellery.

Book Review: How to Tell A Great Story, by Aneeta Sundararaj

For several years, Aneeta Sundararaj has been helping writers through her website with countless articles, reviews and interviews. Now, she has compiled all her experience and expertise in her new book for beginner writers, "How to Tell a Great Story".

After a brief introduction, Sundararaj takes beginners through all the steps necessary to become a great storyteller, from vital preparation, to understanding themes, to the reasons for telling a great story, to painting your setting and much more. At the end of the book there are five appendixes: on planning and analyzing your research material, information for market research, character profiling, copyright issues for storytellers, and a sample storyline.

Written in an engaging, yet thoughtful style, and combining quotes and written material from other authors, "How to Tell a Great Story" makes a helpful, information-laden reference book for any aspiring storyteller. What I really like about this book, though, is the new angle the author brings into it: the importance of storytelling not only for writing stories, but for other aspects of our lives. For example, knowing how to tell a great story can be helpful in the workplace if you work in marketing and publicity and must give a presentation. A story connects people in a way that a simple explanation or demonstration cannot.
Sundararaj points out the importance of timing and intonation; in other words, often it isn't just the story that's vital but how you tell it. It is a talent some people are born with but it is also a skill that can be learned and improved. The same logic works for writing. You may have a great story idea, but how you write it and execute it is what counts. The author's advice works for aspiring short stories writers, novelists, and anyone who would like to get better at storytelling for everyday use. Reading this book was informative and interesting and I look forward to more of Sundararaj's work in the future.

Aneeta Sundararaj grew up in a small town in Malaysia called 'Alor Star'. She went to university to read law and also practised for a few years. Then, she decided to follow her dream of writing. She self-published her first novel, (The Banana Leaf Men) and, thereafter, created and developed a dynamic website called, "How To Tell A Great Story". She continues to write full time and now lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Title: How To Tell A Great Story
Author: Aneeta Sundararaj
Publisher: Bookshaker
Publication date: 4 July 2011
ISBN 10: 1907498575
ISBN 13: 978-1907498572
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 172
Price: US18.00
Genre: Non-fiction

Reviewers' secrets revealed in Reviewers Talk about Their Craft, PLUS receive the first lesson of my Slippery Art of Book Reviewing Workshop. Both FREE at http://www.mayracalvani.com/.

Book Review of "Kiss My Math: Showing Pre-Algebra Who's Boss" by Danica McKellar

Kiss My Math: Showing Pre-Algebra Who's Boss [Soft cover]

by Danica McKellar

352 pages, $24.95

ISBN-10: 1594630496

Nonfiction

At the end of the 80s, the network ABC blessed America with an endearing drama entitled "The Wonder Years." A youthful Fred Savage navigated the unrest of maturing in the 60's, a period of American history fraught with turbulence. In this family sitcom, his co-star, Danica McKellar, was his winsome, on-and-off-again girlfriend, Winnie. Struggling with math concepts was probably too mundane a plot to be aired on this amicable television show.

Ms. McKellar decided to take a break from acting to attend UCLA where she earned a BS in Mathematics-even helping to author original research proving an original math theorem. During that course of study, she had an epiphany: mathematics does not have to be the bane of young females. Opting not to stay in the lofty towers of mathematics academe, she wrote Math Doesn't Suck, a book specifically aimed at young females to help those struggling with math anxiety.

Kiss My Math builds upon the content of Math Doesn't Suck, to take its readership to a higher understanding of pre-algebraic concepts. Having taught math in high school, this writer cannot find fault with the demonstration of math principles presented. One of the benefits of studying math, or even teaching math, is the fact that, in the end - math problems can have only one right answer. Math anxiety arises when a student realizes that math is an exacting study...one that cannot be achieved through a bluffing process.

Prepubescent girls will appreciate the efforts to provide dating tips and glimpses from Danica's personal experiences as she navigated adolescence. McKellar is to be commended for including testimonials from professional women that illustrate the study of mathematics can be helpful in even glamorous feminine careers, such as fashion merchandising.

It is hard to take some of the illustrations seriously, however. For instance, to teach the difference between positive and negative integers, McKellar calls them "mint-egers" instead. A good tasting mint is a positive integer and a bad tasting trifle is a negative integer. If you have a negative taste in your mouth, like -6, you can combine it with a positive integer to get 0. She calls this a "lint-eger" since it's so bland.

Know a young female who's struggling with math? This book could help, but keep it away from her dad; he will laugh himself silly over the rest of it.

Review by Steven King, MBA, MEd