PRODUCT REVIEW - "Unlock the Mystery to Math" BOOK

Finally a Book That Actually Can Help Kids Failing Math in a FUN Way

As a parent of a child struggling with numbers, you've tried everything.  You've spent a lot more time and money on tutors and various math enrichment programs than you'd like to admit.  And how much hair is left on your head to pull out after surviving all those hours of teacher conferences and even more time in math homework warfare?

You are feeling as if you are at the end of your rope, right?  Here, you have a very bright child who performs exceptionally well in other subjects, possibly with a high IQ, but they still can't understand basic grade-level concepts. Why? Does your child still think Math is a four letter word? Well, it does have four letters, you know.  What now?

I know I've personally experienced this frustration. Why, by the end of sixth grade I obsessed, couldn't one of our triplets who reads well above grade level and writes even better, grasp and apply basic math skills? For sure, she's going to need much better math abilities to survive the rest of what used to be called junior high, never mind pass the simple algebra and geometry courses required to even graduate from high school.

At the time, my husband and I were really at wit's end. After many hours of homework and tutoring by mom, dad, siblings, friends, and teachers, she was still failing. Not to mention the fact that both mom and dad had practically memorized the entire 6th grade textbook's problems, since we'd go over each chapter again and again with her.

But luckily, just in time before we started swinging from the chandelier in our dining room, we stumbled upon a treasure, thanks to a public school independent study program advisor.  That softcover book's value turned out to be worth far more than its weight in gold (even at today's sky high prices).  And to think how little gold I would have received for $18.95, the cover price of the book, Unlock The Mystery To Math, by RJ Toftness, RJ Publishing, ISBN #978-0-9821469-0-3

Toftness' novel approach to finding out why one fails in math, intertwines cartoons, illustrative stories and straight forward explanations.  Among teachers and administrators that have raved about this teaching tool are Samuel Kiwasz, now retired, who served 22 years as a Los Angeles Unified School District middle school teacher.  " Unlock the Mystery to Math could really revolutionize the way we teach math in this country and potentially help boost America's math literacy," Kiwasz states.

My own 12 year-old had been working with this book for about a month but had made more progress than she did during the entire school year. She's really getting it now. In fact, last night she informed us that she is ready for physics! In reality, it's going to be awhile before she really even knows what physics is, but at least for now she finally feels something better than her former I-Hate-Math self and is channeling positive learning progress as a result of this text.

So, let me encourage you that all has not failed yet. If you think you have tried everything else already, don't give up completely before you try this book -- it could make the difference between your child being a success or failure in middle school and high school mathematics and beyond. I try to inject humor into everything I write, but the outcome for you might not be so entertaining for your child if you don't at least investigate this great learning tool.

FREE GIVEAWAY contest to win  one of THREE signed copies of this fabulous math learning aide runs from now until October 31, 2009!

Entering is EASY as 1-2-3

1. Leave a comment below this product book review post

AND

2. Retweet (RT) the message below about this contest on Twitter.com

RT Got Math Anxiety or know someone who does? WIN Unlock Mystery to Math book http://tinyurl.com/yelqnsv #contest #giveaway #math

3. Steps 1 + 2 are required to be eligible to win. For an optional second entry to win a book, post the contest details to your own blog and then email the link to that post to janis@janiselspas.com BE SURE TO PUT Unlock the Mystery to Math in the Subject Line of your email.

Enter to win every day, but remember only one book will be awarded per winner.

FTC Disclosure: MommyBlogExpert received a copy of the book that was reviewed.  The author also provided 3 signed copies of the book to be given away in the contest.  MommyBlogExpert did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post.  See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.