Having read Algebra Unplugged, I was ready for another humor filled math book, and I wasn't disappointed, although Calculus for Cats is a little more sedate than Algebra Unplugged if you can call it sedate when it begins by explaining that cats arrived on earth as "aliens" and achieved world domination because they can do calculus. It seems that ever since they achieved world domination they have been scheming to keep humans from learning calculus and thus gain the ability to subvert their power. Cats, catmobiles, and linear or quadratic mice provide a running story line that binds the exposition of the concepts and vocabulary of calculus together. The idea being that if cats can do calculus, you can, too.

I've never taken a calculus course, but I am good at math. I tried once in college to learn calculus on my own. I gave up after a couple of lessons because it was bewildering-a problem many calculus students have. Calculus for Cats was written to get you past the bewilderment by giving you an understandable overview of the concepts of calculus without overwhelming you with lots of problems. It is not a complete coverage of calculus, and it should not take the place of a calculus textbook. For those students who want or need to take calculus, it is an excellent introduction that should make the textbook work easier. You shouldn't read Calculus for Cats, however, without a good grounding in algebra.

I did find the going rough initially. There are a lot of new words and new ideas covered. They tend to make the brain tilt even with the humor and gentle reader-friendly approach. The authors explain that since calculus, unlike algebra or geometry, feels fluid, those new to calculus may find the feeling disconcerting. I definitely felt that my boat was rocking, but after pushing on, the concepts began to take hold, and I felt like I had finally gotten a grasp on something I had written off as too arcane for my taste. Calculus for Cats is an inexpensive, practical tool for homeschoolers pursuing higher math.