Lola pretends to have a math allergy to get out of a math test. About The Author Melisa Lazarus is a 41-year-old mother of 3. She was born in France and moved to NY 16 years ago. Her passion for theater and her love for children lead her to write children's books inspired by her own life. Her family gave her the push to publish her first book, "The Math Allergy." They always believed in her and her talent. Choosing to write about young girls and math was important for her because her daughter, Naomi, always thought she wasn't good at math. Melisa kept on telling Naomi that she shouldn't be afraid of anything and she could succeed in everything with the right mindset. As of today, her daughter is in the highest math class! With her native language being French, writing was a challenge for the author. She did not speak English fluently when she moved to America in 2005. Melisa wanted to show this generation how if you keep trying and working hard then you can do anything! You must believe in yourself! Growth Mindset is powerful!! Through hard work and a dash of confidence you can achieve more than you can ever imagine