BECKY SHER | Hype 'Looks Book' cooks

If your school had a class on style, "The Looks Book" would be the textbook.
This guide to fashion and style is one-of-a-kind -- it covers everything from history to biology to body image, all in a very cool-looking package.
"The Looks Book" (Penguin Original, $17) is the brainchild of Rebecca Odes, Esther Drill and Heather McDonald -- the fabulous minds behind Gurl.com.
They bring witty banter, amazing illustrations and totally groovy fashion sense to the book, which is kind of like a manual to being a girl.
It starts with a section on the history of beauty: what it is, why it matters and how its image has developed through history. Sound boring? It's not -- you'll learn some really fascinating (and surprising) stuff about what people used to think was beautiful.
The book's second section looks -- in detail -- at the female body, from your nose to your toes and everything in between. You'll learn stuff they never teach you in school. (Did you know that if a woman in ancient Egypt cheated on her husband, her ears were cut off?)
Part three is our fave -- a tribute to style, from It girl to bad girl.
With its bright colors and bold point of view, "The Looks Book" is like no textbook you've ever studied. But you'll learn just as much.
Middle-earth magic
Anxious to see what's in store for Frodo and the gang when the next installment of "The Lord of the Rings" hits theaters? Get a sneak peek -- "The Two Towers" video game just hit stores, and it's your first-class ticket to Middle-earth.
The game lets you take on the roles of "LOTR" characters like Aragon, Legolas and Gimli to battle the evil forces that always seem to rear their ugly heads.
It's your task to restore peace to Middle-earth, and let's face it, that's no easy task.
But if you're a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien's books and the film series, there are tons of features you'll find even cooler than the gameplay.
The game features actual sound effects from the films, and voice-overs from the actors, like Orlando Bloom, Viggo Mortensen and Ian McKellen.
Plus, you'll hear more than five hours of the amazing musical score (it won an Academy Award, FYI) and catch "never-before-seen" footage from "The Two Towers" movie.
"The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" video game is available for PlayStation 2 ($49.99) and Game Boy Advance ($39.99). Xbox and GameCube versions will be released later this year.
Get more info at www.lordoftherings.ea.com.
XBecky Sher writes Hype for Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service. You can write to her at bsher@krtinfo.com.