It probably doesn't hurt to mention that the UML is nothing to be afraid of, even if you're a beginner. Introductory UML diagrams are very easy to understand, even with no knowledge of UML.
So, fellow
Java greenhorns, if a beginner's book says it uses the UML to help describe concepts, be not afraid. Learning basic UML is very easy and it can be very useful to know when trying to reason your way through writing a program.