Death and Dying

School Library Journal

Gr 3-6-- Glossy, attractive layouts utilizing colorful graphics and posed full-color photography highlight these texts with noble aims. Each book takes a ``feelings'' approach to issues, in a question-and-answer format. Problem-solving techniques are encouraged and specific solutions suggested. The highly pictorial look extends the books' usefulness beyond the intended audience to older reluctant readers. Racism is the more useful and unique of the two titles as there is a dearth of material on the subject for this age level. Grunsell looks at what racism is and its effects. Concepts of prejudice, stereotypes, slavery, and apartheid are explored. Addresses for the ACLU and the Martin Luther King Center are included. Death gives definitions and discussions of fear, funerals, coping with grief, etc. A list of further reading is appended. No amazingly new insights here, but the information is handled in a sensitive, satisfactory manner. Joy Berry's Good Answers to Tough Questions about Death (Childrens, 1990) has a similar scope but is more information-oriented; Marge Heegaard's Coping with Death and Grief (Lerner, 1990) covers similar material in more depth and without as many pictures. Two of the better titles in this series, best suited for parenting/bibliotherapy collections, where discussion with an adult can follow or accompany the reading. --Celia A. Huffman, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Cleveland