Drugs and Emotions

School Library Journal

Gr 5 UpTwo uneven entries in a hi/lo series. Crime presents general information on types of drugs and their effects rather than convincingly connecting violence to drug use. Statements are made without pinpointing sources, making it difficult for readers to follow up in more depth. Other statements are misleading. For example: "Other commonly prescribed drugs such as Valium, Xanax, and Prozac have been shown to cause violent behavior. As of 1992, more than 23,000 reports of adverse reactions to Prozac had been filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration." Readers may well infer that the "adverse reactions" refers to violence, instead of the much more common side effects of insomnia and weight loss listed in the 1996 Physicians' Desk Reference. Gilda Berger's Violence and Drugs (Watts, 1989; o.p.) is more thorough and includes primary documentation, while still in an easy-to-read format. Emotions, the better of the two books, describes the reasons teens may be attracted to drugs and how they can become hooked. The dangers of both legal and illegal drugs are presented. A good portion of the discussion deals with how to recognize that a problem exists and how to obtain help. Short anecdotal entries describe teen experiences and put a human face on addiction and recovery. Both titles include black-and-white and a few color photos and mostly hi/lo sources for further reading.Susan R. Farber, Ardsley Public Library, NY