Everything You Need to Know about Depression

School Library Journal

Gr 6 Up-Ayer discusses types of depression, some of its causes, and various therapies. There is a useful section on the mind/body link; chapters on suicide and its aftermath are not as effective. Also, the use of italics to highlight significant words and terms that are defined in a glossary is a device that is somewhat condescending for the targeted age group. The photographs are awkwardly posed and add nothing to the text. Cathie Cush's Depression (Steck Vaughn, 1993) is a better easy-to-read self-help guide; Herma Silverstein's Teenage Depression (Watts, 1990) is a more comprehensive title. Shire explains how HIV infection occurs and offers detailed, blunt suggestions for preventing the spread of the virus. She discusses the relationship between it and AIDS and the course of the disease. Other topics covered are legal rights, medical care and drug therapies, and counseling and support groups. Although she emphasizes that life does not stop after diagnosis, the author advises teens to make important decisions and plans. Her tone is compassionate, supportive, and upbeat. She stresses the need for a good self image and of taking care of oneself. Several excellent titles focus on prevention, e.g., Michael Ford's 100 Questions and Answers About AIDS (New Discovery, 1992), Jeanne Blake's Risky Times (Workman, 1990), and Margaret Hyde's AIDS (Walker, 1987). Elaine Landau's We Have AIDS (Watts, 1990) and Lori Wiener's Be a Friend (Albert Whitman, 1994) deal with those who are already infected. Shire's title is a philosophical and practical guide.-Libby K. White, Schenectady County Public Library, NY