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Editorials
School Library Journal
K-Gr 2
Although their topics are both important and necessary, these titles will have limited appeal. Most of the first book deals with substances that are not necessarily harmful-over-the-counter and prescribed medications, vaccines, inhalers, and insulin shots. The other substances discussed are household chemicals, alcohol, and cigarettes. Exercise discusses the importance of movement and what happens to your body during physical activity. It suggests pastimes such as bicycle riding and swimming. The text is at times condescending. The section titled "Is dancing just for girls?" has a picture of three girls covered in mud, with one holding a soccer ball. The caption reads, "Girls can play soccer, too." This is a poor choice of sport to highlight since girls have been playing it for many years. In both books, the staged color photos do not add to the texts. Better choices are Patricia J. Murphy's Avoiding Drugs (Lerner, 2005), Mari C. Schuh's Being Active (Capstone, 2006), and Mary Ann Fraser's I.Q. Gets Fit (Walker, 2007).-Stephanie Farnlacher, Trace Crossings Elementary School, Hoover, AL