Hooked: Talking about Addictions

School Library Journal

Gr 6-10-A concise, well-organized discussion of addictive behavior that explains causes and effects and the recovery process. In first-person confessions, teens talk about experiences not only with alcohol, drugs, and gambling, but with excessive studying and exercising. Average-quality black-and-white photographs, mostly of white people, illustrate the text. This is an adequate introduction, but cannot replace the Silversteins' Addictions Handbook (Enslow, 1991), which explores the subject in greater depth.-Martha Gordon, formerly at South Salem Library, NY

Susan Dove Lempke

Landau begins with three first-person accounts of addiction: Jerry, 17, drinks to make up for his preoccupied parents; Mark, 14, uses inhalants and defends continuing the practice even after a friend has died from "huffing" ; and Vicki, 16, gets up during the night to exercise for hours. Landau defines addiction broadly, including behaviors such as studying too much or working too hard. She discusses a range of causes, both external societal discrimination, peer pressure and internal low self-esteem, craving control, and briefly outlines some of the possible recovery routes, among them, 12-step programs and medical help. The grainy, dark photographs add little, but the anecdotal text is a good jumping-off point for students who want to learn about addictions. A list of further reading and addresses of help organizations are included.