Vitamins Are Vital

Children's Literature

This 32-page book provides basic information about the various kinds of vitamins and minerals. To accomplish this goal, the book uses eye-catching photos of children and fresh fruits and vegetables as well as bold-faced key words and a question and answer format. The book describes each of the vitamins (B vitamins, C, A, D, E, and K), the minerals, calcium and iron. It also tells readers how the body uses nutrients. The book identifies foods which provide these nutrients, typically using a question and answer format, "Where can you find........?" The book ends with a glossary, defining 12 words, and a pronunciation guide for some of the hard-to-pronounce words such as "antioxidant" and "osteoporosis." The photographs throughout the book show both boys and girls, and a variety of different ethnicities are portrayed. 2003, ABDO Publishing Company, Ages 8 to 12.
— Lynn O'Connell

School Library Journal

Gr 2-4-Petrie mixes basic facts with bright photographs to produce downright palatable overviews. The writing is clear and simple, the graphics are colorful and bold, and the layout is uncluttered. The information is presented with an eye toward helping children make wise food choices and eat a balanced diet. Food Pyramid looks at each food group, the nutrition it provides, and serving sizes. Nutrition defines its topic and explains how it affects our bodies and health. Types of nutrients, as well as digestion and metabolism, are considered. Vitamins explains the difference between water- and fat-soluble vitamins, then proceeds through the list of basic vitamins and minerals, outlining how each contributes to good health. Lizzy Rockwell's Good Enough to Eat (HarperCollins, 1999) is a comprehensive single-volume introduction to the general topic of nutrition and includes simple recipes. Bill Haduch's Food Rules! (Dutton, 2001) combines a conversational tone with lots of humor and includes information on digestion as well as nutrition. Loreen Leedy's witty and visually appealing The Edible Pyramid (Holiday, 1994), aimed at a slightly younger audience, takes readers to an elegant restaurant where finely dressed animals explore the food pyramid within the context of ordering a meal. These titles join a host of solid introductions to the topic.-Joyce Adams Burner, Hillcrest Library, Prairie Village, KS Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.