Weight Training

Children's Literature

This entry in the "Nutrition and Fitness" series will appeal to middle schoolers and teenagers who want to learn about keeping fit and staying in shape. Each book begins with the physical advantages of the sport and enthusiasm for what fun it can be and how it is also a good social thing to do. Format is varied and includes captioned pictures, diagrams, bulleted points to consider, and somewhat sappy real-life anecdotes about "Allan, Age 17" or "Nico, Age 14." Since starting to train is an individual thing and weight training without physical maturity and some adult supervision can be dangerous, these books take readers slowly to any sort of "program." A good discussion of the dangers of performance enhancement drugs is followed by basics such as a helpful chart of common weight training terms and body muscle names and locations. Safety and rules to lift by are discussed before the final chapters, which suggest how to develop a workout schedule, cross train, and keep track of and evaluate your progress. A wheelchair athlete is shown lifting. Frequent "Points to Consider" provide browsers with enticement to read backwards to see what they've missed. Endmatter includes related readings, Internet sites and addresses to write to, plus an index and glossary. Given this age group's growing interest in staying fit, these titles fit the bill to keep kids on target in an interesting and approachable format. 2001, Capstone Press, $23.93. Ages 11 to 16. Reviewer: Susan Hepler