Disabilities.

Haugen, David, and Susan Musser.    Disabilities.  Gale/Greenhaven  2014  188p  $38.45  ISBN 978-0-7377-6995-1  ms/hs      series: Teen Rights & Freedoms.  Nonfiction  VG

This succinctly written book provides a wealth of information about the laws that have been created to protect those with disabilities, particularly teens and adolescents.  The crisply written text provides information about specific disabilities, the need for laws to protect the rights of disabled persons in the United States, famous court cases that relate to and have been instrumental in the creation of new laws, and implementation of new laws.  The first half of the book focuses on disabilities and the laws to protect in general, while the second half emphasizes how these laws pertain to teens and adolescents specifically.

The information is accurate and presented well, in a concise manner with a reading level appropriate to young readers.  While the visual aspect of the book is not overly attractive, it is consistent and leans toward the seriousness of the topic.  Colored lines and graphs are included for clarification of the text and to separate different sections.

Haugen and Musser have created a book that provides much information at a reading level that will not intimidate young readers.  This book is also a very good resource and research tool, as it contains an extensive table of contents with chapter descriptions, a comprehensive chronology, a list of organizations to contact, a list for further reading, and an index.

This is one book in the Teen Rights and Freedoms series. There are currently twenty-five titles in this series.  

Summary: Discusses disabilities and the laws that protect those with disabilities in the United States, particularly teens and adolescents.

Disabilities                                          --Virginia McGarvey