Sleep Problems.

Nardo, Don.  Sleep Problems.  Gale/Lucent  2014  104p  $32.10     ISBN 978-1-4205-1150-5  ms/jr  series: Nutrition & Health  Nonfiction  VG   

This brief book provides a lot of information about sleep disorders.  Each succinct chapter provides a wealth of information but is presented in a manner understandable to young readers.  Although the author does present technical terms, they are thoroughly explained.  The text is very informative, and text boxes and graphics enhance and clarify it.  The text flows well, and the brief text on pages will not intimidate or overwhelm readers.

In addition to the informative text there is also plenty of visual appeal. Use of full-color photographs and charts will engage and excite the reader.  Color text denotes new concepts within chapters and highlights the captions.  Colored “Health Fact” boxes stand out and provide additional information.

This book will resonate well with young readers and researchers.  The table of contents, notes, glossary, list of organizations to contact, and index make this a great resource for middle-school libraries.
     

This is one book in the Nutrition & Health series.

Summary: This volume describes sleep myths, why sleep is vital, the chief sleep disorder of insomnia, other sleep disorders, odd behaviors during sleep and finding paths to better sleep.          

Sleep disorders                                       --Virginia McGarvey

Kessler, David. Your Food Is Fooling You.

Kessler, David.  Your Food Is Fooling You.  Roaring Brook Press see Macmillan   2013      183p  ISBN 978-1-59643-831-6  ms/hs  E-BN  Nonfiction

Your Food Is Fooling You is sure to shock young readers as it reveals the “secret” that is leading to obesity, especially in our youth.  Everyone knows that obesity comes from overeating; however, this book reveals what is being added to our foods – sugar, fat, and salt -- that cause us to want to overeat.  Dr. Kessler has written a very informative book that will appeal to young readers.  He has combined a very worrisome issue with facts that young readers will easily understand and ponder. The enlightening text is sure to have youngsters critically evaluating the foods they consume and determining alternative sources of fuel instead of foods that “hijack” our brains.  The mention of child-friendly products such as “Fruit Loops” adds credibility and interest to the discussion.

Unfortunately, there are some typographical errors that distract from the importance of the material.  For example, page 10 is missing the word “be” in a sentence in the middle of the page. Further editing is recommended.

This book is recommended for any middle- or high-school library.  It will appeal to many young readers and would make an excellent selection for a basic books list for school libraries.

Summary: This book explains how the brain is hijacked by sugar, fat, and salt, leading to the inability to choose wholesome foods and the growing global problem of obesity.  Our food is being injected with substances that make us crave more than we need.  These additives – sugar, fat, and salt -- are responsible for feelings of in-satiation after a meal that should satisfy and causing obesity in humans.

Nutrition, Obesity                                          --Virginia McGarvey

Hillstrom, Kevin. Genetically Modified Foods.

Hillstrom, Kevin.  Genetically Modified Foods.  Cengage (Gale/Blackbirch/ Greenhaven/Lucent)  2012  96p  $30.95  978-1-4205-0722-5  series: Nutrition & Health.   ms/hs       VG-BNS   

This succinct book provides factual information in a manner that young adult readers can understand. Crisply written, the text explains the processing of genetically modify food, its advantages, and the concerns associated with it, in a factual presentation devoid of bias or opinion.  It also provides examples of the debates that surround the issue of genetically modifying foods and fairly presents material on both sides of the controversy.

In addition to the informative writing, this book also has visual appeal.  The page layout is attractive.  Each concise chapter includes full-color photographs with captions that enhance and clarify the text.  Chapters also contain graphs and text boxes that provide a visual connection with the additional information they deliver.

Kevin Hillstrom has written a very responsible book about genetically modified foods, presenting all the information in a factual manner.  Its brief chapters with eye-catching graphics make this source nonthreatening to young readers.  It is also a great resource tool, as it contains a table of contents, notes, a glossary, a list of organizations to contact with descriptions, a “more information” page, and an index.

This is one book in the Lucent Books’ Nutrition and Health series.  There are currently ten titles in this series that provide information for evaluating the controversies and conflicting information surrounding issues of nutrition and health.     

Genetically modified foods                            --Virginia McGarvey