Handy Health Guide to Diabetes.

Silverstein, Alvin, and Virginia Silverstein.  Handy Health Guide to Diabetes.  Enslow      2014  48p.  $24.00  ISBN 978-0-7660-4275-9 elem/middle  series: Handy Health Guide  Nonfiction  VG-BNe 

Diabetes is a serious illness that is affecting young and old.  The earlier you learn what diabetes is all about, the earlier you can prevent it and take care of yourself so that you are not affected.  Many people have a sweet tooth.  However, for some people having that sweet tooth could be dangerous for their health, and they need to take precautions to ensure that their bodies are able to process their sugar intake.  This means that their bodies may not be working properly to eliminate the extra sugar, and that can affect the way they feel.  If a person experiences extreme thirst, frequent urination, weakness and tiredness all day, or if one begins to lose weight even though he is eating regularly, this could be an indication of diabetes.

There are two kinds of diabetes.  Type 1 diabetes is the most dangerous type, necessitating the injection of insulin into the body every day, and possibly a few times a day, to ensure that the body will process and eliminate the extra sugar.  Type 2 diabetes is more manageable, but it also needs to be carefully monitored through medicine and exercise.  Both types can become extremely dangerous.  However, you can live a long productive live with either type if you follow the doctor’s orders, take your medicines and exercise.

It is never too early to learn about diseases.  In this volume in the Handy Health Guide series, children will learn valuable information about the sugar disease.  The book includes fact boxes, illustrations, learning activities, a glossary, a “learn more” section, a list of books and web sites, and an index.

Summary: It is never too early to learn about diseases.  In this volume in the Handy Health Guide series, children will learn valuable information about diabetes, the sugar disease.          

Diabetes                                                    --Magna Diaz

Handy Health Guide to Asthma.

Silverstein, Alvin, Virginia Silverstein, and L. S. Nunn.   Handy Health Guide to Asthma.  Enslow  2014  48p   $21.53    ISBN 978-0-7660-4269-8  elem/ms  series: Handy Health Guides  Nonfiction  VG-BN   

This book, with its attractive cover and numerous color photos of young people who have to deal with the effects of asthma, shows that asthma does not have to slow people down as long as they get the needed treatment and try their best to avoid triggers for the condition.  While the disease can lead to hospitalization, this aspect is downplayed.  With proper diagnosis of the triggers, including possible food allergies, and proper medication, a person can live a nearly normal life.  There is an excellent explanation of the respiratory system and how it is affected by asthma.  Plenty of diagrams and photos accompany this section of the book, demonstrating the physical effects of asthma.   A glossary, index and lists for further reading complete the book.   

Handy Health Guides offer colorful photos and diagrams to explain common illnesses, their causes, their physical symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.  They include excellent explanations of the body systems affected by illness. Grades 3-8.     

Summary: This book describes the causes, symptoms and treatment of asthma. It is filled with detailed diagrams of the respiratory system. It includes photos of a diverse youth population, and will satisfy report writers or those needing information for personal use. Gr 3-8.

Asthma                                                --Lois McNicol

ADHD.

Silverstein, Alvin, Virginia Silverstein,and L. S. Nunn.  ADHD.  Enslow  2014 48p   $23.93  ISBN 978-0-7660-4270-4  elem/ms      series: Handy Health Guides  Nonfiction  VG

The Silverstein family does a good job of organizing data and making ADHD easy to understand.  In the seven chapters of this book, they share symptoms, provide a list of famous people with ADHD, distinguish ADHD from general states of high energy, list its causes, provide criteria to aid in its diagnosis, and provide treatment options.  In the final chapter, the authors enumerate tasks for patients diagnosed with ADHD to follow.  Photographs are helpful, but not completely supportive of the text, as in the choice of a photo of a skier jumping a slope on a snowboard to illustrate the ADHD symptom of having lots of energy and being on the go.   It’s a stretch to show a boy rock climbing and ask if he has ADHD or just a lot of energy.  Admittedly, it is difficult to illustrate ADHD with photographs, and the authors did as good a job as possible in providing support for young readers who are bored by technical information.  The greatest strength of the book lies in the differentiation between ADD and ADHD.  The authors do a very good job of discussing and contrasting the symptoms of each.   The strengths of the book outweigh its weaknesses, and overall, it is helpful, interesting and well organized.  The glossary at the end combines with a short list of books and web sites to consult and an index.   

The series Handy Health Guides looks at colds and flu, diabetes, the eyes, and more.  Organization of the information, supporting charts and photographs, and a glossary of new vocabulary words provide textual support to young readers who are examining the human body and healthy lifestyles.     

Summary: ADHD is defined, contrasted with ADD, described in detail, diagnosed and treated in this short guide to the condition that plagues parents and educators alike.  

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder              --Martha Squaresky

Burns and Blisters.

Silverstein, Alvin, Virginia Silverstein,and L. S. Nunn.  Burns and Blisters.  Enslow  2014     48p   $23.93  ISBN 978-0-7660-4272-8 elem/ms     series: Handy Health Guides  Nonfiction  VG-BNe

In this easy-to-read book, children learn about human skin and about the different kinds of burns and scalds that can affect it adversely.  The different sources of burns are described, from sunburns to steam burns and even chemical burns and run burns.  Photographic illustrations show different kinds of burns and the different degrees of burns.  There is a nice diagram of the layers of the skin,  There is also discussion of the treatment and prevention of burns, and the proper handling of blisters and cuts in order to avoid infection.  With a good glossary, a valid list of resources for further study, and an index, this little book will be helpful for health classes, general information, and report-writing. 

Summary: In this easy-to-read book, children learn about human skin and about the different kinds of burns and scalds that can affect it adversely.     

Burns, Blisters                                             --Carol Kennedy