(4) YA Tobacco: The Deadly Drug series. With a fair amount of overlapping information, these books address less familiar tobacco-related issues, such as conflicting economic interests (tax revenue versus healthcare costs), fires, pollution, and secondhand smoke. The straightforward texts are accompanied by an onslaught of statistics and other facts and photos of teens and adults engaged in smoking. Hokey cartoon illustrations are distracting. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Tobacco: The Deadly Drug titles: Putting Out the Fire, Cash Crop to Cash Cow, and Burning Money.

Reviewer: Claudia Harrington DeShay

(4) YA Antidepressants series. This coherent series relates the basics about depression. It spotlights personal experiences, sometimes in the form of formulaically written running narratives (e.g., in Advertising, teenager Annette considers using antidepressants to help cope with her mother's death) and often accompanied by stiff staged photos. Each spread features a sidebar, chart, or photo to help break up the text. There are eight other fall 2006 books in the series. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Antidepressants titles: Antidepressants and Advertising, Antidepressants and Social Anxiety, Antidepressants and Suicide, The History of Depression, and "Natural" Alternatives to Antidepressants.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) YA Antidepressants series. This coherent series relates the basics about depression. It spotlights personal experiences, sometimes in the form of formulaically written running narratives (e.g., in Advertising, teenager Annette considers using antidepressants to help cope with her mother's death) and often accompanied by stiff staged photos. Each spread features a sidebar, chart, or photo to help break up the text. There are eight other fall 2006 books in the series. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Antidepressants titles: Antidepressants and Advertising, Antidepressants and Social Anxiety, Antidepressants and Suicide, The History of Depression, and "Natural" Alternatives to Antidepressants.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) YA Youth with Special Needs series. A fictional story featuring a young person with special needs alternates with factual information (about diagnosis, treatment, and scientific explanations), stock photos, and textbook-like diagrams, which further the discussion of the realities of living with a disability. The dialogue is contrived, but the books are accessible resources. There are seven other spring 2004 books in this series. Directory, reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Youth with Special Needs titles: The Hidden Child, Stuck on Fast Forward, Chained, Finding My Voice, and A Different Way of Seeing.

Reviewer: Becky Levine

(4) YA Youth with Special Needs series. A fictional story about children taken from an abusive parent and placed in the foster care system alternates with illustrated factual sections providing information about foster homes, adoptions, and the legal and social processes for helping children. The dialogue is contrived, but the book is an accessible resource. Directory. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Becky Levine

(4) YA Careers with Character series. Combining career discussion with character education, these books first describe the job, then use anecdotes, sidebars on ethical decision-making, and questions for the reader to explore integrity, courage, and other virtues in that profession. The tone is often sanctimonious, but the numerous examples personalize the topics. Posed-looking photos illustrate the text. There are thirteen other spring 2003 books in this series. Reading list. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Careers with Character titles: Professional Athlete and Sports Official, Clergy, Special Education Teacher, Nurse, and Manager.]

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam