(4) YA Drugs, the Straight Facts series. After introducing the basics of measuring and evaluating weight, seven chapters cover prescription and over-the-counter weight-loss drugs including stimulants, appetite suppressants, and herbal preparations. The message is consistent: weight-loss drugs don't work and they have serious side effects. Occasional personal stories add interest to otherwise dry facts. Sidebars, charts, and stock photos break up the text. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) YA Drugs, the Straight Facts series. Each book's seven chapters cover the title drug's history, physiological effects, consequences (psychological, medical, and societal) of use and abuse, and treatment options. A few excerpts from interviews and personal stories add interest to otherwise dry facts. Several sidebars, some charts, and photographs (mostly generic) break up the texts. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Drugs, the Straight Facts titles: Quaaludes, Crack, and LSD.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) YA Drugs, the Straight Facts series. According to this volume, before 1981 the medical world thought infectious disease was essentially under control. Then clusters of diseases--eventually recognized as AIDS--appeared. The ongoing evolution of treatments, their effects on the AIDS virus, and their side effects are described in sometimes overwhelming detail. Charts, sidebars, and a few color photos break up the text. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) YA Drugs, the Straight Facts series. An introduction attempts to differentiate among cosmetics, drugs, cosmetic drugs, and cosmeceuticals. However, subsequent chapters blur the distinctions and veer largely into the realm of purely cosmetic compounds such as facial fillers and wrinkle reducers. Two chapters do cover medical treatments for hair loss, acne, and rosacea. Occasional generic photos break up the serviceable but dry text. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) YA Drugs, the Straight Facts series. Each book's seven chapters cover the title drug's history, physiological effects, consequences (psychological, medical, and societal) of use and abuse, and treatment options. A few excerpts from interviews and personal stories add interest to otherwise dry facts. Several sidebars, some charts, and photographs (mostly generic) break up the texts. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Drugs, the Straight Facts titles: Quaaludes, Crack, and LSD.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) YA Drugs, the Straight Facts series. Each book's seven chapters cover the title drug's history, physiological effects, consequences (psychological, medical, and societal) of use and abuse, and treatment options. A few excerpts from interviews and personal stories add interest to otherwise dry facts. Several sidebars, some charts, and photographs (mostly generic) break up the texts. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Drugs, the Straight Facts titles: Quaaludes, Crack, and LSD.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) YA Drugs, the Straight Facts series. These books leave the politics and scare tactics out of their exhaustive surveys of particular drugs; the result is texts that are educational but dry. As usual with this series, the books offer top-tier charts, graphs, and diagrams, plus vivid color photos. Most titles feature a reading list, bibliography, websites, and glossary. Ind. Review covers these Drugs, the Straight Facts titles: Barbiturates, Codeine, Cancer Drugs, Peyote and Mescaline, and Opium.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) YA Drugs, the Straight Facts series. These books leave the politics and scare tactics out of their exhaustive surveys of particular drugs; the result is texts that are educational but dry. As usual with this series, the books offer top-tier charts, graphs, and diagrams, plus vivid color photos. Most titles feature a reading list, bibliography, websites, and glossary. Ind. Review covers these Drugs, the Straight Facts titles: Barbiturates, Codeine, Cancer Drugs, Peyote and Mescaline, and Opium.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) YA Drugs, the Straight Facts series. These books leave the politics and scare tactics out of their exhaustive surveys of particular drugs; the result is texts that are educational but dry. As usual with this series, the books offer top-tier charts, graphs, and diagrams, plus vivid color photos. Most titles feature a reading list, bibliography, websites, and glossary. Ind. Review covers these Drugs, the Straight Facts titles: Barbiturates, Codeine, Cancer Drugs, Peyote and Mescaline, and Opium.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) YA Drugs, the Straight Facts series. This book's eight chapters provide a comprehensive look at methamphetamine dependency and addiction. Testimonials from recovering addicts and personal stories add a human face to the accessibly presented but dry facts. Statistics about meth's developments, effect on body and brain, teen attitudes, and law enforcement efforts to stamp out production and abuse are discussed as well. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) YA Drugs, the Straight Facts series. These books leave the politics and scare tactics out of their exhaustive surveys of particular drugs; the result is texts that are educational but dry. As usual with this series, the books offer top-tier charts, graphs, and diagrams, plus vivid color photos. Most titles feature a reading list, bibliography, websites, and glossary. Ind. Review covers these Drugs, the Straight Facts titles: Barbiturates, Codeine, Cancer Drugs, Peyote and Mescaline, and Opium.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) YA Drugs, the Straight Facts series. These books leave the politics and scare tactics out of their exhaustive surveys of particular drugs; the result is texts that are educational but dry. As usual with this series, the books offer top-tier charts, graphs, and diagrams, plus vivid color photos. Most titles feature a reading list, bibliography, websites, and glossary. Ind. Review covers these Drugs, the Straight Facts titles: Barbiturates, Codeine, Cancer Drugs, Peyote and Mescaline, and Opium.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) YA Drugs, the Straight Facts series. These information troves won't leave teenagers ignorant, but they will probably leave them bored. Alzheimer's and Morphine occasionally try to tease out the human-interest angle by supplying a few anecdotes, but Birth Control makes no attempt to appeal to a young-adult audience. Excellent charts, graphs, and diagrams as well as crisp color photos appear intermittently. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Drugs, the Straight Facts titles: Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Drugs, Morphine, and Birth Control Pills.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) YA Drugs, the Straight Facts series. These information troves won't leave teenagers ignorant, but they will probably leave them bored. Alzheimer's and Morphine occasionally try to tease out the human-interest angle by supplying a few anecdotes, but Birth Control makes no attempt to appeal to a young-adult audience. Excellent charts, graphs, and diagrams as well as crisp color photos appear intermittently. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Drugs, the Straight Facts titles: Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Drugs, Morphine, and Birth Control Pills.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) YA Drugs, the Straight Facts series. These information troves won't leave teenagers ignorant, but they will probably leave them bored. Alzheimer's and Morphine occasionally try to tease out the human-interest angle by supplying a few anecdotes, but Birth Control makes no attempt to appeal to a young-adult audience. Excellent charts, graphs, and diagrams as well as crisp color photos appear intermittently. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Drugs, the Straight Facts titles: Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Drugs, Morphine, and Birth Control Pills.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) YA Drugs, the Straight Facts series. The books in this cautionary series succeed because they are lucid, well organized, and filled with color photos, charts, graphs, diagrams, lists (e.g., "Famous Dead Smokers"), and other visuals that both break up the text and reinforce the just-say-no message. The authors only lose traction with the melodramatically written anecdotes designed to scare readers straight. Addresses, reading list, websites. Bib., ind. [Review covers these Drugs, the Straight Facts titles: Heroin, Hallucinogens, Cocaine, and Nicotine.]

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) YA Drugs, the Straight Facts series. The books in this cautionary series succeed because they are lucid, well organized, and filled with color photos, charts, graphs, diagrams, lists (e.g., "Famous Dead Smokers"), and other visuals that both break up the text and reinforce the just-say-no message. The authors only lose traction with the melodramatically written anecdotes designed to scare readers straight. Addresses, reading list, websites. Bib., ind. [Review covers these Drugs, the Straight Facts titles: Heroin, Hallucinogens, Cocaine, and Nicotine.]

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) YA Drugs, the Straight Facts series. The books in this cautionary series succeed because they are lucid, well organized, and filled with color photos, charts, graphs, diagrams, lists (e.g., "Famous Dead Smokers"), and other visuals that both break up the text and reinforce the just-say-no message. The authors only lose traction with the melodramatically written anecdotes designed to scare readers straight. Addresses, reading list, websites. Bib., ind. [Review covers these Drugs, the Straight Facts titles: Heroin, Hallucinogens, Cocaine, and Nicotine.]

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) YA Drugs, the Straight Facts series. The books in this cautionary series succeed because they are lucid, well organized, and filled with color photos, charts, graphs, diagrams, lists (e.g., "Famous Dead Smokers"), and other visuals that both break up the text and reinforce the just-say-no message. The authors only lose traction with the melodramatically written anecdotes designed to scare readers straight. Addresses, reading list, websites. Bib., ind. [Review covers these Drugs, the Straight Facts titles: Heroin, Hallucinogens, Cocaine, and Nicotine.]

Reviewer: Nell Beram