(3) YA Twenty-first Century Medical Library series. Taking the perspective that managing healthy body weight begins in childhood and is vital in adolescence, Murphy explores America's obesity epidemic and describes medical consequences of being overweight. The book contains solid information; each chapter begins with an individual teen's story, which will draw in readers. Black-and-white photos and charts break up the pages. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) YA Twenty-first Century Medical Library series. The story of one person's experience with each disease begins each volume. Readable chapters follow, covering description, history (meningitis is suspected of causing Helen Keller's blindness and deafness), symptoms, treatment, and ongoing research. Personal stories add interest. Occasional (often generic) black-and-white photographs break up the text. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Twenty-first Century Medical Library titles: Diabetes and Meningitis.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) YA Twenty-first Century Medical Library series. The story of one person's experience with each disease begins each volume. Readable chapters follow, covering description, history (meningitis is suspected of causing Helen Keller's blindness and deafness), symptoms, treatment, and ongoing research. Personal stories add interest. Occasional (often generic) black-and-white photographs break up the text. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Twenty-first Century Medical Library titles: Diabetes and Meningitis.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) YA Twenty-first Century Medical Library series. Goldsmith demonstrates that influenza is much more than "just the flu" in seven readable chapters covering basic virology, past outbreaks, contemporary concerns, prevention, treatment, and ongoing research. Personal stories and occasional black-and-white photos add interest. Directory, reading list. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) YA Twenty-first Century Medical Library series. Providing diagnostic criteria, the authors define OCD as recurrent obsessions or compulsions that take up "more than one hour a day." The accessible text discusses common symptoms, causes, and treatment, including medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Older readers won't mind the lack of illustrations, as they will be drawn in by the case studies of OCD-suffering teens. Directory, reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(3) YA Twenty-first Century Medical Library series. Tourette's clinical look at the syndrome is complemented by testimonials of child sufferers. The book features black-and-white photos, including images of people experiencing "tics." STDs balances science and sociology relevant to young readers (e.g., the reasons teens are especially vulnerable to STDs) with case studies. Both of these series books offer solid information and sound advice. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Twenty-first Century Medical Library titles: Tourette Syndrome and STDs.]

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) YA Twenty-first Century Medical Library series. Murphy's clear, readable prose first defines orphan diseases (illnesses that affect fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S. at any one time), then devotes a chapter to disorders such as autism, sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis, and rare bone and connective tissue disorders. Occasional black-and-white photos illustrate this well-researched, up-to-date text that deftly combines facts with human examples. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) YA Twenty-first Century Medical Library series. Tourette's clinical look at the syndrome is complemented by testimonials of child sufferers. The book features black-and-white photos, including images of people experiencing "tics." STDs balances science and sociology relevant to young readers (e.g., the reasons teens are especially vulnerable to STDs) with case studies. Both of these series books offer solid information and sound advice. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Twenty-first Century Medical Library titles: Tourette Syndrome and STDs.]

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) YA Twenty-first Century Medical Library series. The books in this series offer overviews of their subjects. Using mostly secondary sources, Billitteri's well-documented book largely succeeds in balancing the helpful potential of such therapies as naturopathy and spiritual techniques with the potential ineffectiveness and danger. Harris's largely undocumented volume describes symptoms, cause, treatments, and history. A few black-and-white photos illustrate the workmanlike prose. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Twenty-first Century Medical Library titles: Alternative Medicine and Sickle Cell Disease.]

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) YA Twenty-first Century Medical Library series. The books in this series offer overviews of their subjects. Using mostly secondary sources, Billitteri's well-documented book largely succeeds in balancing the helpful potential of such therapies as naturopathy and spiritual techniques with the potential ineffectiveness and danger. Harris's largely undocumented volume describes symptoms, cause, treatments, and history. A few black-and-white photos illustrate the workmanlike prose. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Twenty-first Century Medical Library titles: Alternative Medicine and Sickle Cell Disease.]

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) YA Twenty-first Century Medical Library series. Each volume does a solid job in describing a particular health concern and its symptoms, explaining its impact on individuals (personal case studies are included) and society as a whole, and outlining various forms of treatment. Depression focuses specifically on teens dealing with that disorder. Tuberculosis is addressed as a contemporary, escalating concern. Unexceptional black-and-white photographs are included. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) YA Twenty-first Century Medical Library series. Each volume does a solid job in describing a particular health concern and its symptoms, explaining its impact on individuals (personal case studies are included) and society as a whole, and outlining various forms of treatment. Depression focuses specifically on teens dealing with that disorder. Tuberculosis is addressed as a contemporary, escalating concern. Unexceptional black-and-white photographs are included. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) YA Twenty-first Century Medical Library series. Overviews of causes, diagnosis, and treatments of allergies precede more detailed chapters covering specific types of allergies (food, skin, insect, etc.) and the link to asthma. While the writing is straightforward and some specific suggestions for dealing with sensitivities are useful, the black-and-white photos are dull and there is a great deal of repetition from chapter to chapter. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) YA Twenty-first Century Medical Library series. Readers will be drawn to case histories of seven eating-disordered individuals--male and female, teen and adult--illuminating chapters on symptoms, causes, treatments, effects on family and friends, and struggle to overcome anorexia, bulimia, and compulsive eating. Black-and-white photos are unimaginative but add a visual component to this clearly written book about a subject particularly important to teens. A list of resources is included. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges