School Library Journal (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

CURRIE-MCGHEE, Leanne K. Teenage Alcoholism . map. ISBN 978-1-60152-164-4 . LC 2011013858. CURRIE-MCGHEE, Leanne K. Teenage Drug Abuse . ISBN 978-1-60152-165-1 . LC 2010046672. PARKS, Peggy J. Teenage Eating Disorders . diags. ISBN 978-1-60152-166-8 . LC 2011001383. PARKS, Peggy J. Teenage Sex and Pregnancy . ISBN 978-1-60152-168-2 . LC 2011012468. PARKS, Peggy J. Teenage Suicide . ISBN 978-1-60152-156-9 . LC 2010047530. ea vol: 96p. (Compact Research: Teenage Problems Series). charts. photos. chron. further reading. index. notes. Websites. CIP. ReferencePoint . Nov. 2011. PLB $27.95. Gr 710 Unfortunately, this exhaustively researched series is also exhausting to read, and teens hoping for a sympathetic explanation of adolescent issues will be disappointed with its clinical, textbook style. Combining first-person narratives, opinions from specialists, and myriad statistics, these titles seem to have been written specifically for reports. The narratives and professional opinions, which are often conveyed through primary source quotes sections, appear to be selected solely for their scare-tactic qualities, while the fact pages are so verbose that the data loses its impact. Many of the charts and graphs are inadequately labeled or visually busy and, thus, quite confusing. Each volume contains a few color photographs.

Horn Book (Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2012)

Two-page "At a Glance" and "Overview" chapters introduce four sections describing the title "teenage problem" (suicide, sex and pregnancy), its causes, and prevention. Each chapter is followed by quotations from primary and secondary sources and a bulleted list of facts with charts and graphs. The topics are of interest to teens, but the quotes lack context, making it difficult to judge speakers' biases. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

ALA Booklist (Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2012)

"More than 700,000 girls become pregnant each year; the U.S. teen birthrate is higher than in all other industrialized countries, and tens of thousands of young people have been infected by STDs." Drawing on a wide range of primary sources from the Mayo Clinic and Yale University to Seventeen magazine and students' websites this title in the Compact Research: Teenage Problems series confronts today's urgent, controversial issues; provides detailed information about both abstinence and contraception; and debates what should be taught in sex education, including the role of religious values. With lots of individual profiles, subheads, and feature boxes, the spacious book design will encourage browsers, who will find important facts as well as opposing viewpoints on issues such as the role of faith and religious counseling, the need for sex ed for nonheterosexual teens, and much more. With the current hot debates about access to contraception, this is a great title for group discussion, for adults, too. The detailed back pages include key advocacy groups.