Teenage Mental Illness

November 1, 2011

Gr 7-10- 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.

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2012
Two-page "At a Glance" and "Overview" chapters introduce four sections describing the title "teenage problem" (eating disorders or mental illness), treatment, 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.

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)