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Alcohol (The Real Deal) ISBN: 9780431907352
Lynette, Rachel
Published by Heinemann Raintree, 2008
In this series of books aimed at upper primary and secondary children, a range of topics about health is covered. Quite detailed information includes Case Studies, Newsflashes, and Top Tips in boxes. There are also discussion questions in What Do You Think boxes, most useful in schools. Photographs add greatly to the whole. In this book, clear information about different kinds of alcoholic drink and what constitutes a unit is given. The part alcohol plays in society and how the media and advertising affects our ideas of drinking, as well as facts about the law are covered. We learn how alcohol affects the body (complete with diagram) and that women are apt to become drunk more quickly than men. The difference between binge and heavy drinking and being an alcoholic is explained, and there is quite a lot on how alcoholism affects the person and his or her family. Advice is given on finding help if one has an alcoholic family member or if one finds oneself drinking too much. There is a good section on drink driving and the law, along with harrowing examples. The long-term affects of drinking too much emphasises such things as damage to the brain and liver, and that alcohol can affect unborn babies. The problem of peer pressure is recognised. Two pages at the end of the book give good, practical advice on 'Saying No to Alcohol' and also give some really scary 'Alcohol Facts', including 'Alcohol kills more teenagers than all other drugs combined.' As this series is particularly useful for schools and project work, the glossary, a list of other books and websites, and an index are welcome additions.
Age: 10+