Family and Friends

Gr 3—4—Each spread in this appealing series raises and answers one broad question about social and physical health and a handful of related queries, providing information that is succinct yet satisfying. "Talk About" text boxes offer age-appropriate conversation starters, which are especially valuable for parents and classroom teachers dealing with tough subjects such as bullying and divorce. Sporadic "Take Action" text boxes encourage readers to employ their new knowledge-e.g., change compromised online passwords or have a bread-tasting session. Each volume also has a page dedicated to questions stemming from the book as a whole. The texts are supported by robust glossaries, labeled diagrams, and captioned color photographs of multicultural children. Family is notable for its inclusion of nontraditional families (including same-sex and foster) as well as its breadth of topics covered.