The World Health Organization Constitution states that "health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." Proper nutrition, an active lifestyle, and a clear head are all necessary to live up to this definition. To counter the lure of fast food, TV and computer games, and poor decision-making, good habits must be instilled in the youngest readers. This fall's series focus primarily on the building blocks of good health and include topical subjects such as the USDA's new "food plate" (replacing the pyramid), green eating, and sports nutrition for young athletes.

Preschool-Grade 4

HARDYMAN, Robyn. Eating Well. ISBN 978-1-4488-5273-4. LC 2010046292. ----. Healthy Bodies. ISBN 978-1-4488-5274-1. LC 2010046294. ----. Safe and Healthy. ISBN 978-1-4488-5278-9. LC 2010046298. SPILSBURY, Louise. Clean and Healthy. ISBN 978-1-4488-5277-2. LC 2010046295. ----. Family and Friends. ISBN 978-1-4488-5275-8. LC 2010046263. ----. Harmful Substances. ISBN 978-1-4488-5276-5. LC 2010046296. ea vol: 32p. (Healthy and Happy Series). diags. illus. photos. further reading. glossary. index. Websites. CIP. Rosen/PowerKids Pr. 2011. PLB $25.25. Gr 1-3-This readable series focuses on the many ways one can be healthy. Common topics, like diet and exercise, are discussed in Eating Well; it also includes a food-plate diagram showing the five main food groups and serving amounts. Healthy Bodies goes over household safety, drugs, and alcohol, and the danger of chemical cleaners. Safe and Healthy examines, among other topics, sun safety, while Clean even explains why one's room needs to be cleaned. Emotional health is stressed in Family, which covers the importance of relationships with family and friends as well as dealing with loss. The magazinelike layouts include short paragraphs, side boxes, and color photographs showing a diverse array of children. Each volume contains an activity related to its topic. PETRIE, Kristin. Food and Energy: Striking a Healthy Balance. ISBN 978-1-61783-080-8. LC 2011012076. ----. Food As Fuel: Nutrition for Athletes. ISBN 978-1-61783-081-5. LC 2011010389. ----. Food Buzz: Nutrition in the News. ISBN 978-1-61783-082-2. LC 2011014417. ----. Food Culture: Celebrating Diverse Traditions. ISBN 978-1-61783-083-9. LC 2011010413. ----. Food Options: Following Special Diets. ISBN 978-1-61783-084-6. LC 2011011085. ----. Food Safety: Avoiding Hidden Dangers. ISBN 978-1-61783-085-3. LC 2011012077. ea vol: 32p. (Mission: Nutrition Series). photos. glossary. index. Websites. CIP. ABDO/Checkerboard Library. 2011. PLB $25.65. Gr 2-4-Allying itself with First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move!" campaign, this series covers a wide spectrum of food-related issues. The titles go beyond good eating habits to look at topics not often covered for children, such as green eating, following special diets (although diabetes, still on the rise, is given a disappointingly brief mention), and proper nutrition for athletes. Especially noteworthy are Diverse Traditions, which depicts foods from around the world and encourages readers to try new things, and Healthy Balance, which addresses the mixed messages children receive about eating (e.g., clean your plate versus don't eat so much) and reminds them to listen closely to their bodies' messages to judge what they are really craving. Students looking for report material will not be disappointed. TUMINELLY, Nancy. Super Simple Bend & Stretch: Healthy & Fun Activities to Move Your Body. ISBN 978-1-61714-959-7. LC 2011000963. ----. Super Simple Hop & Jump: Healthy & Fun Activities to Move Your Body. ISBN 978-1-61714-960-3. LC 2011000979. ----. Super Simple Move & Shake: Healthy & Fun Activities to Move Your Body. ISBN 978-1-61714-961-0. LC 2011000978. ----. Super Simple Punch & Kick: Healthy & Fun Activities to Move Your Body. ISBN 978-1-61714-962-7. LC 2011000965. ----. Super Simple Throw & Catch: Healthy & Fun Activities to Move Your Body. ISBN 978-1-61714-963-4. LC 2011000964. ----. Super Simple Walk & Run: Healthy & Fun Activities to Move Your Body. ISBN 978-1-61714-964-1. LC 2011000977. ea vol: 32p. (Super Simple Exercise Series). photos. glossary. CIP. ABDO/SandCastle. 2011. PLB $27.07. Gr 1-3-This bright and colorful series encourages young readers to do what used to come naturally: go out and play. Tuminelly emphasizes the need for physical activity in each volume and offers numerous activities, complete with lists of necessary equipment and instructions. While some of the games are questionable (hot potato probably won't increase children's heart rates, and twirling a shoe for kids to jump over could lead to injuries), parents will appreciate the variety. There are activities for indoors and out, solo play, and with friends. Parents are also reminded to support their child's efforts to become more physically active. Each volume includes instructions for making a "Move It Chart" to track one's progress.

Grades 5 & Up

COZIC, Charles. Teenage Mental Illness. ISBN 978-1-60152-167-5. LC 2011012465. CURRIE-MCGHEE, Leanne K. Teenage Alcoholism. map. ISBN 978-1-60152-164-4. LC 2011013858. ----. 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. ----. Teenage Sex and Pregnancy. ISBN 978-1-60152-168-2. LC 2011012468. ----. 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 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. DITTMER, Lori. Heart Disease. ISBN 978-1-60818-075-2. LC 2010030365. ----. HIV/AIDS. ISBN 978-1-60818-071-4. LC 2010030234. ----. Parkinson's Disease. ISBN 978-1-60818-076-9. LC 2010030366. MCAULIFFE, Bill. Alzheimer's Disease. ISBN 978-1-60818-072-1. LC 2010030362. ----. Cancer. ISBN 978-1-60818-073-8. LC 2010030363. ----. Diabetes. ISBN 978-1-60818-074-5. LC 2010030364. ea vol: 48p. (Living with Disease Series). reprods. photos. bibliog. further reading. glossary. index. CIP. Creative Education. 2011. RTE $23.95. Gr 4-6-This series provides overly detailed explanations of the hard science behind ailments making the news. The sophisticated material-utilizing the exact names of enzymes, proteins, and prescription drugs-is incongruously paired with a juvenile design. Color-block pages appear frequently, regurgitating statistics from the text and reading like filler. This discrepancy is amplified by the lack of contextual definitions for vocabulary words. Each volume introduces various celebrities who have battled the featured disease. However, while Ryan White's heartbreaking struggle with AIDS is relevant to the intended audience, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's husband's battle with Alzheimer's might not be known to any but the most precocious young readers. The outdated bibliographic resources and suggested-reading lists, many of which contain books that date from 2007 or earlier, will not be particularly useful for students who are seeking further information. HUNT, Sara. Stay Fit: Your Guide to Staying Active. ISBN 978-1-4296-6545-2; ISBN 978-1-4296-7293-1. LC 2011007408. SCHRIER, Allyson Valentine. Eat Right: Your Guide to Maintaining a Healthy Diet. ISBN 978-1-4296-6544-5; ISBN 978-1-4296-7291-7. LC 2011002477. SCHWARTZ, Heather E. Make Good Choices: Your Guide to Making Healthy Decisions. ISBN 978-1-4296-6546-9; ISBN 978-1-4296-7295-5. LC 2011009811. ----. Stress Less: Your Guide to Managing Stress. ISBN 978-1-4296-6547-6; ISBN 978-1-4296-7297-9. LC 2011008405. ea vol: 32p. (Healthy Me Series). charts. photos. further reading. glossary. index. Websites. CIP. Capstone/Snap Bks. 2011. PLB $26.65; pap. $7.95. Gr 3-5-This series takes a well-rounded approach to keeping fit, going beyond staying active and eating right to include emotional and mental health. The diet and exercise components are strong. Eat Right discusses the USDA dietary guidelines and provides explanations of serving sizes and kid-friendly ways to consume them; Stay Fit reminds readers to incorporate 60 minutes of heart-pumping play into their day and suggests that they do so before turning on the TV. Good Choices is dedicated to making smart appraisals and is particularly helpful in encouraging readers to make the right choice-complete with an instructional chart on decision making-even if it's not the easiest one. Finally, Stress offers sound insight into dealing with day-to-day dilemmas. The high-quality advice, magazinelike layout, and bright color photographs put these titles ahead of the pack. PLAISTED, C. A. Boy Talk: A Survival Guide to Growing Up. ISBN 978-1-60992-085-2. LC 2011009206. ----. Girl Talk: A Survival Guide to Growing Up. ISBN 978-1-60992-084-5. LC 2011009125. ea vol: illus. by Chris Dickason. 48p. (Growing Up Series). glossary. index. CIP. QEB. 2011. PLB $34.25. Gr 3-6-Two great sources of basic information. Both books open with the five stages of puberty and go on to discuss physical and emotional changes, tips for good health, and the importance of cleanliness. Sex is briefly mentioned, but the emphasis is really on adolescence. The riotously colored cartoon illustrations on every page keep the tone light. Plaisted also discusses maintaining strong family relationships and making healthy friendships. The books take a firm anti-bullying stance, but the emphasis on emotional health is somewhat contradicted by the use words like "stupid" (e.g., there is a sidebox in Boy called "Stupid Siblings"), however, if the tone keeps readers hooked long enough to learn something, it's worth overlooking. The best of this fall's crop is Capstone's "Healthy Me," accomplishing in four volumes what the also-notable "Happy and Healthy" from PowerKids Press does with six. Libraries with a larger budget will want to include the engaging "Mission: Nutrition" and the just-plain-fun "Super Simple Exercise," both from ABDO.