(4) YA Social Issues Firsthand series. This book presents previously published essays about the issues surrounding physical and mental disabilities. Because the stories are so personal--and varied--they may strike a chord with readers while helping to put faces to the topics. More context and background information about the authors would be useful, and the unillustrated text is dense. A directory of organizations to contact is appended. Reading list. Ind.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) YA Social Issues Firsthand series. This book presents previously published essays about the issues surrounding bipolar disorder and mental illness. Because the stories are so personal--and varied--they may strike a chord with readers while helping to put faces to the topics. More context and background information about the authors would be useful, and the unillustrated text is dense. A directory of organizations to contact is appended. Reading list. Ind.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) YA Social Issues Firsthand series. This book presents previously published essays about the issues surrounding underage drinking. Because the stories are so personal--and varied--they may strike a chord with readers burned out by the just-say-no approach. More context and background information about the authors would be useful, and the unillustrated text is dense. A directory of organizations to contact is appended. Reading list. Ind.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) YA Social Issues Firsthand series. These books present previously published essays about the issues surrounding gun violence and cliques. Because the stories are so personal they may strike a chord with readers while helping to put faces to the issues or reinforcing their own experiences. More context and background information about the authors would be useful, and the unillustrated text is dense. Directories of organizations to contact are appended. Reading list. Ind. Review covers these Social Issues Firsthand titles: Cliques and Gun Violence.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) YA Social Issues Firsthand series. This book presents previously published essays about some of the issues and controversies surrounding the Iraq War. Because the stories are so personal--authors include American soldiers and politicians in addition to Iraqi civilians--they may strike a chord with readers while helping to put faces to the conflict. More background about the authors would be useful, and the unillustrated text is dense. Reading list. Ind.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) YA Social Issues Firsthand series. This book compiles previously published essays about cheating. Subtopics include "Cheating in School" (e.g., reselling other students' work), "Workplace Ethics" (e.g., stealing office supplies), and "Cheating in Sports" (e.g., administering steroids). Though more context and background information about the authors would be useful and the unillustrated text is dense, the personal stories may resonate with readers. Reading list. Ind.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) YA Social Issues Firsthand series. This book presents previously published essays about performance-enhancing drug use, on the sports field (e.g., steroids) and off (e.g., misuse of ADHD drugs and antianxiety meds). Because the stories are so personal, they may strike a chord with readers. More context and background information about the authors would be useful, and the unillustrated text is dense. Reading list. Ind.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) YA Social Issues Firsthand series. These books present previously published essays about the issues surrounding gun violence and cliques. Because the stories are so personal they may strike a chord with readers while helping to put faces to the issues or reinforcing their own experiences. More context and background information about the authors would be useful, and the unillustrated text is dense. Directories of organizations to contact are appended. Reading list. Ind. Review covers these Social Issues Firsthand titles: Cliques and Gun Violence.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) YA Social Issues Firsthand series. This book presents previously published essays about issues surrounding social networking and the Internet. Because the stories are so personal--and varied--they may strike a chord with readers while reinforcing or disputing their own experiences. More context and background information about the authors would be useful, and the unillustrated text is dense. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) YA Social Issues Firsthand series. This book presents previously published essays about the issues surrounding teenage pregnancy. Because the stories are so personal--and varied--they may strike a chord with readers while helping to put faces to the issue. More context and background information about the authors would be useful, and the unillustrated text is dense. A directory of organizations to contact is appended. Reading list. Ind.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) YA Social Issues Firsthand series. These books present previously published essays about the subjects being addressed. Because the stories are so personal, readers may be able to put faces to the issues they hear about in the news. More context and information about the authors would be useful, and the unillustrated texts are dense. Directories of organizations are appended. Reading list. Ind. Review covers these Social Issues Firsthand titles; Cults, Sexual Predators, and Prostitution

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) YA Social Issues Firsthand series. These books present previously published essays about the subjects being addressed. Because the stories are so personal, readers may be able to put faces to the issues they hear about in the news. More context and information about the authors would be useful, and the unillustrated texts are dense. Directories of organizations are appended. Reading list. Ind. Review covers these Social Issues Firsthand titles; Cults, Sexual Predators, and Prostitution

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) YA Social Issues Firsthand series. These books present previously published essays about the subjects being addressed. Because the stories are so personal, readers may be able to put faces to the issues they hear about in the news. More context and information about the authors would be useful, and the unillustrated texts are dense. Directories of organizations are appended. Reading list. Ind. Review covers these Social Issues Firsthand titles; Cults, Sexual Predators, and Prostitution

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) YA Social Issues Firsthand series. Any apathy about the subject is unlikely to survive the unabashed vitriol of the "Messengers of Hate," (e.g., skinheads, white-supremacists) that opens the collection. The rest of the book features essays by victims and activists. More context would have been useful, but overall this is a well-structured presentation. A directory of organizations is appended. Reading list. Ind.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(4) YA Social Issues Firsthand series. These books present previously published essays about the subjects being addressed. Because the stories are so personal, readers may be able to put faces to the issues they hear about in the news. More context and information about the authors would be useful, and the unillustrated text is dense. Directories of organizations are appended. Reading list. Ind. Review covers these Social Issues Firsthand titles: Street and Runaway Teens, Racism, and Child Abuse.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) YA Social Issues Firsthand series. These books present previously published essays about the subjects being addressed. Because the stories are so personal, readers may be able to put faces to the issues they hear about in the news. More context and information about the authors would be useful, and the unillustrated text is dense. Directories of organizations are appended. Reading list. Ind. Review covers these Social Issues Firsthand titles: Street and Runaway Teens, Racism, and Child Abuse.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) YA Social Issues Firsthand series. These books present previously published essays about the subjects being addressed. Because the stories are so personal, readers may be able to put faces to the issues they hear about in the news. More context and information about the authors would be useful, and the unillustrated text is dense. Directories of organizations are appended. Reading list. Ind. Review covers these Social Issues Firsthand titles: Street and Runaway Teens, Racism, and Child Abuse.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz