Accelerated Reader is a program based on the fact that students become more motivated to read if they are tested on the content of the books they have read and are rewarded for correct answers. Students read each book, individually take the test on the computer, and receive gratification when they score well. Schools using the Accelerated Reader program have seen a significant increase in reading among their students.
These new titles are valuable resources to help reluctant readers get the guidance they need.
Grade 6 Up-In the first book, the author's message is straightforward: a healthful lifestyle makes sense and can be achieved without laborious effort. Chapters on grooming, hygiene, clothing, exercise, and diet are detailed and comprehensive. Sommers encourages young men to focus on their strengths, and he advocates self-control, self-respect, and concern for others. The second book summarizes current information about an affliction that generally begins in adolescence and strikes males and females equally. Victims become obsessed with perceived physical defects. Walker differentiates between BDD and other illnesses associated with body image, such as anorexia and bulimia. She makes clear that much is not known about BDD, but includes a list of symptoms. Readers who may be at risk are urged to seek medical help. Both titles include interviews and frequent color and black-and-white photos of teens.
Libby K. White, Jewish Vocational Services, Baltimore, MD
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