From School Library Journal
Gr 7 Up-Harris introduces this excruciatingly painful, life-threatening genetic disorder through the case studies of three young people, one of whom died from sickle-cell complications. The author discusses the physiology of the illness, its symptoms, and its causes. How the disease is controlled is described in a chapter devoted to one physician's specialized practice, which includes varied preventive treatment for children at different developmental stages, hospital care during sickling crises, and counseling. Future directions for treatment and ethical decisions inherent in having children who may potentially be at risk are also addressed. The layout is fairly pedestrian, punctuated by occasional, average-quality, black-and-white photos. The glossary and index are more than adequate, and a film is included in the resources section. Susan Dudley Gold's Sickle Cell Disease (Enslow, 2001) is a case study of a single patient.
Mary R. Hofmann, Rivera Middle School, Merced, CA
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 6-10. Instead of delving right into scientific explanations of SCD, Harris begins her sharp, comprehensible work with real-life examples of three individuals who manage the condition on a daily basis. Such personalization makes subsequent chapters about cell development and scientific research much more vibrant. Harris explains what happens inside the body of someone with SCD, and then reintroduces the human element by tracing the disease back to Africa and sharing a story about a runaway nineteenth-century American slave who succumbed to the illness. These anecdotes, along with descriptions of extraordinary physicians who have researched the disease during the past 50 years, keep the text lively and compassionate. The simple language, clear explanations, and personal profiles work together nicely. Roger Leslie
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
