The Toxic Sandbox: The Truth About Environmental Toxins and Our Children's Health [Paperback]

Libby McDonald (Author), M.D., M.P.H., Ted Schettler (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 6, 2007

From pesticides to PCBs-what's a threat, what's not, and what to do about it.

Mercury. Lead. Pesticides. Plastics. Air pollution. PCBs. How can parents sort through the hype, propaganda, and misinformation-and find out what is and isn't a threat to children's health? Investigative journalist, advocate, and concerned parent Libby McDonald separates the facts from the alarmist myths. Based on the latest research along with interviews with top medical, toxicological, and environmental experts, The Toxic Sandbox covers a wide range of essential concerns, including:

- How can kids be protected from mercury poisoning?
- What are the sources of lead poisoning, and how can they be avoided?
- What pesticides are children ingesting, and does eating organic keep them safe?
- Which teenage beauty products contain carcinogenic phthalates?
- What are PCBs and PBDEs and why are they found in breast milk?
- What can be done to stop the childhood asthma epidemic?


Delivering reliable, up-to-date information, this indispensable resource will empower parents to protect their kids-and raise awareness for the greater good.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Libby McDonald is a writer, a documentary filmmaker, and a mother of four. An advocate for children, she started an alternative public school for the underprivileged in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Perigee Trade (November 6, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039953363X
• ISBN-13: 978-0399533631
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #881,953 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Am I Missing Something?, May 8, 2008

By 

Pete Thomas "Pete" (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Toxic Sandbox: The Truth About Environmental Toxins and Our Children's Health (Paperback)

Am I Missing Something? Why aren't the issues in this book addressed or discussed more? This book discusses the most dangerous toxins that your children (and you) will encounter on a daily basis. Some of the points I had heard before, but others just floored me. Every parent needs to be aware of what is in the environment that will adversely effect the health of their children. This book is easy to read and can be used or read as a reference book. My wife and I went through our plastics (for food and drink especially) this week and tossed quite a bit. We plan to continue to weed out anything dangerous (including toxins that my wife would pass on to an unborn child). This is definitely worth the read.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's About Time!, November 14, 2007

By 

Rose Chancler "Dr. Rose Chancler" (Wadhams! New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Toxic Sandbox: The Truth About Environmental Toxins and Our Children's Health (Paperback)

This is a real document of its time. It's hard to imagine in this day and age that no one has come up with something like this before. Here is a real mother who has done her homework, talked to The Right People and given it to us straight.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative and well-researched, December 14, 2007

By 

K. Kimball (Essex, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Toxic Sandbox: The Truth About Environmental Toxins and Our Children's Health (Paperback)

The author has sifted through all the recent research on environmental toxins to provide parents with the relevant stuff (what do I really need to be concerned about, and what can I do about it?) in a concise, readable format. Highly recommended reading for anyone with kids.