DON'T WORRY, YOU'RE NORMAL: A Teenager's Guide to Self-Help

by Nissa Simon ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 14, 1982

The usual sensible advice on diets, acne, birth control, and other everyday medical topics is given here in a direct, natural manner that is never flip or pompous. A chapter on dental care, which covers sugar's effects and flossing techniques, also mentions ""bad breath""; one on skin care emphasizes acne, other skin infections, and the effects of sun bathing; one on infectious diseases concentrates on mononucleosis and venereal disease; one on nutrition covers diets, natural foods, and anorexia; and whatever the subject, Simon keeps her audience and their particular concerns in mind. ""Sexual Questions"" (a chapter heading) are discussed without mush or moralizing, but with support for those who don't feel ready for adult sex. The drug chapter is generally realistic (""Never use LSD when you're alone""), with driving hazards emphasized in the section on alcohol; however, Simon seems to haul out disproportionately heavy ammunition against marijuana, which gets the most space; and her discussion of tobacco emphasizes its addictive properties and immediate effects--which is reasonable in light of findings that kids are relatively deaf to long-term warnings, but unbalanced without a mention of cancer, heart disease, and the range of long-term effects that make tobacco a killer. However, these are just quibbles. Simon's comfortably sound advice on relevant topics should win this a place somewhere between the chatty advice books and the more thorough but imposing manuals.

Pub Date: April 14, 1982

ISBN: 690-04138-1

Page Count: -

Publisher: T. Y. Crowell

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1982

Categories: NONFICTION