THE EMERGENCY BOOK

A compendium of common sense that is not necessarily common knowledge, this should be on every family's reference shelf. With her usual acumen--and what is also a justification for library purchase--Jeanne Bendick advises reading the book through at least once because ""the facts you need...can come popping out at you"" in an emergency. After general advice (including the reminder that ""people are more important than things"") and a suggested list of emergency telephone numbers, she approaches first aid by establishing priorities in each of four common serious emergencies--severe bleeding, cessation of breathing, swallowing poison, bad burns. (Typical of her understanding of kids is this amplification of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation: ""if you'd rather, you can open a handkerchief between the victim's mouth and yours."") However, most of the first aid instructions are included in the sections on emergencies of various sorts--in the household, in public places, on roadways, in bad weather, in the woods, during water or winter sports. Fire emergencies are treated in detail (with equal attention to apartments) and one of the best sections is advice to the sitter (including the handling of predatory papas--""If you have to be rude, be rude""). Both the ounce of prevention and the pound of cure--each adjusted to the circumstances and capabilities of youngsters.