Far Beyond the Typical Family Fare

The only problem with the “Johns Hopkins Family Health Book” is it’s so large that pulling it off your bookshelf to read it can take a lot of effort.

In all seriousness, this book is all that most families will need to handle their questions and problems on health. Since every family should have a comprehensive health guide, this would make a nice gift to newlyweds or new parents. This guide goes beyond previous comprehensive health guides--many of which are well done. The Johns Hopkins guide, however, emphasizes wellness and prevention to the extent of including sections on various types of sports activities and a list of tips to make hiking and camping safe.

Indeed, the hallmark of this guide is the attention to detail. For instance, a discussion on teen pregnancy and sexuality contains a page titled “For Young Men: Understanding When Sex Is Really Rape.”

Of the six major sections in the book, only one focuses on disorders, which has been the emphasis of traditional consumer health books. This guide also puts an emphasis on consumer issues, such as including a list of all National Cancer Institute-supported cancer centers. Despite the book’s size, it’s easy to find specific information. However, some people will find the Johns Hopkins guide engrossing enough to start at Page 1 and just keep reading.

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THE BLACK PARENTING BOOK: CARING FOR OUR CHILDREN IN THE FIRST FIVE YEARS

Dr. Anne C. Beal, Linda Villarosa and Allison Abner

Broadway Books

412 pages; $20

Every parent needs a comprehensive health book on infants and toddlers. This book provides such content specifically for black families, based on cultural, racial and familial traditions. Much of the book contains advice found in most child health books. But the authors have identified the places where advice can be tailored to the unique needs and experiences of black families. A chapter on discipline in parenting, for instance, offers wonderful insights that will resonate with black parents. Moreover, the writing style, anecdotes, terms and pictures remind African American parents that this book is for them. The book is nicely styled, with many helpful information boxes, resource lists and tips.