February 2002
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SLEEP Reviewed by Lynne Lamberg |
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Books on sleep for young readers are scarce.
This one offers an engaging introduction to the field. The authors
are pros, having produced more than 150 books for the elementary-
to middle-school crowd. Alvin Silverstein is a professor of biology
at the City University of New York; his wife Virginia is a translator,
and their daughter Laura joined their writing team when in high school.
"What would you do if you never had to go
to sleep?," they ask. They present an enticing list that includes
more time to hang-out and play before they make their point: "You
don't have a choice. Your body needs to sleep." They explain
clearly why people need sleep, what happens during sleep, how much
sleep people need at various ages, and what goes wrong when people
miss sleep. They then explore dreams and body clocks, focusing on
differences between larks and owls. The chapter on sleep problems addresses those
children might have experienced themselves or at least know about.
These include insomnia, sleepwalking, bedwetting, and sleep terrors.
The thorough discussion of good sleep habits suggests establishing
nightly sleep rituals and limiting cola drinks. A series of do-it-yourself activities integrates
sleep science into daily life. The artwork reinforces the text, providing
suggestions in hand-written letters on a familiar lined school notebook
page. One guide tells how to keep a sleep diary. A second tells how
to record and examine dreams, and a third suggests tracking body temperature
to see how daily rhythms follow a predicable pattern. Color photographs enliven and enlarge the text.
They show, for example, placement of electrodes for a sleep study,
and polysomnograph readings from all stages of quiet and active sleep.
The book also includes a simple glossary. This book would be an excellent addition to school libraries and to the waiting room of children's sleep centers. Parents might learn a few things from it, too. |
Copyright (c) 2002
Websciences |