Booklist

The In Controversy series presents divisive topics in a manner accessible to older students. Each volume offers an overview of the subject as well as personal anecdotes that represent varied ideas and experiences. The first chapter traces the history of the issue, while the remaining chapters explore questions surrounding it and how they might be addressed by people with different viewpoints. How Dangerous Are Performance-Enhancing Drugs? considers the effects of drug use on the integrity of sports as well as on athletes’ achievements and health. Page designs are attractive, with colorful elements such as headings, photos, sidebars, and diagrams breaking up the blocks of text, but the reading level, particularly in the volumes on energy, pandemics, and marijuana, will be challenging for many high-school students. Each book concludes with a bibliography, source notes, and annotated lists of related organizations.