My Health

My Health is part of the “Our Values” series which is divided into three levels. Level One is comprised titles for very young readers; Level Two is designed for elementary school students; and Level Three is for middle schoolers. In this first level, the text is printed in a large simple font surrounded by plenty of white space. Concepts are fairly easy for youngsters to grasp although some of the information might require further explanation from a parent or teacher. Illustrations consist of colour photographs and represent children of different races. However, there is not a single photo of a child with a physical disability or special needs, and the speech bubble style of labelling the illustrations is somewhat distracting. A table of contents, a brief glossary and an index are included, though it is rather unlikely that a very young reader will use these.

My Health highlights the importance of making healthy choices- everything from food, exercise, sleep, choosing water over sugary drinks, and taking medicine when ill. A positive step is the emphasis on good mental health. Children are encouraged to do deep breathing when they need to stay calm and to talk over their problems with someone they trust. A minor flaw in the book is that processed meat is featured in the photo of a healthy lunch.

Suitable for the youngest students in a school, the books in the “Our Values” series, Level One, are very basic and do not contain anything that wouldn’t normally be covered at home or in a Kindergarten or Grade One class.