At the very top of our age range, this book will be useful for good readers in years 7 and 8. The information is detailed, full of statistics, charts and surveys - and harrowing. While the approach is objective, and the positive aspects of social drinking are given (including some health advantages) the importance of making informed choices is emphasised. The many individual stories scattered throughout are mostly negative, and chapters on how alcohol damages health, how it affects families and society, and why peer pressure and advertising influences us as it does are hard-hitting. There is a chapter on prevention, self-help and treatment; the usual resources - organisations, websites and publications - as well as a glossary and index, will make this useful in schools. A well-thought-through, sophisticated approach to a difficult subject.