Families with Futures: Family Studies into the 21st Century. 2nd edition. 2012. Meg Wikes Karraker & Janet R. Grochowski; Routledge Press. ISBN# 978-0-415-88556-0. Paperback.

This book is valuable to the new and vintage professor of family science and family studies. It contains over 1,100 references, most after the year 2000 or newer. It covers 12 core chapters in the field of family education, family studies, and family life education; similar in both content and concept to recent editions of Lauer and Lauer or Strong, Devault, & Cohen's textbooks; though not as exhaustive as the latter two in terms of coverage of the field. Its price is listed $20-$30 below Lauer and Lauer's and Strong et al. in both paper and hard bound editions.

Chapter One discusses current complexities of US families in both structure and function, including larger social forces and trends that intermingle the family experience. Chapter Two covers basic research methodology and eight established family theories which are concisely defined and conceptually presented in a pedagogical format that allows students to glimpse their importance and meaning as well as anticipate their location in upcoming chapters.

Chapter Three covers family risks and resilience. Chapter Four covers a broadly defined discussion of family health and wellness. Chapter Five includes a brief introduction to sexuality with comprehensive tables on contraception and sexually transmitted diseases. Chapter Six is on singles; Seven is on long-term couple relationships; and Eight addresses families in their respective communities.

Chapter Nine is on the conflict aspects of the family experience, addressing discord and violence. Chapter Ten is on decoupling. Chapter Eleven is on financial issues faced by families and shaped within the economic forces that have recently compressed their breadwinning capabilities. Chapter Twelve is strongly connected to the mission and values of the National Council on Family Relations and to the role of the Certified Family Life Educator in the future of family studies.

Families with Futures is written for undergraduate students, but will prove to be a strong reference text for graduate students and faculty seeking new and refreshing ideas for their own classroom lectures. This text has an immense CFLE voice and purpose combined with an understated anthological sequence of relevant case studies and pertinent commentary by scholars in the field of family studies.

The family life education field is represented in such a way that the family studies student learns both content and utility of family studies to the scholar, educator, and practitioner. Students, especially those wanting to focus more on the utility of family studies in finding solutions to modern social issues and concerns, will gain a strong academic foothold on their professional path.

How might the text be improved for the third edition? In its Preface, the authors wrote:

"The writing is engaging and clear and each chapter offers interesting examples and provocative questions. These features as well as the learning activities, provide readers with the opportunities for critical thinking and thoughtful application to situations frequently encountered by families."

Karraker and Grochowski mostly succeeded in these claims and have truly created a text that is faculty friendly. In an effort to sustain the success of future editions, I offer three suggestions that may bring added improvements. First, this text is a reader's textbook—meaning that students who are strong readers will likely not be too bothered by the small font size, compressed paragraphs and pages, or absence of red, yellow, and blue colors. Even without the primary colors, increasing font size and rearranging pages will likely be appreciated by most students, even the strong readers.

Second, there was an apparent technological void in the overall body of the text. The authors would be wise to engage the Internet-savvy student in our classrooms today, who are accustomed to using: Internet, smart phone, tablet or Ipad, and other technological tools. Today's younger students have mastered these technologies and are comfortable learning with them. Technology should be incorporated in the content of the relevant chapters and in the portions of the text that challenge the student with engagement in this field by thinking about how current family issues apply to their own personal family kith, kin, and relationships.

Third, there are currently over 1,000 studies about Online Social Networks (OSNs) and how and why people use them. Many of these studies have specifically addressed the influence of OSNs impact on relationships and attachments in families. Facebook leads in specific OSN studies and most students have an OSN page. The next edition should address OSNs and family issues.

I strongly recommend this text to family studies and family science faculty and students. I especially recommend it to CFLE faculty and students. Families with Futures is strong textbook with potential to become one of the best.

Reviewed by Ron J. Hammond, Ph.D., CFLE. Ron is the Program Director of Family Studies in the Utah Valley University Department of Behavioral Science. Their Bachelor's Degree Program came on board in 2009 as a CFLE certified degree program.