This is an excellent textbook. One strength is that it is very simple to understand. The language used is not too 'academic' and the concepts are explained in a concise clear way. This is very important because it is used in one of the first social work courses students take. The simplicity not only helps students gain a solid foundation with respect to the content, but it also helps to build their confidence with respect to entry into the profession. A second strength is that the chapter topics are spot on with what we need for students to learn about. A third strength is that the topics are organized in a logical way. Great book!