Rating: 
Summary: A great resource for parents and teachers
Review: This book presents the latest research concerning child development, but does so in an accessible and friendly way. This is not a how-to book, rather containing information about how children learn and develop over time. Chapters include: What Children Learn About People; What Children Learn About Things; What Children Learn About Language; What Scientists Have Learned About Children's Minds; What Scientists Have Learned About Children's Brains.To a small extent the book suffers from the usual dilutory effects of having multiple authors. They also try to be a bit too cute sometimes, but this does not overly detract from the book's success as a layman-friendly introduction to child development research. There is a very useful Notes section, References, and a good Index. My advice, for all it's worth: If you are going to get one book about child development research, get Lise Eliot's 'What's Going On In There?', which is less precious, more extensive, and better organized. If you are going to get two books, add this to your list. I find myself referring back to the former book fairly often, but I do browse through this one occasionally as well.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing scientific study of what babies know and learn
Review: This is a fascinating report of research studies that compare the mind of a baby to a computer. The brain is programmed to receive and sort out information from all the senses and to use input from adults and kids to change the program as learning provides new experiences. The authors have done their own research and reviewed other studies about babies and toddlers to back up their analyses of infant learning. Parents and grandparents will be fascinated as they compare the development of young children in their families to the explanations of the infants' "scientific" explorations, classifications, and language learning. You'll find out why everyone talks "motherese" to babies. You'll realize that the kid in the crib is not just lying there waiting for the next diaper or bottle, but is very busy indeed figuring out the world and how it works. A truly fascinating book!
Rating:
Summary: Incredibly informative, intriguing (and a bit irritating)
Review: This is an incredible book for the reader with an open mind and a desire to learn. The authors tell us what they have learned and experienced in the field of child development and learning, and they have the credentials to be true experts and terrific sources of knowledge. I found the information they conveyed to be positively fascinating. Some of it I had either already somehow suspected, read about elsewhere, or noticed myself, but there was plenty that also surprised me, as well. It helped to know this information because just about everyone deals with children at some point, and it makes a real difference to know where they are coming from. It is also interesting information, given that WE all were children too. The only thing I found irritating were the humorous comments scattered throughout the book. I would have rather had the information given to me without these comical references (some of which I did not get, therefore did not find funny). I repeatedly found myself trying to ignore these supposedly comical anecdotes and to just pay attention to the data they were trying to convey. I consider myself a pretty funny person, but this was annoying. Other than that, though, this book is GREAT! A wonderful way to increase your knowledge of children and how (and when) they learn.
Rating:
Summary: Stringent scientific approach - from babies and this book
Review: To baby watchers all over the world:
The brains of babies work in a way that would make good old Popper smile in his grave. Babies form a theoretical model of the world which can be falsified. They test the model empirically. And if it fails several times they revise the model and start all over again. This book have given me even more respect for the small creatures that we bring into the world. Our capacity for learning will never be greater. The book looses one star because it is in need of tighter editing.
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