The Blackwell Handbook of Early Childhood Development

“The astute editors and leading scholars have produced the best single overview of the exploding field of early childhood development, covering both old and new pressing issues in this burgeoning field. Should reading for both basic and applied workers, in addition to scholars working at the intersect of knowledge and policy construction.”
Edward Zigler, The Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy

“This can be a comprehensive and authoritative review of the field of early childhood research, covering the basic scientific and key policy issues, with contributions from the leading researchers. It’s going to be an essential reference for anyone interested in the exciting early development of children, with the breadth, depth and clarity of its coverage.”
Judy Dunn, Professor of Developmental Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, London

“Kathleen McCartney and Deborah Phillips have recruited a number of the top names in the field of early child development to provide timely and informative reviews of a very fast-moving field. This handbook will be obligatory reading for researchers and practitioners alike. Whether you are searching for a conceptual framework, the latest empirical findings in key domains such as the development of cognition, language and emotion, or the implications for policy, this book will have to serve as a first point of reference.”
Paul L. Harris, Harvard University

“This book simply redefines “comprehensive”! It is actually interactive in that it constantly elicits the reader’s input by raising and/or addressing issues that reach far beyond the printed page.”
Toni Brennan, University of Surrey

“The assembling of a lot of qualified experts to write short, clear summaries of their areas is an impressive achievement, and the context and policy sections go beyond expectations … making it valuable even to scholars already knowledgeable in the field.”
Marie-Pierre M. Gosselin and David R. Foreman, Canadian Psychology

This Handbook presents a comprehensive summary of research into child development from age two to seven. Comprising thirty contributions from both established scholars and emerging leaders in the field, it addresses one of the most most compelling questions about early experience, such as how important early brain development is, and whether parents matter.

The volume covers the full range of research in developmental psychology including: conceptual frameworks; biological and physiological development; cognitive development; language and literacy development; and social, emotional, and regulatory development. It also considers the applications of psychology to the care and education of young children, treating issues such as poverty, family systems, orphanages, media, and the transition to school.

The Handbook will be a valuable resource for students and scholars across a range of disciplines, in addition to for practitioners working with young children.