The Whole Child: Development in the Early Years

Reviewed by Maureen Provost, Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education, Mount Wachusett Community College on 7/2/24

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

All areas of the subject and ideas are appropriate. I wish it continued into pre-adolescence because the focus areas of early childhood/lower elementary education and Child Development were clearly covered. The chapter outlines, SLO's and glossary are appropriate for students.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content is accurate, error free, and shows no bias. For each chapter there is a section that discusses why said topics are pertinent for education presently.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Information is relevant and connected to early childhood/elementary education. Chosen theories are relevant to the field and help students to understand the importance of a solid background in child development.

Clarity rating: 5

The simple and clear language along with the engaging visuals are impactful for a variety of learning styles.

Consistency rating: 5

The framework of the text was clearly outlined in the introduction. The chapters were easy to follow and formatted consistently throughout. I was so pleased that pages were numbered for ease.

Modularity rating: 5

Excellent division of chapters, subtopics, visuals, videos, student learning outcomes, and content throughout.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The choice of topics were clear and logical. I like the flow of organization. It made perfect sense.

Interface rating: 5

Charts and photos were sharp. I did not see any problems with navigation and I tried the text both on my phone and computer.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

I only discovered one grammatical error in the concluding paragraph of the conclusion. The text had the perfect balance of theory and a conversation type flow which I am certain my students would find helpful and interesting.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Beginning with a land acknowledgment set the stage for a text that values diversity. Additionally, in Chapter 6; Infancy the use of the video “Different Cultures, Play in Learning”allows students to view and hear about play through the eyes of a diverse set of mothers. This will help students view the world more broadly.

Comments

The text is engaging in understandable. Thank you! I wish the content continued through pre-adolescence because the author's choices of focus and voice are knowledgeable, intentional, and well presented.