Customer Reviews
The most insight and information I use day to day to raise my baby 
2008-06-23
I love this book. The information is the most useful. My baby is 6 month old and I really appreciate the teaching from this book. I skip on the sections that describe the mechanism in the brain and devour the sections that describe the developmental milestones. Highly recommended!
A Must-have Resource for Expecting Parents 2008-06-10
I found this book to be a great introduction to how a child's mind develops. As an expecting father, it was really interesting to know how the senses play a large role in developing the intelligence of a child and that the best way to develop a healthy mind is to provide a child with lots of stimulation at the proper time. The chapters toward the end of the book were particularly interesting as they covered the development of intelligence, language, and memory. I highly recommend that all expecting parents read this book. One caution though, the author takes a scientific approach, so if you're not prepared to read a book that approaches the developing mind from a scientific perspective, you might want to try other lighter books. However, if you are prepared for it, you'll be glad that you read this book.
Very scientific but interesting 
2008-05-14
I recieved this book when by son was 3mo old. I agree that it is best for pregnant women or when your child is very young. There is lots of details about brain development, I am a nurse and have a science background, and it was even too much for me. I would skim the beginning of each chapter, through the details on ganglia and neuron growth to get to the applicable stuff. It's also not a reference type of book, you can't go to a chapter for your age child. Each chapter has a topic...hearing, smell, touch, language, intelligence, etc. It is interesting, I learned a lot, but if you are not a reader (its 460 pages), or you want something very hands on practical, this is not for you.
Just what I was looking for 2008-05-04
This excellent book filled a palpable void in my parenting books by (finally!) answering so many of my questions about my baby's development. Dozens of other books on my shelf told me what to avoid during pregnancy, for example, but none explained why. The author brought the best research along with her own (and others') personal experiences to create a fabulous book about babies' cognitive development. It's wonderful!
The title is misleading 
2008-04-27
"How the brain and mind develop in the first five years of life"--that is why I bought this book, and I want my money back. If you are pregnant or the parent of an infant then I'm sure you will find this book very informative and useful. However, my son is three years old and this book is useless to me. It's mostly about the brains of infants, and that's it. I'm pretty angry that I bought it thinking it was about the FIRST FIVE YEARS but really it's more like the first 18 months.
I recommend "Einstein Never Used Flashcards".
Excellent book! Buy this if you're expecting!! 2008-04-07
As a research neuroscientist, Lise Eliot has made the study of the human brain her life's work. But it wasn't until she was pregnant with her first child that she became intrigued with the study of brain development. She wanted to know precisely how the baby's brain is formed, and when and how each sense, skill, and cognitive ability is developed. And just as important, she was interested in finding out how her role as a nurturer can affect this complex process. How much of her baby's development is genetically ordained--and how much is determined by environment? Is there anything parents can do to make their babies' brains work better--to help them become smarter, happier people? Drawing upon the exploding research in this field as well as the stories of real children,
What's Going On in There? is a lively and thought-provoking book that charts the brain's development from conception through the critical first five years. In examining the many factors that play crucial roles in that process,
What's Going On in There? explores the evolution of the senses, motor skills, social and emotional behaviors, and mental functions such as attention, language, memory, reasoning, and intelligence. This remarkable book also discusses:
how a baby's brain is "assembled" from scratch
the critical prenatal factors that shapebrain development
how the birthing process itself affects the brain
which forms of stimulation are most effective at promoting cognitive development
how boys' and girls' brains develop differently
how nutrition, stress, and other physical and social factors can permanently affect a child's brain
Brilliantly blending cutting-edge science with a mother's wisdom and insight,
What's Going On in There? is an invaluable contribution to the nature versus nurture debate. Children's development is determined both by the genes they are born with and the richness of their early environment. This timely and important book shows parents the innumerable ways in which they can actually help their children grow better brains.
FANTASTIC! One of the best pop science books read ever! 2008-04-07
I wished I had read this book before I got pregnant, but reading it when my daughter was a couple of months old was nevertheless very helpful. If you're looking at a great book to help you understand how babies develop, and what happens at each stage, this is it. Not only does it help me understand what my baby goes through and know what to expect, but it also makes for fascinating reading through all the examples and experiments the author talks about. I'm buying it or recommending it to every friend I have who is expecting a baby. If you'll read one book about child development, this is the one to read.
Fascinating account of how we all develop 2008-04-03
If there ever were a textbook on your baby-preschooler's formative years, this is it. Lise Eliot's book is a fascinating walk through all the major areas of development, and it's dense, informative, and chock-full of biology for inquistive parents or parents-to-be. Although such a hefty book may seem daunting, I highly, highly recommend it; it's definitely worth reading. You will reach the end with a very broad yet detailed understanding of what's happening to your child, and you will feel amazed at how such a little being can achieve so much in a few short years.
I think every parent-to-be should have this book!
Incredible resource for those working in Pediatric Psychology 2008-03-27
Very thorough and easy to read. This book could be used together by both pediatric psychologists and parents. Excellent find!
Excellent read & so informative 2008-02-28
I have picked up this book on and off for the last few years becuase it is soo fascinating. It isn't based on the latest pop-psychology like so many books out there, rather it looks at the development of the brain through scans, experiments, etc. and bases its conclusions on that analysis. It looks at all the developmental aspects of a baby's growth & maturation which I find priceless when you are in the baby making years. We all knew that cuddling and cooing with our babies was important since that's what our instincts tell us to do, but now we have scientific data that explains how and why this is sooo very important to the development of our cheribs. I whole hearted recommend this to one and all caregivers, especially if you think your kid will just grow up and 'get it' without much of your direction. Excellent Read!
