Children's Series Books Reviews

Pasquala: The Story of a California Indian Girl (Whispers Series)

Published in Hardcover by Magpie Publications (1990-09)

Authors: Gail Faber and Michele Lasagna

List price: $12.95

New price: $79.31
Used price: $8.08

Average review score:

Early California History Comes Alive!

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2001-09-28

The book Pasquala is about a brave girl who suffers because her dad and mom die. Pasquala is a strong character because her uncle who adopts her isn't very kind to her. For example, he doesn't let her go to the mourning ceremony or be in the ceremony changing kids into adults. Pasquala is the book's narrator, and she is a good one because she helps others. She saves the padres when she runs for 3 days and nights to warn them about an attack, and that's why she dies. I think that the book is good and it teaches a valuable lesson: we need to help others and then they are going to help us back when we need it. Pasquala even got her name from a padre who calls her that because she helps others. I like this book a lot, and think most kids my age would enjoy reading it. I learned many things from this book, such as how Yokuts Indians collected salt.

Early California History Comes Alive!

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2001-09-28

The book Pasquala is about a brave girl who suffers because her dad and mom die. Pasquala is a strong character because her uncle who adopts her isn't very kind to her. For example, he doesn't let her go to the mourning ceremony or be in the ceremony changing kids into adults. Pasquala is the book's narrator, and she is a good one because she helps others. She saves the padres when she runs for 3 days and nights to warn them about an attack, and that's why she dies. I think that the book is good and it teaches a valuable lesson: we need to help others and then they are going to help us back when we need it. Pasquala even got her name from a padre who calls her that because she helps others. I like this book a lot, and think most kids my age would enjoy reading it. I learned many things from this book, such as how Yokuts Indians collected salt.

PASQUALA: THE STORY OF A CALIFORNIA INDIAN GIRL

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2001-09-26

The genre is historical fiction. The story began when Pasquala and her mother were hiding in a cave because they saw soldados coming to their village. Pasquala was scared when she sees shadows near the cave opening so she closes her eyes and then feels a hand touch her; when she opens her eyes her father is right in front of her. Her father said the soldados had gone. After a couple days they go to the Pacific Ocean and on their way back Pasquala gets sick, so they have to take her to the mission to save her life. After a while they start living at the mission. One day her father finishes a beautiful saddle, so now the soldados want him to take it to the presidio where the soldiers live. When he gets back he is sick and dies. But before he dies he tells Pasquala and her mother to leave the mission. When Pasquala and her mom go back, the other villagers don't really like them anymore, because they had to do their work while they were gone. From this book I learned a lot about the Yokuts Indians who lived in the Central Valley. The book was short (about 90 pages) and easy to read. I liked the ending because usually most books have a happy ending; this one was sad. Read this book, it's enjoyable and a great way to learn about Califoria history and geography.

Great book for California 4th Graders!

Helpful Votes: 9 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 1998-07-16

The authors have done a fabulous job in bringing to life what it must have been like to be a little Yokut indian girl living in California's Great Central Valley 200 years ago. It teaches a great deal about the Yokut way of life and how things started to change when the Spanish arrived with their missions along California's coast. This is a fast read! You won't be able to put it down! Each turn of the page brings little Pasquala to a place in your heart where she will remain long after you finish the book. It is a fantastic book for 4th grade teachers to read aloud to their classes. It is also an excellent book for anyone who simply enjoys reading a well-written compelling story.

Peek-a-Boo Jungle

Published in Hardcover by Barron's Educational Series (2006-03-01)

Author:

List price: $7.99

New price: $1.00
Used price: $0.01

Average review score:

Super Cute Book

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-23

This book has bright bold beautiful colors....its a perfect book for newborns and up....i love it and it has a super cute surprise at the end....i would recommend this to everyone...a must have in your book collection

Fun and colorful

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-07

I was surprised that this book turned out being one of my sons favorites. He has loved this since he was about 11 months old. He especially likes the last page where he can pull down the flap of the baby's hand to see his reflection. I thought that this book was just way too repetative but it keeps the kids interest and it teaches them jungle animals. It is a very fun book.

Fantastic!

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-09

This simple Peek-A-Boo book, with it's bright and colorful pictures, makes my 9-month old daughter giggle. It is a great addition to our home library.

simple and fun

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-02-19

my 19 months old son find this book is the most fun book to read amount all other books he has. He would bring the book to me or dad to do the "pee-a-boo" with him over and over... i just think it is a wonderful book... simple and get to kids' attention!!!...

The Perfect Orange: A Tale from Ethiopia (Toucan Tales Series ; Vol. 2) (Toucan Tales Series ; Vol. 2)

Published in Hardcover by Rayve Productions (1994-12-01)

Author: Frank P. Araujo

List price: $17.95

New price: $10.91
Used price: $8.21
Collectible price: $24.95

Average review score:

Very special story

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-13

This book reads like a parable...the moral is timeless and the art work is stunning. A good children's book that exopses a new culture in a beautiful way.

A beautiful portrail

Helpful Votes: 12 out of 12 total.
Review Date: 2001-03-06

This fable is common throughout Ethiopia, Eritrea and surrounding countries and the author choose this Ethiopian version to write.

The wonderful images along with simple beautiful text which includes some Ethiopian words is just lovely.

It tells the story of a orphan girl Tshai, her selfless gift to the countries ruler and the darstadly thinking of the wicked Jib. The telling is enhanced by the legend of Ethiopian pronounciations and all round is a lovely addition your library if like me you have an Ethiopian child in your home.

Perfect book for children and a good lesson for adults

Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-30

This book is a perfect illustration on what a pure gift a child is and how innocent a child's heart can be. It teaches a few good life lessons and also incorporates a small amount of language from Ethiopia. We bought this book to introduce Ethiopia into our family for our small children while we wait to adopt a child from Ethiopia. This book is a must have for any child regardless of color, it is just a simple yet valuable story.

Very special and unusual book

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-22

The above quoted "Publishers Weekly" nails the critique for this book. It is enchanting and the artwork is dazzling. It is great to be able to offer your child an exposure to tales from other parts of the world, even if otherwise you would not have any connection to Ethiopia. It's fun to look the country up in an atlas with your child. My 4 year-old likes this book a lot. You won't regret it. It's not your everyday fare.

Piano Pieces for Children (Everybody's Favorite Series, No. 3)

Published in Paperback by Amsco Music Publishing Co. Inc. (1997-01)

Author:

List price: $12.95

New price: $8.88
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Collectible price: $12.98

Average review score:

The best way to learn classical classics

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-04

I have my original version from 1964 all tattered and torn. I will buy this book for my nephew who has taught himself to play piano. I could not give up my own version as it is too dear to me. It is a timeless reference in learning to play piano at any age.

Piano pieces for Everyone!!

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-10-31

Very good for beginner who want to start playing piano. Favorite and famous songs for all time.
Fun to learn and play the music. Not only for children!

An old classic

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-05

I started my piano lessons about 20 odd years ago...this book was what I played for fun and didn't underestimate my "talent". Sadly I lost my original copy about 6 years ago, what a joy to finally get it back...untouched.

Brilliant book

Helpful Votes: 7 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2003-07-18

I have the 1934 edition. The pieces are graded from 1 to grade 4 and the quality and range of the music is fantastic, fair better than the rubbish simplified versions nowadays.

The Pinky Ball Book & the Pinky Ball (Ages 5-Up)

Published in Paperback by Workman Publishing Company (2000-04-01)

Author: Dina Anastasio

List price: $9.95

Used price: $0.01

Average review score:

"Spaldeen"

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-17

Skullyplayer is absolutly correct. No self respecting Brooklynite whould ever, or ever did at least not in Greenpoint Brooklyn, where I grew up, call it a "Pinky". The guys wouldn't be caught dead using the term pinky. We called it a "Spaldeen". We played Ace, King, Queen,; Boxball; off the point, Stoop ball... etc. Those were the days. We would literally spend an entire summer afternoon playing Chinesse Handball on Bedford Ave, next to the soad fountain store. That was in the late 70's very early 80's.. I feel that was right on the tail end of the street game era. We also played Johnny on the Pony, and scelzeesc (I prob butchered the spelling of that one).

Memories.

The Best Moments of My Childhood

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2000-08-02

Hold this book in your hand and, if you're like me, it will evoke some pretty powerful memories of childhood. Not only is it chock-full of the games we Brooklyn girls used to play with our beloved Spaldeens (as well as the ones we were only allowed to watch the boys play) but it also comes with a real live Spaldeen (okay, so it's called a Pinky Ball). There are games I remember playing, like "A, My Name is Alice" and "Hit the Penny," games I don't remember, like "Four Square," and lots of games I knew by other names - regional variants, I guess. Anastasio has done a wonderful job of digging up a zillion games, as well as history, special Spaldeen techniques, and safety tips for the modern world, which is less inclined to make way for kids playing in the street. A comprehensive, well-written treat to read!

Spaldeen 101

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2000-05-08

It's hard to fault a book that includes a spaldeen with it. Yes, a spaldeen--that's the canonically correct term for the pink rubber ball that is supplied with and described by this book. Obviously, the publisher wanted to avoid the sticky situation of the ball's true name, a corruption of the manufacturer's name, Spalding. No self-respecting New York kid would ever call it a pinky ball.

Despite the book's heavy dose of political correctness and Y2K-esque paranoia (basically, it advises kids not to do anything dangerous, which seems to extend to bouncing the ball near a street), this is a great little tome. There's lots of games described for kids to learn, and even a brief history of the ball--the spaldeen is correctly presented as the ultimate evolution of ball technology, which started with ancient Egyptians kid playing with mud they'd roll up into balls.

Cover Your Eyes, My Children! It's a NAKED TENNIS BALL!

Helpful Votes: 7 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2004-07-02

Cover Your Eyes, My Children! It's a NAKED TENNIS BALL!

My first Pinky Ball cost me a whole forty-nine cents at my hometown Ohio City Hardware back in the 70's. Pinkies are now priced at around ninety-nine cents. Not bad given 30 years of inflation. A lot better than a loaf of WonderBread, that's for sure!

The visuals, smell and touch of a Pinky hasn't changed in my 30-some years and this Pinky comes with a cool book, to boot. It covers the Pinky lingo like roofer (not to be confused with roofies), chips, chops, ham & eggs, skimming, scroogie etc.
Includes techniques on how to throw a fastball, slider, knuckler, and fluke. Even includes on how to tape up your mamma's old broomstick for a simple bat without splinters, how to play handball (we always played handball against the Ohio City Liberty's big busbarn). The various games include some familiar and some "not-so" familiar, like Tennessee, 1,2,3, O'Kerry (not to be confused with the Democratic Kerry ;>), A, My Name Is Alice, Trigon, Hot Potato, Monkey in the Middle, Mimsy, Kings, Stickball, Slapball, Hit the Penny, Spud, Flies Up, and I Declare War ( quite non-PC).

PC, however, is the book when read. It urges children not to play ball in the street, (what FUN is that?), and other funny (to me, anyway) comments. I guess that not being a parent, myself, I think the comments funny but parents of little children might find them a help.

Overall, this product will bring back childhood memories for parents and teach their children about a world before Atari, cable TV, X-Box, GameBoy and the internet!

Happy Playing!

A Place to Belong (Orphan Train Series)

Published in Library Binding by (2008-08-11)

Author: Joan Lowery Nixon

List price: $14.50

New price: $14.50

Average review score:

Heart breaking, but surprising.

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 1998-06-27

It will break your heart but it will make you want to read more.

Couldn't put it down

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 1998-07-19

It was souch a great book I finished it in one night! Although it was sad, It was very interesting. You really got to know the characters. I hade to get the three other books as soon as I could! One night I stayed up till one in the morning to finish one of the books!

A Place To Belong

Helpful Votes: 6 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2001-09-13

When the six Kelly children are split up Danny then sees a fake doctor he heard about in New York while at a medicine show out West. When he reveals the phony doctor's secret to everyone there, the doctor decides to hunt Danny down. It is a race to catch each other first before the other one catches you. A dramatic, heart-warming story filled with love, joy, and the importance of family.

A Place to Belong

Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2000-07-26

This is a great book. I wouldn't recommend reading this book before: A Family Apart, Caught in the Act, and In the Face of Danger. It is the last book a Quartet about the Kelly children. Unless you don't want to read the first three I suggest you read A Place to Belong last.

The Playdate Kids: Island Potty Party (The Playdate Kids Musical Series)

Published in Hardcover by Playdate Kids (2007-07-15)

Author: Tim Friedlander

List price: $14.95

New price: $14.94
Used price: $14.94

Average review score:

Island Potty Party by Tim Friedlander

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-10

Island Potty Party is the proud recipient of the following:
2008 Mom's Choice Award
National Parenting Center Seal of Approval
Family Review Center Gold Award
Readers Views Choice Award - Finalist

A Mom's Choice Awards Recipient!

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-20

The Mom's Choice Awards® honors excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists and others. A sampling of the panel members includes: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, Ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times Best-Selling Author; LeAnn Thieman, Motivational speaker and coauthor of seven Chicken Soup For The Soul books; Tara Paterson, Certified Parent Coach, and founder of The Just For Mom Foundation(tm) and the Mom's Choice Awards®. Parents and educators look for the Mom's Choice Awards® seal in selecting quality materials and products for children and families. This book has been honored by this distinguished award.

An unusual 'restroom romp' of action and whimsical fun.

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-03

Tim Friedlander's ISLAND POTTY PARTY presents a conga line and a transition from diapers - with musical motivation. Again, parents will find this a fun way to reinforce potty training with music and dance, presenting an unusual 'restroom romp' of action and whimsical fun.

Super book for potty training

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-02

Reviewed by Stephanie & Parish (age 3) & Isaac (age 1) Rollins for Reader Views (5/07)

Playdate Kids dare to address all issues children struggle with--even potty training. Included in "Island Potty Party" is a CD of the same name. Parish loved the song. It has an island sound that made Parish and Isaac dance.

Playdate Kids books always have a diverse group of kids and adults. There are many kids with different hair colors and skin colors. Some are cute. Some are less than cute.

In "Island Potty Party," the Playdate Kids play on the beach. Then Dakota's baby brother has to go potty. Dakota teaches her brother to not pee in his diaper. She shows him how to go to the bathroom. The kids act like expert potty trainers. They direct the baby brother to not pee on his feet and so on.

On a few pages, grown-ups and kids are shown going to the bathroom. At the end of the book is a simple diagram that shows kids what happens to their food.

A great aspect of the Playdate Kids books is that the pictures tell stories, too, so there are several stories going on at one time. There are adults covered up with sand. Kids build sandcastles. There are surfers. There is a volcano in the background. Each time Parish reads this, which has been countless times, she finds another interesting picture.

Once again, Playdate Kids has created a great book. If you have a potty-training child, let them read this book as they sit on the toilet. Parish has a book box next to the toilet. "The Playdate Kids: Island Potty Party" is now in that box.

Playing Dead: A Hollywood Mystery

Published in Hardcover by William Morrow & Company (1999-01)

Author: Lindsay Maracotta

List price: $24.00

New price: $1.92
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $24.00

Average review score:

This is a thoroughly enjoyable mystery

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2005-02-25

To my amusement and embarrassment, halfway through the book, I began to suspect I'd read it before (and this book was published only 5 years ago). By the end, I was convinced this was my second read, although I'd forgotten most of it. But -- I'm not sorry I re-read it, because this is a thoroughly enjoyable mystery -- well-plotted, well-written, amusing, and absorbing.

I don't really understand why the book isn't better known, since I think it has a wide audience who would appreciate this jaundiced view of life among the elite of Hollywood - a world where 10 year olds have several thousand dollars to spend at a charity auction and parents will stop at nothing to keep their child actor offspring from entering puberty. THe book's "detective" does not get drawn into these values although her husband is a producer and her daughter attends a very elite Hollywood private school.

The plot involves the death of a man who is a recently hired employee and a long-time friend (although they haven't seen each other for years) of our "detective," who does animation for PBS and is pregnant with her second child. The police are all too willing to tie the death to some other similar killings (they think they've arrested the people responsible), so she develops her own theories about the crime and begins investigating. Her theories relate to a murder that her nanny-friend may have witnessed, and that killer appears to have been a child -- who is probably attending her daughter's elite school. Whoever that child is...

I think this is a great book and unless you read it in one sitting, you'll be anxious to get back to it. The detective is likeable and witty in an understated way.

Low-key whodunnit by a Hollywood insider

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2001-09-28

Unlikely amateur sleuth Lucy Freers, 5 months pregnant, mother to 5th-grader Chloe, and the wife of an A-List Hollywood producer, stubbornly forges ahead when she realizes her temporary live-in nanny, Brandon McKenna (a former lover) was probably not the latest victim of some lowlife highway shooters, but got in the way of a killer. Animator Lucy accidentally finds a tape seeming to show the murder of a casting director who was pushed to her death by a child actor, and wonders if Brandon was blackmailing the murderer. It's more involved than that, and a cast that includes a cynical LAPD detective, the fashion-challenged Terry Shoe, a bevy of unpleasant wannabe-child stars and tantrum-throwing child stars, horrific stage mothers who'll stop at nothing to see their children on the big screen, and a lesbian mother-to-be, will keep readers turning the pages of this very nicely paced mystery novel set amongst the palms and nutters of LaLaLand. Now I'll have to find a copy of Maracotta's first book!

Hilarious and Sadly Overlooked

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2000-08-10

Lindsay Maracotta's well-plotted, hilarious and knowing Playing Dead takes us into the lush Hollywood world of "Keeping Up with the Moguls" where nannies can get their own saunas and famous child actors have bodyguards at private schools that look like ducal palaces. A devotee of vintage clothing, animator Lucy Freers is married to a suddenly-wealthy producer and she's trying to keep their lives at an even keel. Fat chance! Their humpy male nanny--a former lover--is murdered and police uncover his secret life. Soon after, Lucy is inexorably drawn into the cartoonish and cruel world of child actors and their wildly avaricious parents. The writing's snappy, the mystery's exciting, and Maracotta writes superb social satire.

Fabulous Hollywood who-done-it

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 1998-12-31

In a remote Los Angeles canyon, someone shoots and kills documentary filmmaker Brandon McKenna, an old college friend of wealthy cartoonist Lucy Freers. Though she is pregnant, Lucy decides to investigate the murder of Brandon, who she recently hired as a nanny to her four-year old daughter.

Lucy quickly realizes that Brandon packed very lightly as if he was on the lam. She soon looks at some of Brandon's tapes, including the murder of a casting director by a child. The police ruled that death was an accident due to a fall down a set of stairs. Lucy panics when her daughter informs her the child-killer attends her exclusive school. Since no one wants to accept a cherubic child as a murderer, Lucy knows it is up to her to prove otherwise before the killer strikes again at her or her loved ones.

PLAYING DEAD is an interesting Hollywood who-done-it. The story line is fast paced and filled with action. The characters, including the alleged kid-killer, seem genuine. Additionally, the return of Terry Shoe (see THE DEAD CELEB) adds a nice touch to a nicely fashioned amateur sleuth mystery that will gain Lindsay Maracotta new fans.

Harriet Klausner

Polite Elephant (The Little Golden Treasures Series)

Published in Board book by Golden Books (1998-07-17)

Author: Richard Scarry

List price: $4.99

Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $18.00

Average review score:

Elephants, Hello, Please, Thank You:18 month old's favorite

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2003-12-26

I think my 18 month old started out loving this book so much because it has elephants in it. We love to make the elephant sign and the noise "bfffuuuuttt".

Some times I change the words I read. For example, instead of reading "he never pushes or shoves", I say out-loud "the elephant waits by standing still" to eliminate some of the gender and the sometimes "dont dont dont" wordings. Partly because at 18 months old "never push or shove" sounds a lot like "push and shove". :) Older children will probably be able to understand words like dont and never.

But my 18 month old doesn't care about those things. And we love signing "hello friends", "please", and "thank you".

I agree that it is never too early to teach social manners!

Just dont feel like you have to read it word for word; change a couple here and there!

We also love spying the bears, rabits, mice, fox, lady bugs and hats!

Excellent first introduction to good manners for toddlers

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-14

Scarry has it right from the start of this endearing book: "Everyone likes the polite elephant."

What makes this book a must-have for toddlers: classic illustrations that children have been falling in love with for decades, a lovable, memorable main character, and polite social behavior taught through everyday situations that will be meaningful to toddlers.

Parents who grew up with Richard Scarry's books will like seeing familiar Busytown characters. As always, the illustrations are cheerful and charming, and there are only a few words on each page (which stretches the age range from just-old-enough-to-look-without-eating through the pre-reading years).

The book uses situations that are familiar to toddlers to introduce polite behavior, including greetings, waiting in line, being a good guest, saying "please" and "thank you," washing up before meals, sharing toys, and more.

An excellent addition to your own board book collection, or a great gift for a new parent or parent of a toddler.

cute and fun to read, and also teaches good manners

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 1999-01-09

Cute Richard Scarry pictures are always fun for children, and this book combines the fun of Scarry's cartoon animals and vehicles with many tips on good manners in several different situations. Needed by many of today's children.

A big hit in our household !

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2000-10-24

Our 18-month-old can not hear this being read enough. We must read it 5 times a day or more, maybe much more, with him asking/signing 'more' again. The illustrations, as can be expected, are excellent. Best of all, from a parents point of view, is that it teaches the importance of manners.

Given the lack of manners that I often see on playgrounds (by parents!) I think that it is imperative that good manners be drilled (there is the 'd' word) into children when quite young. Good social graces are usually a surer factor of success in life than extra points on an IQ test. There is a plethora of books out about raising bright kids, but markedly fewer about raising polite kids.

I picked this title up in a supermarket on a whim, and found it a favorite with our little guy, who already likes to say "please and "thank you" as well as "How do you do?". Buy it.

Pre-Object Relatedness: Early Attachment and the Psychoanalytic Situation

Published in Hardcover by The Guilford Press (1995-12-01)

Author: Ivri Kumin

List price: $49.00

New price: $52.58
Used price: $49.96
Collectible price: $75.00

Average review score:

From "Contemporary Psychoanalysis" May 1999

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 1999-06-19

"...clinically useful....there are moments in this book...when one is actually stopped in one's conceptual tracks by a particularly apt insight." [Note: no numerical rating in review]

"Erudite"

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 1998-05-07

"...undertakes the seemingly impossible task of describing pre-verbal infant communication....an important book." --Rose Boyarsky, St. Louis, in "Psychotherapy in Private Practice" [Note: no numerical rating in review]

From Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Assn. (Vol.46:1)

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 1998-04-20

"integrate[s] a better understanding of infancy into broader psychoanalytic theory...." "...lucid and succinct...." "a wealth of clinical thinking that fulfills the promise of the book's subtitle...." "...probing insight into subtle passages and clinical processes...." "...few analytic authors have contributed such a wealth of insight and material for future study as does Kumin in this volume." --Renata Gaddini, Rome [Note: no numerical rating in review]

A penetrating look into the affect and attachment of babies.

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2000-01-01

I am neither a psychiatrist nor a psychologist, but I learned a tremendous amount from this book. The author makes the ideas of projective- and introjective identification very clear. It was fascinating to learn that a baby's distress call, and the way it is responded to by the parent, becomes the model for the child and later adult to manage his or her own anxiety. As a father of a 16 month-old daughter, it helps me understand how my parenting, and empathetic answering my daughter's needs, contribute profoundly to her current and future mental health. I didn't need the advice to psychotherapists, but found it interesting. I feel that reading Charles Brenner's book, A Textbook of Psychoanalysis (I think that is the title), before this one, would be helpful to novices like myself to understand better the concepts in the book.

Children's Series Books Books