This highly readable text provides an exceptionally clear overview of the whole field of child development, from birth to adolescence. the 2-12 age range is strongly emphasised. All the main areas of child development are fully covered: * perception and understanding* cognitive skills* play and language* personality* social relationshipsThe author draws upon the studies from a wide range of disciplines and shows how these contribute to our understanding of child development, clearly demonstrating how the information can be applied at home and school.