The Whole Child: Development in the Early Years

Reviewed by Davi Vitela-Elliott, Instructor, Central Washington University on 2/15/26

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

As the authors state in the Introduction, this textbook is meant to be "comprehensive and concise." Overall, it did a great job at both. I was surprised that, despite being concise, it was still able to be as comprehensive as it was. However, it (1) stops at age 8, which may make it difficult for some instructors to choose it since many courses on child development go through middle childhood (up to age 12), and (2) does not complete fully complete the chapter on 5-to-8-year-olds, as it's lacking the "Social and Emotional Development" section that is has with the previous age groups.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The book was accurate. In particular, I really appreciated the level of depth when it reviewed the developmental theorists, which included criticisms of the theories and how the theories apply to educational settings.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The information is relevant and, because the chapters are very clearly organized, if updates are needed, they would be easy to make.

Clarity rating: 5

The language is accessible and terminology is explained within the text or are bolded and clickable so that a definition for that term will pop up. (However, not all of the clickable terms worked for me when I tried them; a handful did not seem to bring up the definition when clicked.)

Consistency rating: 5

The text is internally consistent. The first few chapters talk about themes and define terms/concepts that sets a solid foundation for the rest of the text where these themes reappear.

Modularity rating: 5

The textbook is very clearly split into sections through the "Contents" side panel. Each section and subsection is clearly titled and follows a predictable pattern that make it easy to navigate throughout the text.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The textbook's organization is clear. As mentioned previously, the sections and subsections are clearly labeled and follow a predictable pattern. Also, I find the pages of text blocks clear and well-organized as well.

Interface rating: 5

I appreciated the links to external sources and the handful of videos that were incorporated throughout.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not catch any grammar errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text includes an entire section on "Cultural Perspectives," as well as includes references to other cultures throughout.

The textbook included PowerPoint lectures slides that may be helpful to new instructors teaching this content for the first time.

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.

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.