A Good Start in Life: Understanding Your Child's Brain and Behavior from Birth to Age 6

New parents can end up with too many choices, and it seems like a separate book exists for every stage of life--which can be overwhelming when one's reading time is limited. A Good Start in Life aims to reduce the stress, compiling basic information about child development from conception to age 6 in one concise book. Written by a neuroscientist and an educator, you'll find easy-to-digest information about the physical stages of early childhood, as well as straightforward suggestions that make parenting a little easier as your child grows.

In each chapter, you follow a small girl through her life changes. Her second birthday party is a typical madhouse, while by her sixth you can see all types of developed personalities and interpersonal skills at play. Each party is used to demonstrate specific developments, and it's both entertaining and educational to see the kids evolve from playing separately to choosing up sides for a baseball game. Pictures and charts of developmental milestones are included for quick reference, and topics like building security, setting limits, and preparing for school are addressed clearly and briefly. While no special situation is discussed in depth, parents will receive an excellent general overview of what they can expect from life with a little one. --Jill Lightner