A recently revised classic on the development of infants and toddlers. Brazelton was a pioneer in the field of infant temperament and neurodevelopment. He's helped a lot of us pediatricians incorporate developmental guidance "touchpoints" into our well-child visits.

A classic from the leading authority on school learning differences. He also has a fantastic web resource on this topic, at All Kinds of Minds.

A masterful synthesis of research on how interpersonal experience shapes the developing mind. A strong focus on stress, trauma, and attachment makes this one of the best books out there for folks interested in understanding children who've experienced maltreatment or orphanage life. Looks like a humdinger of a science text, but quite compelling and readable.

My favorite book for speech/language delays, also available directly from the Hanen Centre. Lovely illustrations, research-based but actually a simple, practical, easy read. If you want an equally practical, less expensive option, another good (and free! and online!) choice is "Talking with Toddlers". If you want more information or a higher reading level, try Dyer's book below.

Well-researched, practical, and comprehensive, this book covers a broader age range than the two listed above. Features specific sections on adoption and bilingual issues (but don't miss Glennen's website for more detail on language development in post-institutionalized children).

A good book with more emphasis on older, school-age children.

This book fills a big gap in the literature by thoroughly and practically addressing motor and sensory issues in the 1st five years of life, including special sections on low muscle tone and prematurity. It provides excellent descriptions of appropriate play and physical activities for children at various stages of development, especially for kids that do have motor delays or low muscle tone.

Dr. Greenspan is a well-respected authority in early childhood development, and this hefty book outlines his "Floortime" developmental therapy approach. Ideal for children with autistic spectrum disorders, but also likely to be helpful with "institutional autism" issues, and other early childhood delays.

Another great book from Dr. Greenspan. Even if your child missed out on some of these experiences early on, it's not too late to create them. Good information on temperament and sensory processing differences here as well.

Local UW folks wrote this excellent exploration of "how babies recognize and understand their fellow humans, interpret sensory input, absorb language, learn and devise theories, and take part in building their own brains."

Darnright FASCINATING overview of current scientific knowledge about infant and early childhood brain development. I've given this at a lot of baby showers ...

This book is a hoot, and a total page-turner if you like a rip-roaring popular science book. You may have noticed that I'm a big nerd for this kind of stuff, but I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a definitive and entertaining review of stress and its impacts, from prenatal life to adulthood. Adoptive parents will find much that's relevant here, especially for kids with histories of neglect, trauma, or institutional life.

A poetic, original take on ADD/ADHD and its possible roots in early childhood experience. Mate does acknowledge the role of genetics, and I didn't find the book as "blaming" as it might sound, since he quite poignantly describes his own ADD and how relationship stresses might have contributed to his childrens' ADD. Marvelous descriptions of life with ADD, sound neurobiology explanations for its symptoms, and must-read therapeutic approaches that go well beyond stimulants. Even if his theories on early experience may not apply to every child with ADD, they really ring true for the orphanage-raised or otherwise neglected children in my practice. 6 free chapter samples at ScatteredMinds.com - don't miss the "just looking for attention" and "counterwill" chapters.

Wise, practical, and comforting book for parents of kids that are developing on their own path, whether you wind up with a diagnostic label or not. Covers all flavors of the autism spectrum, sensory issues, Tourette's, attentional and anxiety issues, and more. Addresses when and how to seek help, the maze of diagnosis and therapy, and practical tips for school and social situations. But what's unique here is that the authors make a point of celebrating, or at least appreciating, some of these differences rather than pathologizing them.

This book comes well-recommended by my neuropsychology colleagues, and looks like a nice overview of executive function (the higher order "brain CEO" skills that help us plan and organize our approach to problems, as well as stay in control of our responses and emotions). Even better, it outlines practical and research-based approaches to helping children with "executive dysfunction" at home and at school. It's on this list because MANY children with prenatal substance exposures, early neglect/institutionalization, and ADHD have problems with executive function.