Early Childhood Education: An International Encyclopedia,New

Review '[A] comprehensive look at early childhood education. This encyclopedia's entries are a compilation of controversies, theories, policies, and practices that offer information on key historical and contemporary people and issues. Uniquely this work also includes entries on professional organizations and journals in the field.Alphabetically arranged and written by over 300 international contributors, the entries vary in length from one to five pages, with small variations in quality and larger differences in tone and focus. Though weighted toward the US, this set stands above previously published works in its exceptional look at the current state of affairs for 11 countries.Prepared for a large, diverse audience, this distinctive encyclopedia, with its crosscultural focus and outstanding features, will be extremely valuable to undergraduate students. Essential. Lower/upperlevel undergraduates, professionals, and general readers.' Choice'This title fills a longstanding gap in major reference works devoted solely to early childhood education.Aiming this work at students, policy analysts, and general readers, editors New and Cochran have assembled more than 300 international contributors to produce an encyclopedia of both breadth and depth. The first three volumes contain over 300 AtoZ entries on early childhood development and education in the United States that cover major historical and contemporary issues, current research, and a variety of theoretical and policy perspectives. All the entries are crossreferenced and conclude with a list of works cited as well as recommended readings.Volume 4 contains 100plus entries on the structure and policies of early childhood education in ten countries covering all inhabited continents outside North America. The countries were selected to showcase early childhood education in a wide range of societies.Highly recommended for academic and public libraries.' Library Journal'This is an excellent encyclopedia set that should be useful for both larger public libraries and academic libraries supporting education programs.' American Reference Books Annual'The entries themselves are clear and comprehensive, ranging from a page or two to two or three pages in length, with useful suggestions for further reading rather than a distracting overburden of references.' Reference Reviews'Recommended for academic libraries serving programs in child development and early childhood education as well as other libraries where this information will be in demand.' Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin Product Description Book by From Booklist Edited by New, professor of child development and director of teacher education at Tufts University, and Cochran, director of the Cornell University Early Childhood Program, this set combines a traditional encyclopedia format with another approach to organizing content. Volumes 13 contain alphabetical entries covering more than 300 topics such as Biculturalism, Bullying, Child abuse and neglect, Early intervention, Head Start, and No Child Left Behind Act. Other entries cover important individuals, journals, organizations, and more. Most include a list of further readings. Some of the entries run for several pages, while others are little more than definitions of terms probably available in any of a number of other sources. The unique aspect of this encyclopedia is volume 4, which looks at education from a global perspective by providing lengthy surveys of early childhood education in Australia, Brazil, China, the Czech Republic, France, Italy, Japan, South Africa, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Separately authored sections within the country chapters offer information related to access of services in these countries, quality of education, curriculum, theory, teacher training, current issues and challenges, and more. It can be difficult to discern many of these factors related to education in other countries, and as such, t