Reviews

What's Going On in There?

Praise for “What’s Going On in There?”:

“This is an excellent book for parents—easily understandable and easily readable.”
—T. Berry Brazelton, MD

“A fascinating and masterful account of what science knows about how a baby’s brain grows—and how what we do makes a difference. Every parent of a newborn should read it.”
—Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence

“With impressive depth and clarity, Eliot…offers a comprehensive overview of current scientific knowledge about infant and early childhood brain development…[Her] confidence in the open-minded interest of her readers makes this a good bet for scientifically oriented parents who want to grasp how a child’s mind develops. All in all, this is popular science at its best.”
—Publisher’s Weekly (starred review)

“What's Going on in There? is an immensely intelligent labor of love. It is based on the author's own "odyssey of discovery" as she sought answers to questions about her own role in carrying, delivering, and parenting her children.”
—Amazon.com

“Readable and informative… Eliot, a neurobiologist, doesn’t let dry science dominate her writing—after all, she has children herself—but the information she provides… is based on science, not just morality. Parents, prospective parents, friends, and teachers all stand to learn from Eliot’s well-thought-out effort.”
—Booklist

“This guided tour of ``the wrinkly universe inside each child's head'' will fascinate most readers…In an era in which genes are given most of the credit for shaping our destinies, Eliot, a neuroscientist and mother of three, is especially interested in the other half of the development equation, ‘neural plasticity,’ or, in layperson's terms, how the brain is literally molded by experience.…[She] explains, among other things, why young children crave sweets and fats, why preschoolers can’t control themselves, how male and female brains differ, and how a simple ‘marshmallow test’ can help predict later achievement. An engrossing, challenging work that more than answers the question its title raises.
—Kirkus Reviews

“This is a wonderful book, informed, instructive, empathetic, sensible, and optimistic…a must for all parents.”
—Eric Kandel, MD, Nobel Laureate and University Professor, Columbia University

“Immensely readable study of how the brain develops from conception to age five. This book is both theoretical and practical, combing scientific reportage with how-to advice for new parents. With clear, mostly simple language, she guides readers through a fascinating array of new research.… A real page-turner; highly recommended.”
—Library Journal

“This is the perfect book for parents… Although it’s written by a neurobiologist who’s also the mother of three, it’s not terribly technical and entertains with its descriptions of real babies… A terrific book. Expectant parents might consider reading it before the baby arrives.”
—Los Angeles Times