This is a massive book by 171 contributors in 127 chapters. Rather than a textbook, it is more of a reference library of the field. As in other such books with multiple contributors, it does not have a unifying perspective, and there are many overlaps and repetitions. Certainly, any information in the field could be found, if not in a chapter itself, in the long list of references following each chapter.
The first section is on normal development, including eight chapters on biological development. Although there is heavy emphasis on the biological, psychological theories are not neglected. There are expected sections on clinical syndromes, etiology, treatment, and the relationship of child psychiatry to education, pediatrics, the law, and public health. The last section is a grab bag of chapters on training, research, ethics, and history.
In a book of this sort, besides repetitions, there are bound to be contradictions. It