BOOK OF CHILD CARE

From England in its first American appearance: the third edition of a comprehensive, easy-going medical guide to child care. Jolly explains the update by reference to advances in child care (innovations in dentistry, ""a major revolution. . . in baby equipment""), and to changes in his own approach (birthing alternatives, for one). The guide proper is divided into ""The Healthy Child,"" which covers normal patterns of growth and development in roughly chronological order; and ""The Sick Child,"" which deals with basic matters from colds and flu to handicaps, chronic illness, and child-death. Jolly is comforting, relaxed; he argues for looking at how a baby is progressing overall, rather than getting hung up on specifics. ""I hope you will try to understand his behavior in terms of his developing personality and skills, and get away from mechanical explanations for his behavior, whether it be 'gas' or 'teething'. . . or laziness or tiredness."" But, despite adjustments for an American audience, this is still often United Kingdom-specific (most notably on labor and delivery). Jolly's point of view, moreover, is essentially a medical one. And the later years of childhood receive short shrift. For a broader orientation, with meticulous attention to each age group and issue, see rather Penelope Leach's Child Care Encyclopedia (p. 294).