2012 - CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title
2012 - RUSA's Outstanding Reference Sources
"With extensive cross-references, content outline, and list of articles, the set is eminently accessible. Useful for academic, special and public libraries supporting early childhood, education, library science, social work, and other child/parent- related professions."
"Articles are substantial, (the publicity flyer states that the 445 articles range from 500 to 5,000 words in length) signed, and include cross-references and bibliographies. In some cases, Internet resources are also identified. Many are illustrated with black-and-white reproductions of paintings and photographs, and occasionally, tables...My one hope is that an electronic version of this well-conceived and well-written set will be made available to promote updated URLs and fast access to cross-referenced articles."
"Articles cover topics in such broad areas as history, social sciences, literature, medicine, and law as they relate to history of childhood and children.\n"
"...a reference tool for those interested in the historical, anthropological, or wide-ranging sociocultural study of children, childhood, and youth...a wealth of interesting material for the student or professional looking for information on childhood...should be of particular interest to those in education or professions that involve an interaction with young people...not simply a bibliography of important works,..both engaging to read and an excellent source for the professional or student...appropriate for all academic and large public libraries."
"It is rare that one would recommend that students of a discipline, let alone anyone with a general interest in a subject, read a three-volume reference work cover to cover. This is one of those special occasions. This set extends and brings new insights into the social construction and experience of childhood begun by Philippe Aries in his Centuries of Childhood (Vintage, 1962). ..The most interesting, and perhaps unique, feature is the List of Selected Illustrations for each volume...Their writing is uniformly literate and accessible...Encyclopedia of Children and Childhood: In History and Society should find a place in all academic libraries and in public libraries that already own Ariess Centuries of Childhood. Other libraries should also seriously consider acquiring it."
"And now here is the first encyclopedia of the history of childhood, consisting of 445 articles and 250 illustrations in three volumes written by more than 300 international scholars. The results are fascinating. "
"There are two obvious shortcomings: the omission of Urie Bronfenbrenner (human development and family studies and psychology, Cornell), a founding father of Head Start and an internationally recognized and studied scholar; and see also references should have been used to link legal cases to other topics."