Following is a review of the book written by Janet Gonzalez-Mena, in a letter to the author, June Handler:

Dear June,

It's very interesting how things work out.  Your book came as I was packing to go to Budapest , a journey to a source.  My original infant-toddler mentor, Magda Gerber got her start in an orphanage (residential nursery- for children 0-3) and for over 25 years I've dreamed of visiting it, but didn't get there until last week. 

Before I left home, I popped your book in my carry-on luggage.  I didn't look at it again until the return trip and then as soon as I was buckled into my seat on the plane in the Budapest airport, I pulled it out.  The trip was about philosophy and infants and toddlers, so you can imagine how receptive I was when I opened your book.  I was brimming with sights, sounds, visions, ideas, and questions about infants and toddlers. I consumed your book like it was a most delicious meal that lasted many, many hours.

I want to write you a detailed letter, but right now I'm anxious to tell you how much it meant to me to have your words just when I was most open to them. I still feel thrilled to think back on the experience and just wish I had a whole bunch of free time ahead of me to go back and devour some more.

The word that comes to mind as I think about your book is "packed".  You have so many ideas in there.  Each chapter, each paragraph, each sentence is something to think about, mull over, chew on.  I loved reading your words, thinking about your ideas and then looking over your references and realizing that I could spend the rest of my life following the trails that you invited me on.  I found books that I consider old friends in the references and imagined myself rereading and rethinking what I read so long ago. Some of those I have on my dusty bookshelf and the ones I don't own are represented by folders filled with notes in an equally dusty file drawer. Just reading what you said and then discovering the references brought many fond memories.  Then I also found new books, authors and ideas that I'd love to pursue.

It has been a long time since I read a book like yours.  I guess I have scholarly tendencies, but never quite settled down into being a scholar.  I also see that you managed to take those many ideas and bring them down to the practical world with your many "think abouts."  I can imagine teaching a course and using that book as a self-reflection device.  It's unusual that something so philosophical can be so easily used in a practical way as well.

Congratulations on a significant achievement.  I hope your book finds its way into many hands and gets the attention it deserves!

Thanks again for thinking of me,

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