Book Review:  The Mozart Effect for Children
Book by Don Campbell
(Reviewed by Mia Cronan)
ISBN: 0-380-97782-6, 270 pages

Awakening Your Child's Mind, Health, and Creativity with Music

Judging by the cover of this book, I expected to find simple analogies drawn in terms of rhythm and mathematics, or maybe tones and the ability to read aloud with inflections in the voice. What I found was much more complex and scientific, suggesting that music actually changes the brain and how it processes information.

I opened the book after having recently heard a counter-theory to the Mozart Effect, saying that listening to Mozart doesn't actually make individuals smarter. However, after reading the book I can see that what is actually being said has more to do with music on an aggregate level and how music alters the brain as early as the fifth uterine month, when a baby begins to respond muscularly to his mother's phonetic language. In other words, I was skeptical going in, but now I see the value in music for the purpose of intellectual development.

Campbell explains how music is an innate intelligence, and evidence of this is very apparent between the third and fourth year of life. The book demonstrates examples of music and high degrees of intelligence (an example used was Einstein and his love of the violin). He uses a three-fold teaching procedure:
* He makes learning exciting, an adventurous journey
* He gives examples of the important developmental issues
* He gives orderly steps for each level of learning

The book is very well-written adn organized nicely in conjunction with a baby's development. You'll find some terrific biological information on many musicians, inspiring quotes, and a lot of history. Campbell offers loads of recommended reading, broken down by chapter so you can quickly find more information on any topic you encounter. My favorite part of the book is at the very end, where you will find a section called, "The Music of Mozart," in which Campbell offers selections for listening, based on your child's age (including your pregnancy!). 

This is terrific reading for any parent, teacher, or child care-giver. You'll find a lot more than a testimony in favor of music; you'll find a new way to look at child development.

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