Development Through the Lifespan (4th Edition)

A best-selling text unparralled in its approach to teaching human development, Berk’s Development Through the Lifespan is relied on in classrooms worldwide for its clear, engaging writing style, exceptional cross-cultural focus, rich examples, and long-standing commitment to presenting the most up-to-date scholarship while also offering students research-based, practical applications that they can relate to their personal and professional lives.

“The Berk Lifespan text offers a sense that we are learning from someone who is both a great scholar and a very wise and experienced person.  Berk has credibility on both a professional and personal level.....It also offers a sense that my students are getting exposure to the best research and ideas available in my field.

*David Shwalb, Southeastern Louisiana University

“This is the most engaging textbook I have reviewed or used... truly remarkable in its depth, research and professional, personable and engaging writing style... This book sets a new standard of excellence.”

“I especially liked the excellent applications-implications included... far superior to nearly all other texts I am familiar with.”

*Dale Lund, University of Utah, College of Nursing

“Berk Lifespan offers exceptional coverage of the most important issues, trends, and cutting edge topics... without question, one of the most comprehensive texts available.”

“The author does an exceptional job establishing a foundation for the topical areas and continues by presenting more detailed information in the domain so to provide the reader with a comprehensive view of these developmental processes and the impact that variables have on each area.”

*Kimberly Blair, University of Pittsburgh

“The Berk book has become a sourcebook (for our students)... This past year, I also taught a course in the third and final year of the BScN program and the students are still referring to Berk to interpret and support their clinical observations.”

“The figures, diagrams, pictures, and tables are well-chosen.  The examples and illustrations are very clear.”

*Laurie Gottlieb, McGill University, Canada

“The author has done a very good job of presenting critical issues in a straightforward, understandable manner.  Students have commented on the usefulness of the text, and stated they particularly like the milestone tables, vignettes and end-of-chapter summaries.  Students have also commented that the author manages to make potentially difficult concepts easy to understand.  At the end of each term, I request feedback on the text from 4-5 students, ask them to compare the Berk text with 1 or 2 other available texts, and make a recommendation regarding the text for next year’s class.  Student’s, the past 2 years, have selected the Berk test over others for reasons outlined above, and also for paper quality, color, up-to-date photographs, overall appeal, and user-friendliness.”

*Marita Kloseck, University of Western Ontario

“The Berk textbook is excellent. It includes a large amount of practical knowledge that I will use in the future!  Extremely useful and informative.”

Anonymous student quote from Prof. Kloseck’s class

“It is clear that Dr. Berk has worked in this field for a very long time and is committed to using up to date research... I think this text does a good job of educating students on the intellectual matters of development as well as the practical matters of policy and economics.”

“I especially like the way Dr. Berk addresses policy in this text... the social issues boxes are very useful in engaging students in topics of real-life importance that go beyond the individual.”

Chapter 3 “is the best chapter on prenatal development and delivery that I have seen in a developmental textbook.  The inclusion of a variety of approaches to childbirth around the world is particularly interesting.”

*Ashley Maynard, University of Hawaii

“Great use of concrete, real-life examples of the various concepts throughout the chapter.  This is incredibly helpful for students’ learning and retention of the material.”

*Tracie Blumentritt, University of Wisconsin La Crosse

“Bravo! Boy, was I favorably impressed!  The photos are BEAUTIFUL.”

*Laura Thompson, New Mexico State University

“One of the greatest strengths of any Berk book on human development is the quality of the research the author selects for inclusion.  The timeliness and relevancy of the selected research goes a long way in enhancing the caliber of the information.  The author has created a good blend of historic, classic, contemporary, and practical research, which is appropriate for the topics covered.”

*Lanthan Camblin, University of Cincinnati

“I was very impressed with this text.”

Chapter 8 “on social and emotional development in early childhood is outstanding.  The presentation of the salient developmental issues of this period is clear and interesting.  The discussion of the factors that influence social and emotional adaptation (e.g. childrearing styles, cultural variation, etc.) illustrates the complexity of development but in a highly readable and understandable fashion.”

“The overview of a topic is well integrated with the research and case vignettes.”

*Byron, Egeland, University of Minnesota

Chapter 19 “is extraordinary. Other textbooks pay lip service to the topic (of death, dying and bereavement)” and have the “tendency to gloss over” the material.  Berk has written a phenomenal chapter... It is through, sensitive, and well written.”

Cheryl Anagnopoulos, Black Hills State University