Central to this recasting of developmental psychology has been the realization that young children's abilities have frequently been underestimated. In trying to discover what a child understands or is capable of, we need to consider the whole child and to try to see situations from the child's point of view. Nor should we underestimate the difficulties that children encounter in formal education. These were the lessons contained in the work of Margaret Donaldson, whose influence pervades this book, and to whom it is dedicated.

Understanding Children reflects on the development of children's minds - their abilities to understand language and to communicate; to explain events in the world; to read, write and draw; to deal with computers; to think, perceive and to gain awareness. It is inspired by the work of a psychologist whose writings have inspired and illuminated many thousands of students, teachers and academics throughout the world.