Goodman, K. (2007). Music therapy groupwork with special needs children. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas, Ltd. 302 pages. ISBN 978-0-398-07739-6 (hard) ISBN 978-0-398-07740-2 (paper). $69.95; $49.95, respectively

Goodman, K. (2007). Music therapy groupwork with special needs children. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas, Ltd. 302 pages. ISBN 978-0-398-07739-6 (hard) ISBN 978-0398-07740-2 (paper). $69.95; $49.95, respectively. Music therapists working with special needs children often face the following questions: Would this client benefit more from an individual or a group session? What prerequisite skills are needed for this client to be successful in a group? What are the advantages and disadvantages of being in a group versus an individual session? How does the music therapist assess, manage behavior, take data, and apply a working knowledge of group dynamics? Karen Goodman attempts to answer these questions and more in her book Music Therapy Groupwork with Special Needs Children. Goodman wrote this book to help therapists "work effectively toward the formation of a cohesive group with children who have different functioning levels, different temperaments and different musical preferences," (p. vii). Based on her 28 years of experience as a music therapist working with children in educational and psychiatric settings, the author outlines key concepts and illustrates her theoretical perspectives through multiple clinical vignettes. Primarily useful as a text for students and clinicians beginning their work with children, the eight chapters cover assessment, client placement, goals and objectives, selection and musical adaptation of materials, methodology and evaluation. Each chapter concludes with study guide questions. Chapter 1 is a first person account of Goodman's work with six children in a New Jersey school. The chapter's purpose is to orient "the reader to the purposes and content of the book," (p. 3). Much of the chapter reads like a personal journal with reflections interspersed among the descriptions of setting goals and objectives, reviewing Individual Education Plans (IEPs), and planning and evaluating a session. While it is commendable that Goodman wants to convey early on in the text the many challenges that come with developing a group, the amount of information provided is overwhelming. For example, there are eleven consecutive pages of charts consisting of New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for Students with Severe Disabilities, IEP Goals Prioritized for Music Therapy, Overlapping Needs of Children, Developmental Domains, and Visual/ Performing Arts Standards. A brief overview of 11 published music therapy assessments written for children is provided in chapter 2. Four of these assessments, including Goodman's own MusicTherapy Assessment Tool for Emotionally Disturbed Children, are further described in terms of philosophical orientation, preparation required, administration, and scoring. A case example and discussion follow each assessment description. The last part of the chapter highlights the key differences between assessment of the child in individual music therapy and in group music therapy. Chapter 3, the strongest chapter in terms of key content, addresses the question, "What factors should the therapist consider in arriving at a recommendation for individual or group music therapy?" (p. 77). Goodman provides a thoughtful analysis of the nature of groupwork and the prerequisites for a child entering specific types of groups. The importance of determining the child's developmental level, musicality, and sensory profile all contribute to a therapist's decision regarding the child's placement. In addition, it is obvious that Goodman has had to work within the constraints of a school/unit setting as she devotes the last portion of the chapter to some of the specific challenges facing the school-based music therapist. In the section entitled "Practical Considerations of the School Setting," Goodman suggests some strategies for dealing with scheduling issues. Chapters 4 and 5 focus on the development of goals and objectives. Goodman presents her organizational method for reviewing clients' IEP goals and addresses two key questions: "1 ) Which goals are best achieved through music therapy? …