The Mozart Effect for Children: Awakening Your Child's Mind, Health, and Creativity with Music
Don Campbell's reputation runs the gamut from serious educator bent on  improving the health and intelligence of his audience to clever marketer, making  a fast buck from specially trademarked pseudoscience. InThe Mozart Effect  for Children, Campbell explains early on why Mozart's music is thought to  have such amazing powers, and while he cites no statistics or studies, his  lyrical explanations of Mozart's simplicity and elegance will have many reader's  heads nodding in agreement--it's difficult to disagree with "his music is at  once deeply mysterious and accessible, and above all, without guile". A few  pages are devoted to descriptions of studies done by French specialist Dr.  Alfred Tomatis, and "Spotlight on Specialist" pages throughout the book are an  attempt to add a more clearly scientific feel. Still, most of what passes for  science in this book is anecdotal and will not make a satisfying read for those  looking for original research.Each chapter is devoted to a particular age, from prenatal to mid-elementary  school, and parents and educators can find excellent musical menus, practical  suggestions, and entertaining games to play at the end of every chapter. The  menus include suggestions for appropriate times to play the various pieces, as  well as a brief description of the type of music, helpful in case you're not  immediately familiar with "Adagio from the Divertimento" or "Concertante from  the Serenade No. 9". Games range from simple variations on pat-a-cake to  rhythmic chanting designed to improve memory skills, and parents will enjoy  playing at least as much as their children will. Perhaps you child's IQ will  magically improve from listening to Mozart, perhaps it won't. At worst, Campbell  opens up a world of music-related learning for your family that can be both  enriching and entertaining.--Jill Lightner--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.