The book was, in the first instance, written for the author's own undergraduatestudents at Florida Atlantic University, where she is a professor of psychology. In the openingchapter she persuades the reader that the study of language development is worthwhile byshowing how students from a variety of disciplines benefit from it and by explaining its practicalapplications. In my own experience this topic is very popular with undergraduates anyway, andso I was slightly surprised that it needed any advertising. However, her message extends beyondtrying to instill enthusiasm in her students as it also emphasizes the need for a multidisciplinaryapproach to the topic.