From the preface by Deborah Meier:
We have a long way to go to make John Holt's dream available to all children. But his books make it possible and easier for many of us to join him in the journey.
In this enduring classic, rich with deep, original insight into the nature of early learning, John Holt was the first to make clear that, for small children, learning is as natural as breathing. In his delightful book he observes how children actually learn to talk, to read, to count, and to reason, and how, as adults, we can best encourage these natural abilities in our children.
John Holt (1927-1985), one of this country's leading educational and social critics, was the author of ten influential books which have been translated into fourteen languages. Known both as a passionate reformer and as the gentle voice of reason (LIFE magazine), John Holt offers insights into the nature of learning that are more relevant today than ever before.
Deborah Meier (foreword), is a renowned educator, MacArthur Fellow, and the founder of the small schools movement. She is on the faculty of the Steinhardt school of education at New York University. Holt is a class with Piaget.
New York Review of Books
By his vision of what can be done in education, he makes us think in new ways about what is being done.
The Wall Street Journal
One of the most profoundly moving books I've ever read, the truest account of how I remember my best learning experiences as a child and an adult.
Cory Doctorow, author ofWalkawayandLittle Brother
The gentle voice of reason.
Lifemagazine