McCardle (child development and behavior, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health) et al. draw together 10 chapters that examine the impact of the human-animal interaction on child development and human health, based in part on a workshop, "Directions in Human-Animal Interaction Research: Child Development, Health and Therapeutic Interventions," held in the fall of 2008. A group of American, European, and Australian researchers present research to form an evidence base for the therapeutic use of animals, with specific discussion of effects on preventing childhood obesity, improving health and stress, and its role in early cognitive development and human growth and development, child and adolescent psychotherapy research, and brain chemistry, as well as the abuse of animals by children and adolescents, dogs' human-like behaviors, and methodological issues. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)