Mustakallio and Laes present a collection of essays examining the dangers of childhood in late antiquity and the middle ages. Contributors compare the modern values held by the Western world in regard to child rearing to the societal values of the pre-modern world. Occurrences such as child labor, pederasty, and neglect are viewed currently by society as horrific atrocities while during the Middle Ages these practices were commonplace. The book is divided into three distinct sections: "Unwanted" examines the frequent inability of parents to support their children, "Disabled" deals with illnesses children endured along with society's ignorance of such afflictions, and "Nearly Lost" addresses the abuses and destructive world forces against children of the time. This book appeals to those studying history, anthropology, and sociology. Distributed in North America by The David Brown Book Co. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)