The book "The Development of Children" by Lightfoot, Cole, and Cole was known to me from its previous, first edition in the Greek language, of which I was one of the three scientific editors. Since its initial publication in the USA, many reprints and revisions have come to light. This work has focused on the impact of biology and culture on human development and the systematic study of these two factors in the developing child. The current edition significantly expands on the previous ones, with a wealth of new data and information from Developmental Science, impressive cross-cultural elements, and an interesting theoretical shift: from the bio-social-behavioral approach of previous editions to the introduction of a new approach, which the authors call biocultural.

The biocultural framework highlights and examines the influence of factors such as culture, gender, ethnicity, social class, and religion on development. At the same time, the aspect of biological influence remains strong. Additionally, particular emphasis is placed on the role played by cultural factors such as the above in increasingly multiethnic and multilingual communities. Finally, the aim is to utilize the personal and social experiences of students and children, their experiences in their neighborhood and community, to more fully understand human development.