The development of artistically gifted children is examined from a variety of perspectives by authors who are artists, art educators and historians, and developmental and clinical psychologists. The text should provide insight into continuities and discontinuities of style and subject matter.

Alongside the world of everyday reality, the young child develops a rich imaginary world of child art, make-believe play, imaginary friends, fairy tales and magic. This book charts the imaginative development of children, conveying the importance of art-making, pretense play and fantasy in early childhood years, and highlighting the potential that imaginative behaviors hold for cognitive, affective and aesthetic development. Divided into three parts, the book begins by examining the development of child art and how children express themselves through art. Part two looks at make-believe play...