The old adage is never judge a book by its cover. So, bypassing the hearty endorsement from Sir David Hall, I delved into this textbook wondering what it might be able to offer me over and above the myriad of other core paediatric textbooks currently on the market.

I have never actually seen the first edition of this textbook, but was promised that this second edition had been thoroughly revised, updated and extended.

Glossy, neatly laid out, with a good mix of pictures, sketches, photos, and text, this textbook boasts an extensive list of contributors and three editors. It begins with acquainting the reader with the clinical skills required to take a history from a paediatric patient and …