In his preface Dr. Patten says, "This book represents an endeavor to set forth in simple and readable form the phases of human embryology which are of special interest to medical students and physicians." When one has read this book carefully, with enjoyment of the clarity of both illustrations and text, one can say with considerable enthusiasm that Dr. Patten has been successful in his endeavor. Very few student texts in the basic sciences make such good leisure time reading for the pediatrician. It is both beautifully and ingeniously illustrated, many of the drawings being Dr. Patten's own. Even if the busy pediatrician is not stimulated to read the book through, he should be aware of its great value as a reference source to aid him in understanding many of the abnormalities seen in early infancy.