Book to note: School Neuropsycholgical Assessment

Some email exchanges regarding practical neuropsych books on the NASP listserv today. One book that appears to be practical and which has received good reviews is "School Neuropsychology: A Practitioner's Handbook" by James Hale and Catherine Fiorello. I've not read it myself (hey...Jim/Cathy...is this free plug worth a complimentary copy?)

I'm very familiar with the work of both Jim and Cathy (Cathy in particular), and am always impressed with their research and writing, esp. since they have a CHC-bent to cognitive assessment. Below are some review snipets and references (with a link to one of the journal book reviews)

Reviews

• "Finally, another neuropsychology book geared to practitioners! This much-needed volume integrates brain-behavior relationships within an educational context. Recent research has made clear that we cannot understand individuals without studying neuropsychology, yet few resources like this one exist. Practitioners, researchers, and students will find a variety of cases, figures, forms, and charts that are helpful in the daily practice of school psychology. The text is written in a user-friendly fashion, offers a variety of essential neuropsychological information, and comprehensively reviews related assessment activities, while focusing on interventions. In sum, it offers the beginning knowledge base that is missing from so many school psychology programs."--Rik Carl D'Amato, PhD, Editor, School Psychology Quarterly; College of Education, University of Northern Colorado

• "Hale and Fiorello have met their goal in this book, providing a clearly written, data-based survey of the child-centered brain and behavior literature. Clinically relevant and user-friendly, this book will serve as a primary text in beginning-level graduate neuropsychology courses, and as a supplemental text in cognitive assessment courses. It is also a useful reference for clinicians and researchers working with children and adolescents."--Vincent C. Alfonso, PhD, Graduate School of Education, Fordham University

• "This unique volume brings together the fundamentals of neuropsychology and brain organization with discussions of specific neurodevelopmental syndromes, their impact on learning and behavior, and practical issues of diagnosis and remediation. State-of-the-art knowledge is presented in a reader-friendly, engaging manner. This book will be an invaluable reference and guide for school psychologists, child neuropsychologists, child psychiatrists, special education professionals, and anyone else concerned with brain-behavior relationships in the educational context."--Elkhonon Goldberg, PhD, Department of Neurology, New York University School of Medicine (NOTE: Dr. Goldberg is one of Luria's former students)

• "This is a critically needed handbook, especially for those neuropsychologists new to the pediatric realm, and the authors have provided a very useful text to meet these objectives....a highly accessible book for anyone with a background in neuropsychology seeking to expand his or her knowledge to include pediatric assessment in an educational setting."--Doody's Electronic Journal

There are other more comprehensive journal reviews available, including one in Psychology in the Schools and Child Neuropsychology:

Child Neuropsychology
Issue: Volume 11, Number 2 / April 2005
Pages: 231 - 232
A REVIEW OF "SCHOOL NEUROPSYCHOLOGY: A PRACTITIONER'S HANDBOOK" James B. Hale & Catherine A. Fiorello (2004): New York: Guilford by Jennifer R. Hiemenz

Psychology in the Schools
Volume 42, Issue 4 , Pages 452 - 453/ March 2005
Book Review
School neuropsychology: A practitioner's handbook
by Elizabeth Chesno Grier