Even though Smart Play is written by someone who calls herself Dr. Toy, the book is much more about smart parenting than it is about toys.

Yes, the book has a great deal to tell us about toys. But it's really not for parents who are looking for things to keep their kids occupied, busy, out of what remains of their parental hair.

Toys, in Dr. Toy's remarkably informed view, are tools for good parenting. The right toy is the one that helps the parent connect to their children, and vice versa.

In many ways, this is a great book for grandparents, because it takes the perspective of a grandparent to realize how incredibly valuable it can be to take the time play with your children - for the growth of the parent as well as the child.

Play is the work of the young. Through play, children grow -- physically, emotionally and cognitively. "Dr. Toy," Stevanne Auerbach, Ph.D., helps readers to find the toys and playthings that will best advance this growth. This comprehensive book demonstrates a deep understanding of the different needs children have at every phase of their development and provides specific guidelines for choosing toys, computer software, musical instruments and a host of other items children can play with.

Sally Wendkos Olds, coauthor, "A Child's World: Infancy through Adolescence" and "The Complete Book of Breastfeeding."

I didn't know there was so much left to learn about selecting good, quality toys. Dr. Toy's straightforward book is loaded with simple ways to maximize learning while playing! As a parent of a four year-old girl and two year-old son and as a toy inventor for over nine years, I found this book refreshing, useful and fun to read.