Putting a little less flesh on bare bones

In 2000, Developmental Juvenile Osteology provided an exhaustive, comprehensive and beautifully illustrated reference text that focused on key developmental stages of the human skeleton from embryo to adulthood. This book filled an important academic niche.

But its price put it beyond the pocket of many. Sympathetic to this, the authors have responded by producing The Juvenile Skeleton , in essence a more affordable, slimmed-down version of Developmental Juvenile Osteology , "tailored to the needs of students of skeletal biology, anthropology, archaeology and forensic science".

As with the original, the first three chapters cover the principles of bone identification, interpretation and early embryonic development and growth.

The remaining chapters present information regarding the development of each skeletal element and include practical notes and morphological summaries. Helen Liversidge, a leading expert in dental development, has contributed to a separate chapter.

While Developmental Juvenile Osteology casts a long shadow, The Juvenile Skeleton should not be viewed merely as a financial compromise. It is an impressive, comprehensive work in its own right and a useful reference text for those working with juvenile skeletons at all levels.

Rebecca Gowland is research fellow in archaeology, St John's College, Cambridge.