Book Review: Towards excellence in early years education: exploring narratives of experience

Towards Excellence in Early Years Education is a timely book that relates the summary of a doctoral study which explored the practices and pedagogy of two ‘exceptional’ early years teachers through a relational research process. The aim of the study was to deconstruct practice and professional reflection in an attempt to identify key attributes of early years education demonstrated in the work of these two teachers. As such, it is a valuable text for emerging researchers as it exemplifies the development of a particular study, with clear explanations of the process in a reflective and reflexive framework that encompasses some explorations of methodological, ethical and autobiographical challenges. One of the strengths of the approach taken is the attention Goouch pays to clearly define the context of her study and elucidate the interpretation of the terms she is using. Kathleen Goouch, 2010, Abingdon: Routledge, 180 pages, paperback, ISBN 978-0-4155-6608-7, £23.99