This uniquely warm and personal book is more than simply another guide for parents who want their children to study music. The Pleasures and Perils of Raising Young Musicians tells the real-life stories of today's musical children, interlaced with comparative stories from the childhoods of famous musicians. Woven throughout is the author's personal narrative about the joys and frustrations of raising her own son Jonathan, a flutist.

The book reviews current research about the value of a classical music education in building character, intellect, discipline, and success, no matter what field a child pursues.

As a parent, you will feel you are not alone in being perplexed about what choices to make. With richly detailed and sometimes surprising information about each orchestral instrument, Ms. Siteman assists parents who must choose which instrument is a good "fit" for their child's body type, temperament, and social needs. The Pleasures and Perils of Raising Young Musicians illuminates the joys, frustrations, and rewards of classical music education for parents who desperately need solid guidance and no-nonsense information.