Carducci (Shyness: A Bold New Approach), a director of the Shyness Research Institute in New Albany, Ind., has been studying shyness for 20 years. Here he focuses on shy children and how parents can help, maintaining that it’s vital to learn how to address and manage shyness early on so that the shy child doesn’t miss out on valuable experiences now and later in life. Exploring nature vs. nurture theories, Carducci concludes that although shyness has a biological basis, the trait is also influenced by parents, childhood relationships and an individual’s feelings about him- or herself. Importantly, Carducci stresses that parents can help a shy child learn to live “successfully” with his natural temperament. Offering concrete strategies, Carducci guides parents through such essential topics as building social skills, making friends, mastering play skills, finding the right school and learning to confront academic and peer issues. A chapter on teens and the unique demands placed upon the shy adolescent is also included, with helpful suggestions on subjects ranging from how to deal with slumber parties to coping with shy kids who retreat from social situations into computers. Parents of shy youngsters will appreciate Carducci’s compassionate tone and his underlying message that shyness is a natural, manageable trait that requires patience and understanding rather than a flaw that needs a quick remedy. (Source: Publisher’s Weekly)