"The second edition is a must have for anyone interested in development biology. New findings in hot fields such as stem cells, regeneration, and aging should make it attractive to a wide readership. Overall, the book is concise, well structured, and illustrated. I can highly recommend it."
—Peter Gruss, Max Planck Society

"I have always found Jonathan Slack's writing thoughtful, provocative, and engaging, and simply fun to read. This effort is no exception. Every student of developmental biology should experience his holistic yet analytical view of the subject."
—Margaret Saha, College of William & Mary

"The molecular and cellular processes that lead to the formation of an embryo are just beginning to be unraveled. This second edition of Essential Developmental Biology does the best job I have seen yet to present early on to the student some of the key unifying principles in early animal development. The writing style is exquisite, and the morphological and conceptual complexities involved in the formation of an animal are described in an extremely lucid fashion which will help students acquire a deep understanding of developmental processes."
—James Deshler, Boston University