The Child: An Encyclopedic Companion is a new one-volume reference that includes more than 500 articles written by child development experts from around the world.  This scholarly collection includes articles on child psychology, pediatrics, history, sociology, law and anthropology.  Edited by anthropologist Richard A. Shweder, the book provides a fascinating look at childhood in different cultures, and both parents and professionals who work with children will benefit from The Child.

The Child: An Encyclopedic Companion is published by University of Chicago Press.  You can buy it on Amazon.com.

A baby-friendly case for an iPhone may sound crazy, but parents who have downloaded fun apps for their children will appreciate the Fisher Price Laugh & Learn iCan Play iPhone case. The $15 plastic iPhone holder was a hit at the recent NYC Toy Fair 2011. It fits any generation iPhone or iPod Touch and includes a screen cover that protects the touch screen and your baby from each other. The case also has rattle and handles to keep baby busy when mom or dad needs to take back the phone to make a call.

Read more about the Laugh & Learn iCan Play iPhone case on Engadget. The baby phone case will be available in stores later this year.

For the past several months, the Gerber baby food company has conducted the Gerber Generation Photo Search. More than 217,000 proud parents uploaded portraits of their babies in hopes of becoming the star of a Gerber marketing campaign.

Now Gerber has announced a winner – two-year-old Mercy Townsend of Toledo, Ohio. Besides appearing in Gerber advertisements, Mercy will be awarded a $25,000 scholarship.

The Gerber Products Company was founded in 1927. The company has a long history of commitment to the health of babies and toddlers, and many generations of babies have been nurtured on Gerber baby food. See some of the cutest faces of the Gerber Generation in this YouTube video:

Throughout history, glass beads have been used to commemorate special accomplishments. Now an organization is using the art of glass beads to honor the courage of kids fighting cancer. Beads of Courage was founded in 2004 by Jean Baruch, a pediatric oncology nurse, who wanted to help children and their families deal with the difficult process of cancer treatment. Children participating in the program receive colored beads that represent milestones in their recovery.

You can view a CBS news story about Beads of Courage on YouTube. Visit the Beads of Courage website to learn more about this nonprofit organization that supports more than 10,000 patients around the world.