Erika Christakis

Erika Christakis is an early childhood educator and New York Times best-selling author of The Importance of Being Little: What Preschoolers Really Need From Grownups. Formerly on the faculty of the Yale Child Study Center, she has written and consulted widely about child development from preschool through the college years, drawing on her experiences as a teacher, Pre-School director, and college administrator. Her work has been featured in media such as The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Salon, NPR, and the Wall Street Journal, and for two years she wrote a column for TIME.com. An honors graduate of Harvard College, she holds master's degrees in public health, communication, and early childhood education. She is a Massachusetts-certified teacher (Pre-School through Grade 2) as well as a licensed Pre-School director.