Maria Montessori’s own works are the best source for learning more about Montessori. The Montessori Method was the first overview of her educational techniques and is still the considered best source of information about her theories and methods.

Dr. Montessori's Own Handbook goes into the details of her philosophy, materials, and methods.

The Secret of Childhood is a history of what and how Maria Montessori learned about the nature of children, the problems that can arise when the child's nature is not properly nurtured, and the repercussions that proper and improper nurturing of the child have on society. This book is especially recommended for parents.

The Discovery of the Child is a detailed summarization of Montessori's philosophy and method of teaching, with much discussion of the child's nature and the best means of approaching the child with work.

According to Maria Montessori, "A child's work is to create the person she will become." To carry out this self-construction, children have innate mental powers, but they must be free to use these powers. For this reason, a Montessori classroom provides freedom while maintaining an environment that encourages a sense of order and self-discipline. Maria Montessori called this "Freedom in a structured environment."

Planes of Development
Montessori identified stages of growth which she called "Planes of Development." These planes occur in approximately six-year intervals that are further subdivided into segments. These planes of development are the basis for the three-year age groupings found in Montessori schools: ages 3 to 6, 6 to 9, 9 to 12, and 12 to 18.

From birth to age six, children are sensorial explorers, studying every aspect of their environment, language, and culture. Montessori's work The Absorbent Mind provides a detailed discussion of how the child's mind and needs develop during this period.

From age six to twelve, children become reasoning explorers. They develop new powers of abstraction and imagination, using and applying their knowledge to further discover and expand their world. During this time, it is still essential that the child carry out activities in order to integrate acting and thinking. It is his own effort that gives him independence, and his own experience that brings him answers as to how and why things function as they do. Montessori's The Montessori Elementary Materials discusses the materials and curriculum to be used for children during this period.

From Childhood to Adolescence, also by Montessori, outlines the changes children undergo in mentality and outlook as they grow from childhood to adolescence, and the nature and needs of the adolescent child.

Other Montessori Writers
Two especially helpful books for the homeschool parent are Elizabeth Hainstock's Teaching Montessori in the Home: The Preschool Years and Teaching Montessori in the Home: The School Years. Both give an abbreviated view of the philosophy and the method, as well as detailed instructions on how to make and use the materials.

Paula Lilliard's 1972 work, Montessori: A Modern Approach, reviews the history and nature of the Montessori philosophy, discussing how current it is in addressing modern educational concerns and what it has to offer the contemporary family.

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