> If my input is like
> 
> <a>
>    <b/>
> </a>
> 
> the above template matches only <a> although <b> is also a 
> node that is "children of some parent". What's the reason for that?
> 

It's exactly what I said: if the template that matches <a> doesn't call
xsl:apply-templates selecting the children of <a>, then the children of <a>
will not be processed - the system will never look for a matching template
rule.

Michael Kay
http://www.saxonica.com/