Alberta Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 60, No. 1, Spring 2014, 229-233 © 2014 The Governors of the University of Alberta 229 Book Review Recent Perspectives on Early Childhood Education and Care in Canada Nina Howe and Larry Prochner, editors Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2012 Reviewed by: Afshan Amjad University of Alberta There is ongoing debate on the quality of early childhood and care (ECEC) in Western countries, including Canada. The biggest drawback of Canadian ECEC is that it has no national policy framework for program delivery. Alan Pence, in a postscript to this book, refers to a European Commission (2009) report, according to which, to promote social cohesion, it is important to provide equal opportunities for all families to receive high-quality ECEC services. When families receive these services, they gain opportunities to work while balancing their family lives. Most European countries have tried to achieve these services but Canada is a little behind. Nina Howe and Larry Prochner’s edited anthology hopes to help improve the qualit y of early childhood experiences of Canadian children and families. This book consists of essays on various issues that provide a strong argument for change in the field of ECEC in Canada. The book is divided into three parts and each part is set under a different theme. Each chapter ends with a commentary from an expert in the field. Collectively, the essays in each theme cover the past, present, and future of early childhood education in Canada. According to the editors’ introduction, the idea of organizing this book came from a small workshop called New Directions in Early Childhood Education, held at Concordia University in Montreal, Québec, Canada, March 12-13, 2010. Part 1, Historical and Contemporary Issues, discusses not only the current history (since 1950), social policies, and economics of childcare, but includes issues related to Canadian provincial regulations and policies. Part 1 is the most relevant for those interested in learning about current and historical views on ECEC. The first chapter, by Prochner and Lynne Robertson, addresses key developments in ECEC during the Second World War. The era of the Second World War and the following 15 years was a time of cutbacks because many people (especially women) decided to stay at home with their young children. Prochner and Robertson use seven dimensions to examine this period: ethos, teaching, learning, settings, curriculum, assessment, and diversity. Through the use of these dimensions, they analyze advances in the field of ECEC in the 1960s; these advances have brought about important changes in the practices of ECEC. They focus particularly on the idea of childcare support after World War II when it was suggested that children be enrolled in preschools as a plan for decreasing the rate of poverty. The current Head Start program is an ongoing example of this strategy. Prochner and Robertson also identify three current and apparent themes in ECEC as a result of these advances: the integration of services both for children and their families, new ideas for curricula