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This is a book on the mental hygiene of childhood, written by Professor Groves, who appreciates and understands the psychological and scientific reaches of the subject, in conjunction with his wife, who, as a mother, understands the practical problems of dealing with children. Tt it written not primarily, I should say, for the student, to be used in the class room, but for the mother, who is confronted with the practical issues that arise daily in living with her children. It is therefore written simply, the concrete examples of problems are in the foreground, and the theory and the principles appear more by implication than by direct elaboration.
The reviewer has had occasion many times to comment favorably upon the appearance of popular works on the various phases of psychology, because he has felt that they represented a widespread interest, and such a widespread interest was to be encouraged. He has seldom, however, felt enthusiastic over these books as individual products. Here, however, is an exception. This is not just a book that represents the growing popular interest in psychological problems. It is a book which stands upon its own merits—a splendid piece of work has been done by the authors, and by no means the least important part of that work was the making of it available for the average everyday mother. It is a safe and sane and practical presentation. The problems of childhood are presented in language which any mother can understand—in short, to use the qualifying adjective of the title—it is a wholesome book on wholesome childhood.
Not to omit some little indication of the character of its contents I may add that its main thesis is a development of the constructive aspects of child culture as opposed to the more purely repressive aspects. There