Judith Marks Mishne is a well-known social work author whose clinical purview is children. Her recently published book, The Learning Curve, offers a new sense of clarity and unity to work with children and parents. Mishne has written this book with professionals and parents in mind. In her words “The child's age appropriate tasks and mastery are presented in tandem with optimal parenting approaches …” These approaches “… are predicated on connectedness and empathy … (that) facilitates parental understanding of a child's ever-changing needs, fears, hopes and wishes” (p. xviii). Mishne's major focus is providing a view of the psychological processes which prepare and sustain children as they learn.

The Learning Curve is divided into three highly readable, distinct