The disjointed child care system in the United States and the need for consistent, high-quality care are both addressed in The States of Child Care: Building a Better System. Author Sara Gable shares a descriptive history of policy related to non-parental care in the United States, the challenges behind creating a national child care system, and other related research that serves as a foundation for recommendations "for incremental progress toward a national, coordinated system of child care" (p. 144). Included in the text are research studies conducted by the author that offer commentary on real issues surrounding child care, including tensions between mothers and child care providers, assumptions regarding purpose of care, and how a shared vision can be implemented in policy and practice. The author presents the information and discussion in a manner that will be appealing to the general public, policymakers, researchers, and educators, offering a starting point for thinking about child care. (author abstract)