Our world is in constant flux. Countries and nations are friends, enemies, and something in-between in a way that is sometimes questioned on an hourly basis. Teams of politicians, commentators, and community leaders are tasked with sorting it all out as their full-time job. It is, no wonder, difficult to explain this messy and confusing situations to children as the news often is full of violence and propaganda.
Enter the book “Why Do We Fight? Conflict, War, and Peace” by Niki Walker. Released as a hardcover book in 2013 by Owl Books, and now only available in a soft cover edition, explains some of these difficult subjects in more general and easy to understand terms. The book is written for 10-14 year olds, but can be used in discussions for some children a few years younger. It explains some of the myriad of reasons countries (and people) don’t get along and why they might fight. The discussion goes on to include ways some of these disagreements (globally and personally) can be solved through discussion, empathy, and compromise.
Why do conflicts happen?
Twenty-four-hour news, citizen journalism, the internet, world travel. It’s a big world out there, but everything feels closer and more accessible to us than ever-including conflict and war. Whether your country is involved or not, nearly every disagreement, every standoff, every war affects our lives in some way. With so many conflicts around the world, it makes you wonder: “Why DO we fight?”
Why Do We Fight? is a book that allows kids to understand that conflict may be inevitable, but war isn’t. Readers are shown how small disagreements escalate and progress to become bigger and more serious ones; the commonality between all conflicts, and the influence of prejudice, history, diplomacy, geography, economics, and more in these events. By comparing bigger conflicts to the ones in their own lives, kids gain the insight to look beyond the headlines and view conflicts in a critical and investigative manner.
Exhaustively researched and expert reviewed, Why Do We Fight? will give readers the voice and the confidence to talk about their world.
– Owl Kids Books
You can use my affiliate link to order “Why Do We Fight? Conflict, War, and Peace” by Niki Walker.
Have you read this book? What did you think? Are there other books you’d recommend when discussions of world conflicts come up at home? Let me know in the comments and on social.