“Wherever we are, / we search for a place / to be unafraid. / Wherever we are.” Poems and paintings that reference both historical and contemporary conflicts around the world offer perspectives on war in the voices of children. Eloise Greenfield writes of fear and resignation, compassion and innocence, hope and determination to endure in poems that are both heartbreaking and heartening. Some poems are about specific conflicts (such as the end of apartheid in South Africa and American Indian losses), others are open to broader interpretation. Artist Jan Spivey Gilchrist gives some of these a specific context with her visual interpretations in a volume that affirms the dream of children around the world and through the ages is for peace. (Ages 9–12)

Dedicated to the courageous children of the world, Greenfield’s poems of children’s puzzlements about conflict across time and around the world are illustrated with stunning collage. For the opening, “I Think I Know,” a poem about how wars begin, Gilchrist juxtaposes faces of innocent children with insets of battlements, warriors, and fighter jets. Each spread matches the geography and history of the subject—whether line drawings of Chinese workers or textured paintings of Egyptian warriors. In the poignant “Wher ever We Are,” children speak of simple needs: “Wherever we are, / we search for a place / to be unafraid. / Wherever we are” (n.p.). IRA Notable Books for a Global Society, CCBC Choices. nlr

Wars have occurred throughout history, in all parts of the world and they still happen. Despite the hardship and suffering of wartime, children often find ways to see beauty and hope. Through these poems, written from the child's perspective, young readers will experience this resilience and optimism.