Terrorism

Children's Literature

One in a series of books that examine social, political, and economic issues, this edition attempts to define terrorism in its various forms. Based on the book Terrorism: Living in Fear (2001), the introduction acknowledges that there is “no universally accepted definition of terrorism.” It goes on to discuss various kinds of terrorism--religious, state, nationalist, and political--as well as mapping and charting terrorism in the world, discussing the war on terrorism, and on and on. In between, various “known” terrorists are highlighted with short biographies. In an attempt to cover so much territory, it is not only overwhelming for young readers, it could lead to misunderstandings. For instance, the struggles in Northern Ireland are never identified as religious in any way or truly explained at all. The term right-wing is used throughout the book without ever really defining it. Although attempts are made to present a balanced account, in the hands of an uninformed teacher it could foster misunderstandings. A time line, concept web, quiz, Internet resources, glossary, an index, and sources for further study are included. Reviewer: Meredith Kiger, Ph.D.