War

Although disasters-both natural and man-made-are frequently in the news, it is sometimes difficult to understand how people and communities manage when disaster strikes. How do food and medical supplies get through when roads and railways are destroyed by earthquakes or floods? Where can people find shelter when their homes are devastated by storms or war? How can communities survive when food crops continually fail? Using vivid first-hand accounts and informative photographs, War explains how conflicts can begin and shows the reader what happens to the lives of ordinary people when they are caught in the middle of a devastating war. It also explains how governments, aid agencies, and individuals from around the world can provide help in this time of need.

Carolyn Mott Ford - Children's Literature

Although this is part of the "In Time of Need" series, it differs somewhat from most of the other books in the series. Their focus is on natural and manmade disasters and the effects on ordinary citizens and how their plight can be ameliorated by others, whether government workers, charities, or individuals working to assist in rescue and aid efforts. However, war is different from many such traumatic events and that affects the approach. The author does not attempt to offer a detailed history of war and most of the text and photographic illustrations are of modern-day wars. Many of the detailed sidebars quote men, women and children who have witnessed the horrors of war. Chapters covering an attempted definition of war, the dispute over the use of the terms "freedom fighter" and "terrorist" and the quest for peace as well as the clash of ideas, offer an overview of these subjects. A glossary and a listing of books and web sites for further study are included. 2005, Smart Apple Media, Ages 9 to 12.