Examining Children's Literature About War

Human war is relentless, spanning centuries and continents.In our classrooms, we often discuss historical conflicts such as the Crusades, the Civil War, and the Vietnam War.Yet, too often, we stop short of connecting these events to present-day conflicts or of exploring how past and current wars are interwoven.This separation can make war feel like a distant concept, disconnected from students' lives today.It also risks overlooking whose stories are centered, the unequal power dynamics at play, and the lived realities of students whose families have been displaced by ongoing wars.Some students are in our classrooms because of today's war-related conflicts, making history a living, urgent presence in our classrooms.While we may feel less prepared or knowledgeable to teach about current wars, ignoring them risks ignoring students' identities, harsh realities, and the consequences of past and present wars.How can we, in the most humane way possible, teach about war?How can we humanize differing viewpoints, and also help students to understand the repercussions of war-related violence (e.g., trauma, loss, grief, etc.)?What is the role of children's literature in addressing these difficult realities?We are grateful to children's literature specialist Dr. Jane Gangi for sharing her expertise