Children are often full of questions about the world, but sometimes the answers can be complicated or troubling. These titles in the Children in Our World series aim to help little ones grasp some of these complex issues by offering gentle explanations, which are further softened by amiable illustrations of round-faced kids. Global Conflict offers some general definitions of war and terrorism, which, thanks to the enormity of the topic, are fairly abstract rrorists are "people who feel badly treated or disagree with other people's beliefs," for example. Still, Spilsbury does a nice job of discouraging fear; rather, she encourages kids to rely on people trained to help and seek out common ground with others who might seem different. The soft artwork and accessible, age-appropriate language make this well suited to curious kids in the picture-book set, though be ready to field lots more questions about some tough topics after the last page.

This straightforward series gently describes difficult realities of the world through examples and language that will resonate with young children. Each volume explains why or how situations such as war or acts of racism might occur, the "people who help," and how children can better understand the issues and process associated anxieties. Soft, emotive art underscores the reassuring tone. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.