Since 2020, guns have been the leading cause of death for children and teens in the U.S. We’re currently living in a time where it’s impossible to shield little ones from violence, it seems to be everywhere. Many kids witness violence at home, in their communities, on the news, and even at their own schools.
How do we, as caregivers and parents, change this narrative? For starters, it’s now more crucial than ever before that we teach and model values of peace, empathy, acceptance, and kindness. One of the most underutilized resources in countering violence is through children’s books.
Why Use Picture Books?
I bet you can still vividly recall a few books from your childhood? Perhaps you remember feeling disappointed for Peter in The Snowy Day as he reaches into his pocket for his snowball only to discover that it’s completely melted away. Or maybe you sympathized with the tree in The Giving Tree as the main character took and took from the tree until it had nothing left to give. That, my friend, is the magic of picture books- when written and illustrated well, they stay with us forever!
Today, there’s an increasing variety of children’s books available that cover an array of topics. Adults can utilize picture books to initiate meaningful conversations with kids on abstract concepts, including peace.
By introducing toddlers to books that explore themes of peace, in an engaging, age-appropriate way, we can foster these values in little ones early on. The following stories allow kids to take a look at these values being performed by other kids or characters. Let’s take a look at the list!
Peace
Author | Baptiste & Miranda Paul
Illustrator | Estell Meza
Theme | Peace meets Nature
Best For | Ages 2 and up
You’ll quickly notice each page of Peace features kids of diverse backgrounds and abilities alongside animals. The authors, Baptiste and Miranda Paul, (power couple duo) provide various examples of what peace looks like in everyday practice. They use lyrical rhyming poetry to explain to young readers that peace is intentional. By choosing peaceful ways of interacting with others, we not only make our friends happy, but also cultivate an environment for wildlife to thrive.
Estell Meza’s moody, yet colorful illustrations are incredibly well done and are sure to capture little ones attention. Readers are presented with a surprise expandable spread on the last page. A special author’s note at the very end explains how peace and violence impacts both animals and nature.
Wild Peace
Author | Irene Latham
Illustrator | Il Sung Na
Theme | Peace meets Mindfulness
Best For | Ages 2 and up
Wild Peace begins with a little girl feeling overwhelmed by chaos going on around her at home. Unable to physically escape, she finds solace in her imagination, envisioning a vibrant forest. The story explains to kids that when they find themselves feeling overwhelmed, they can always look towards nature to ground them in peace. From watching cold raindrops fall to the ground as they form into puddles, to listening to the soft melodies of birds, turning outwards towards nature is an amazing mindfulness skill toddlers can start learning early.
Usha and the Stolen Sun
Author | Bree Galbraith
Illustrator | Josée Bisaillon
Theme | Peace meets Communication & Vulnerability
Best For | Ages 3 and up
On the front book jacket of Usha and the Stolen Sun is a peaceful quote from renowned poet and theologian, Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, which reads, “Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.”
A young girl, named Usha, lives in a dark and gloomy community without sun. How come? Well, one day, the people who made rules for the community decided to build a huge wall to keep the sun only for themselves. Listening to stories from her grandpa about his childhood and the days when the sun existed brings Usha great joy. After sharing another story, Usha’s grandpa admits that he’ll probably never live to see the sun again. This sad admission motivates Usha to venture off and bring back the sun.
The message of this one is that having conversations and being vulnerable with people that hurt us can actually be more powerful than taking physical action. Galbraith writes in prose without rhyming words, but makes sure to use words that 3 year olds can easily grasp. It’s also worth highlighting the intentional avoidance of divisive language, such as “bad guys, enemies, etc.” There are many gems in this book, including Bisaillon’s pictures, that make for a really important discussion with kids.
Can You Say Peace?
Author & Illustrator | Karen Katz
Theme | Peace meets Multiculturalism
Best For | Ages 1 and up
Karen Katz is both illustrator and author of Can You Say Peace? This picture book was actually created in recognition of International Day of Peace, which is celebrated around the world on September 21 each year! Geared towards 1-2 year olds, it’s a vibrant introduction to multiculturalism. There are phonetic pronunciations for learning how to say, “peace” in each language. Katz shows a painted illustration of a child in 11 different countries going about activities in their community.
Honestly, I was quite surprised to see a BIPOC kid on the page for Australia. While I was previously aware of indigenous Australians, I admittedly didn’t know that there are Afro-indigenous Australians, such as the Warnman people until turning to that page. Most children’s books depict kids from Australia only as white, since minorities make up such a small percentage of citizens. I loved seeing such a simple illustration challenge the norm. Sometimes we forget that, even as adults, we can still learn alongside kids as we read with them.
On the last page, there’s a world map showing where each language is spoken. At the bottom of the page is a list featuring how to say “peace” in a bunch of other languages!
The Peace Dragon
Author & Illustrator | Linda Ragsdale
Theme | Peace meets Fantasy
Best For | Ages 3 and up
Ready to introduce your kiddo to a new favorite dragon? This dragon loves something even better than tacos- peace! As toddlers grow into “big kids'', many tend to develop an interest in fairy tales and mythical creatures. Rather it’s their size, ability to fly, or the fact that they breathe fire, dragons captivate kids and are inarguably the most well-known fantasy creature in the world (followed by unicorns and mermaids, in case you were wondering).
The Peace Dragon begins with a boy named Scherr that encounters a dragon named Omani. Each page keeps you on your toes, unsure what will happen next. Of course the moral of the story is centered on peace, so it has a peaceful ending. However, it’s also quite fun to read a kid’s book that’s less predictable than most. Without giving too much away, there are a couple clever illustration details Ragsdale includes that makes this book really stand out.
Upon flipping through the first few pages, The Peace Dragon appears to be wordy, but it’s just the handwriting font fooling you. It actually takes less time to read than a Julia Donaldson book!
At the end, Ragsdale shares her heartbreaking, yet heartwarming motivation for writing the book. You and your little one will be inspired to spread peace. Plus, you can head to The Peace Dragon website (also a nonprofit org) where kids can learn how to draw their very own peace dragon!
Regardless of your personal views on issues such as gun control policy, we caregivers have agency in guiding kids not to become mass shooters! It’s our responsibility, as members of society, to supply children with media materials, such as picture books, that both allows them to envision peace and equips them with essential skills to cultivate it.
Each time you sit down to read a book with a little one is an opportunity to nurture their imagination in a way that empowers them to be mindful contributors to a collective, peaceful future.
I hope this book list supports you and your loved ones throughout your quest to make mindful memories!
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