Peace on Earth

by Smriti Prasadam-Halls, David Litchfield (Illustrator)

Overview

From the creators of Rain Before Rainbows comes a beautiful book that lights a path for all those who dare to dream of peace.

Peace on earth . . .
Let friends be found!
Let laughter ring, let joy abound.

What does peace look like? It can begin with a smile or a wave; it can be found in nature, in friendships, and in shared adventures. But when dark clouds and harsh words appear, it takes brave hearts and kind hands to restore love, friendship, and joy. Smriti Prasdam-Halls and David Litchfield bring us a warm, heartfelt, and strikingly illustrated story about choosing to be a peacemaker, even during difficult times, and the jubilance that peace ushers in.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781536235708
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	09/03/2024
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	10.19(w) x 11.31(h) x 0.36(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Smriti Prasadam-Halls is an award-winning, internationally best-selling children’s author whose books have been published in more than forty languages worldwide. They include Rain Before Rainbows, illustrated by David Litchfield; the I’m Sticking With You series, illustrated by Steve Small; Not That Pet!, illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw; and the Publishers Weekly bestseller I Love You Night and Day, illustrated by Alison Brown. Smriti Prasadam-Halls lives and works in London with her husband and three sons.

David Litchfield started to draw when he was very young, creating comics for his older brother and sister. He is the illustrator of numerous picture books, including When Paul Met Artie: The Story of Simon & Garfunkel by G. Neri, War Is Over by David Almond, and Rain Before Rainbows by Smriti Prasadam-Halls. David Litchfield lives with his family in Bedford, England.

Editorial Reviews

2024-08-17
Prasadam-Halls extols the virtues of peace as Litchfield depicts a sailing jaunt threatened by discord.

Peace on Earth, the author explains, takes various forms, such as “a smile, a wave, a laugh, a kiss” (the accompanying illustration portrays two friends meeting in a pristine meadow) or a sparkling ocean (the pair join another friend on a sailing trip). But one friend’s suggestion to sail to a nearby cave unnerves the others, though it’s unclear why, especially as the cave offers shelter from a sudden rainstorm. Two of the youngsters exchange words that “hurt… / and sting. // And fires rage / and burn within.” These fires are frighteningly—and rather disproportionately—externalized as a volcano erupts and snakelike creatures surround the protagonists. Never fear: “Peace can change the angry word / to something known and something heard.” The author never explains how, unfortunately. Instead of discussing their emotions, the pair appear to reconcile instantly when the third friend brings a glowing orb retrieved earlier during a dive. “Peace will never look away— / it lights a candle, here to stay,” the text proclaims. But as current and historical conflicts demonstrate, true peace isn’t so easily achieved or effortlessly maintained—a complexity that the simplistic rhymes and idyllic, glimmering illustrations fail to address. Peace may live “in those who hope and love and DO,” but readers won’t find actionable peace-promoting ideas here—or even a clear understanding of the concept. Two of the friends are brown-skinned; the other is lighter-skinned.

Well meaning but misses the mark.(Picture book. 4-6)

Kirkus Reviews