Why War is Never a Good Idea by Alice Walker and Stefano Vitale

Walker, Alice - author, & Vitale, Stefano - illustrator (2007). Why War is Never a Good Idea. New York, NY: HarperCollinsPublishers. ISBN: 978-0060753856.

Annotation

Powerful, evocative, hard hitting, gut wrenching poem about the devastating effects of war.

My thoughts

This is a pacifist’s poem in the extreme, and if it isn’t then as the pages turn the reader will think about pacifism. It doesn’t rationalize a war instead it turns war into this evil personified thing that destroys life and has wide consequences. “When it comes/ To nursing/ Mothers/ It is blind;/ Milk, especially/Human,/ It cannot/ See.” These words are tragic and very scary because it doesn’t show the supposed just-causes of war it shows the unintended consequences on the lives of innocents.

The illustrations start off bright and capture the various regions in descriptively vague ways. China, South America, Cambodia, a jungle, European architecture, Middle-east architecture, and Africa are depicted showing the global scale. The people from these places are shown going about their innocent daily duties and lives. “Through War has a mind of its own/ war never knows/ Who/ It is going/ To hit.” A church and homes are depicted with many people playing, talking, working, walking, riding, fishing, drinking, swimming, sitting, kissing, etc. A death cloud looms on the following page. The illustrations get darker until the last page. The final page is painted from the perspective of the bottom of a well looking up at the moon. Looking down into the well are silhouetted forms with lit eyes looking into the war-tainted water. These people are innocent various global representatives representing the wide spread effects.

Curricular connections

History

Literary devices

Use of Personification: “the power and wanton devastation of war” is represented in this poem. The illustrations show the consequences of war.

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grade 5 and up. The book jacket says “all ages.” Some people feel that this book is “scary” and disturbing. It is just as war is. I think that children are exposed to so much directly and indirectly though life and through the media. The earlier children are introduced to truths (like war is devastatingly terrible) the better. Otherwise, there is the chance of raising a generation who is blind to the consequences or sees the wrong causes. This is just a personal opinion, however. There are other people who view this book and poem as political propaganda meant to indoctrinate children to be peaceful. In addition, this particular personified war is evil. It doesn’t show the version where people gain freedom and are liberated. Books like this are great for discussions. I would think it would be good for a middle school debate.

Unfortunately, perhaps books that have these ‘mature’ concepts should be suggested with discretion in a public library setting or for individuals (parents, teachers, etc.) interested in and inquiring about war in general.

Reviews and Awards

Alice Walker won the Pulitzer Prize and an American Book Award for her novel The Color Purple. School Library Journal included Why War is Never a Good Idea in its Best Books of 2007 list.

Author website: No known website.

Illustrator website: www.stefanovitale.com/

Media: Acrylic painting

Genre: Juvenile picture book, poetry