PEACE ON THE PLAYGROUND

The subtitle here best reflects the content: a handbook that includes an exploration of the concept of nonviolence and a survey of its strategies and most famous practitioners. Lucas presents sensible guidelines for achieving peaceful solutions to conflict, with techniques including negotiating and listening. Recognizing name-calling as aggressive and learning to enjoy games and social interaction without emphasizing winning are among her constructive suggestions for reshaping attitudes. Lucas provides hope in the larger arena by describing ways kids can work toward world understanding—accepting differences, learning about other cultures, getting a pen pal (sources included). The subject deserves more inspired writing than this pedestrian treatment, but so little is available concerning peace that the book deserves purchase. Good color photos; glossary; source notes; bibliography; ``For Further Reading'' (by their brevity, these last three dramatize the need for more material!); index. (Nonfiction. 8-12)