What If Soldiers Fought with Pillows?

What If Soldiers Fought with Pillows? by Heather Camlot is a timely look at real world crises and the vital role that imagination can play in affecting significant change for the better. This is a collection of real life stories that provide definitive proof of what can happen when the question of 'what if?' becomes a tangible idea that is put into action.

Geared toward a middle school audience, and with lovely illustrations by Serge Bloch, each factual story is presented in a way that is accessible, and will appeal equally to those who simply dream of a better world, and those with the desire to act on the seemingly impossible. Most importantly, this timely book provides possibility and hope in an increasingly uncertain world. Recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Owlkids Books for this ARC.

Such a great book that will create much needed dialogue. A wonderful book for kids that will be eye opening and let them see that other things are possible and that violence isn’t always the way. A lead in book that might trigger more conversation about acceptance and tolerance and love

What a wonderful way to approach big, harsh issues -- by asking simple What if questions that seem silly and yet this collection of true stories reveal how possible and powerful creative nonviolence can be. Great for adults and kids alike. I appreciate its hopefully active imagination -- may it spread!

What if Soldiers Fought with Pillows is a book that encourages community involvement and critical thinking at its heart. Each story tells about brave people standing up to war in their country and how they helped to create peace.
The stories are short, but give enough information. There is a glossary and endnotes, as well as listed sources to research more on each story.

This book encourages kids to think outside the box and look for creative, nonviolent solutions that can help resolve conflicts, bring help to hurting people, and bring justice by looking at examples of real people and organizations all over the world and throughout the past 100 years who have done so.

A very thought-provoking book. Each page spread asks a weird question and then follows it up with a true story that makes the weird seem not so weird, maybe even possible in one way or another. The illustrations are simple and look like they might have been done by a child. The questions are deep enough and examples poignant enough to spark amazing conversations among children on up through teenagers (or even adults). A couple of the example people or organizations have their own books for teens or adults, so if one sparks interest you may want to encourage kids to look into them further. I really liked the global focus of this book. There were several examples from Africa and Asia which sadly often get overlooked even in “global” collections. This was a good mix of people and organizations from every continent. The examples are mostly pretty current, and all are from within the past 80 years. Definitely recommended if you are looking for a conversation starter read for middle graders on up, or if you are looking for examples of nonviolent protestors, people who chose kindness over hate, or creative relief organizations.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Really interesting information packaged in a great way for middle grade readers. This book teaches kids that there are many ways to make a difference in the world. I learned so much.

The book has been a complete pleasure for me. I picked up the book because of the extraordinary title and the eye-catchy cover and it justified my probabilities to the fullest.

This nonfiction tells you so many unusual stories about war times and about people who tried creative methods to bring in peace, equality, justice to the world.

The stories will simply amaze you in so many different ways and you will be awestruck to know that people like them exist who want to make this world a better place.

It has stories common people too which was the best part of the book.

I would say this books should be read by everyone be it a child, be it a teenager or be it an adult. Recommended.