This book contains copies of original documents from WWI - for example, scribbled letters soldiers sent home to say 'all is fine', along with explanations that give background to those documents - in the letter example, the book describes how little soldiers were able to put into a letter, but how their brevity didn't detract from the relief their families received from them. It doesn't shy away from the nasty aspects, but doesn't dwell or go into graphic detail. It was a horrible war and you can see that in the photos and writing, but this won't give a child nightmares.