Smith is a teacher and educational consultant with over 25 years of experience in the classroom.

Shelagh Armstrong is a freelance commercial artist who has designed adult book covers, stamps and commemorative coins .If the World Were a Village was her first children's book. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.

There are currently more than six billion people on the planet This enormous number can be difficult to grasp, especially for a child. But what if we imagine the whole world as a village of just 100 people?In this village22 people speak a Chinese dialect20 earn less than a dollar a day32 are of Christian faith17 cannot read or write 39 are under 19 years oldIn a time when parents and educators are looking to help children gain a better understanding of the world's peoples and their ways of life, "If the World Were a Village" offers a unique and objective resource. By exploring the lives of the 100 villagers, children will discover that life in other nations is often very different from their own. The shrunk-down statistics -- some surprising, some shocking -- and David Smith's tips on building "world-mindedness" will encourage readers to embrace the bigger picture and help them to establish their own place in the global village."If the World Were a Village" is part of CitizenKid: A collection of books that inform children about the world and inspire them to be better global citizens.