TALKING PEACE: A VISION FOR THE NEXT GENERATION, By Jimmy Carter, Dutton Children’s Books, 192 pages, $16.99.

Historians and plumbers might be able to argue the merits and legacy of Jimmy Carter’s presidency, but few can challenge the work he has accomplished on behalf of world peace since leaving the White House a dozen years ago.

Besides The Carter Center, the former president’s living library that works to settle disputes among countries, the Georgian turns out books as though it were all he did for a living. His latest, “Talking Peace,” is the first time a former president has written a book targeted for teen-agers, and is a departure from the weighty tomes he has produced in the past.

The book is an easy read, yet Carter — who was known as president to write parts of his treaties — doesn’t talk down to his audience. With references to his own experiences, including the Camp David accords, “Talking Peace” is a primer on the state of peace in the world today, with chapters and graphics devoted to various conflicts and wars, the battle for human rights and democracy, and the status of children globally.

While it is not unusual for adults to pass books on to their children, “Talking Peace” is a bundle of information young readers should press their parents to read. In today’s world of fractured community ties, “Talking Peace” reminds us that an olive branch can sometimes be had if only both sides agree to discuss their differences.

John Ripley is a reporter on the NEWS Government and Politics Desk.