Jacob Riis's Camera

April 6, 2020
The compelling activism of Jacob Riis animates this beautifully illustrated picture book biography. O’Neill pulls Riis’s life as a U.S. immigrant from Denmark into sharp focus, using vignettes to demonstrate how his experiences amplified his activism: “Often penniless, Jacob slept in abandoned barns, fields and cemeteries, and in homeless shelters that were so filthy and disease-ridden, he vowed to put an end to them someday.” Eventually a successful reporter, Riis was outraged by the state of New York City’s tenements and slums but was unable to effect change until he hit upon the idea of using flash photography to capture images of the decrepit buildings and their occupants. Kelley’s expressive illustrations, created using etching ink and pastel, mix human touch and snapshot sensibility, and give a nod to Riis’s photos. A few of Riis’s stunning images are included in the supplemental materials, alongside a list of his achievements for the social good. Ages 7–10.

May 1, 2020

Gr 3-5-Jacob Riis (1849-1914) was a child in Ribe, Denmark when he decided to help others who were less fortunate. Riis donated extra money he had earned to the residents of "Rag Hall," a local "rat-infested, ramshackle" tenement house. When he was 21, Riis immigrated to the United States. As an immigrant in 19th-century New York, he learned firsthand how hard life was for the city's poor. Determined to help, he became a crime reporter and eventually a documentary photographer, writing books and lecturing to encourage change with his powerful images of tenement dwellers. Kelley's atmospheric illustrations portray the dark and dirty tenements of Riis's work while still balancing light and warmth. O'Neill's text is thorough and informative, but often dense and difficult for the target age range. Overall, the author skillfully creates a fascinating biography of a man who contributed significantly to social reform. Extensive sources include detailed further reading, a glossary, sources, websites, books, and videos. VERDICT A nice addition to biography collections. For a biography about a photographer, more actual photos from Riis would have been helpful.-Savannah Kitchens, Parnell Memorial Library, Montevallo, AL

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2020
Words alone could not provoke change in the terrible plight of tenement dwellers in late-19th-century New York City. In 1870, Danish-born Jacob Riis immigrated to the United States, where, after years of struggle, he eventually became a newspaperman. In his own life and in his work, he witnessed the horrendous living conditions of New York City's poorest immigrants. It became the impetus for his lifelong crusade. One of the worst areas was Mulberry Bend, with filthy, overcrowded, airless tenements. He wrote many articles describing what he saw, but nothing changed. Then he took photographs and gave lectures accompanied by life-size reproductions of those photos to any group that would listen. His 1890 book, How the Other Half Lives, inspired others, including Theodore Roosevelt, to finally begin to address the issues. Among other improvements, the worst slums of Mulberry Bend were cleared to create a park, giving people a place to breathe and play. But where did the inhabitants go? O'Neill clearly admires Riis and presents his biography in clear, direct language that conveys the facts of his life along with the essence of his nature. Kelley's ink-and-pastel illustrations in muted tones capture the gray dreariness of the scenes as well as dark shadows of interpretations of the photos. Backmatter includes detailed information of every aspect of Riis' life and work, including several of Riis' photos and quotes. A thoughtful, well-researched homage to an almost forgotten hero. (author's note, glossary, timeline, sources) (Picture book/biography. 7-10)

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March 15, 2020
Grades 3-6 When 12-year-old Jacob Riis earned extra money in his Denmark town, he donated it to the poor. Twenty-one-year-old Jacob carried this disposition with him when he arrived in New York City in 1870 and discovered how hard it was for immigrants to find and keep jobs. In this picture-book biography, O'Neill's vivid narration and Kelley's aptly dark-hued illustrations combine to introduce readers to this early social justice advocate. After being homeless himself, Riis landed a break as a newspaper reporter and eventually became a police reporter for the New York Tribune. He used this opportunity to write about the poverty immigrants faced and the harsh living conditions in the city's tenement buildings. His writing made little difference, however, until he also captured the truth with photography. O'Neill highlights the positive impact these images made, including on a young Teddy Roosevelt, who used his power to make changes. An author's note, a time line, annotated examples of Riis' photos, and other back matter provide a broader perspective of Riis' accomplishments and the power of media to transform lives.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)