Jacob Riis’s Camera: Bringing Light to Tenement Children

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.