(2) Illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon. This lively picture-book biography introduces readers to "one of America's first bird photographers," whose early-twentieth-century books about the natural world have inspired generations of conservationists and birders. Unconventional for her time, Stratton-Porter (1863–1924) develops her fascination with birds and their behaviors during a carefree childhood in rural Indiana. As a "grown-up married lady," she writes about her birding experiences but declines to be published when she learns her words would be accompanied by unlifelike drawings of birds "posed in silly positions." Photography changes everything for Stratton-Porter, and she embarks on a five-year project in the Limberlost Swamp near her home, photographing birds in their natural habitat (including "the world's first photo series of a growing vulture chick"). Esbaum's (Jack Knight's Brave Flight, rev. 5/22) conversational text engagingly conveys her subject's single-minded pursuit of her passion: sharing her love of birds with the world. Gibbon's (illustrator of Marjory Saves the Everglades, rev. 3/21) evocative acrylic-ink and colored-pencil illustrations depict the era and the beauty of the environs. Back matter includes more about Stratton-Porter and her influence; two photos of the subject and one of her photographs of a barn owl; a bibliography; and a list of Stratton-Porter's own books.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(2) YA Wilson (White Rose, rev. 7/19) again traces a real-life young woman's activism in a novel in verse. Gerda Pohorylle, the daughter of Polish immigrants living in Germany, is taught to be true to her Jewish self "behind closed doors / and / assimilate in German spaces / outside the home." As the Nazis gradually seize power, Gerda replaces her assimilation with political protest; after an arrest, she immigrates to Paris. There, several mentors--including Andre Friedmann, who becomes her professional and romantic partner--help her pursue her passion, photography. In order to command higher commissions, Gerda publicly reinvents the two of them as the ­glamorous Robert Capa and Gerda Taro. When the Spanish Civil War breaks out, Capa and Taro, sympathizing with republican resistance to Franco's fascist uprising, journey to Spain to chronicle the conflict. Wilson adroitly lays the foundation for Gerda's early Anderssein, or "otherness"; her physical isolation from her family while in Paris; and the awakening of her life's purpose. Appended author's notes separate fact from fiction and give more information about historical figures mentioned, the Spanish Civil War, and Taro's legacy. A bibliography and glossaries for German, French, and Spanish words complete the book. Pair with Aronson and Budhos's biography Eyes of the World: Robert Capa, Gerda Taro, and the Invention of Modern Photojournalism (rev. 5/17).

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(3) K-3 Via striking photographs and a conversational text, Eszterhas gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at her job. Yes, she travels around the world to exciting and remote locations to spend time observing exotic creatures. However, getting those "dream" shots means lots of practice shoots in preparation, hours (or days!) of patient waiting, and less-than-luxurious accommodations in the field. Eszterhas's enthusiasm for her work comes through, as does her respect for her subjects and their welfare. This is an engaging introduction to an unusual line of work.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 Robinson's poetic biography of pioneering nineteenth-century botanist and photographer Anna Atkins unfortunately fictionalizes historical gaps--mainly regarding Atkins's childhood relationship with her father--with sentimental informed guesses. But the blue-hued illustrations sit alongside reproductions of Atkins's sketches and cyanotypes, resulting in blueprint-like illustrations that evoke nineteenth-century aesthetics while providing a clear picture of Atkins's work. An author's note and cyanotype instructions are included. Bib.

Reviewer: Erica Wetter

(1) YA Illustrated by Zeke Peña. Photographer Iturbide's story is told in comic-panel format, with striking black-and-white illustrations, high-quality reproductions of her own photographs, and spare first-person narration drawing upon her writing and interviews; interspersed are section introductions in a more conversational third-person, direct-address text. A powerful homage to the five-decade evolution of an artist still working--and still evolving--today. Additional biographical information is appended. Reading list.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(1) YA This biography begins with the D-Day landing, then flashes back and follows Capa and Taro through the development of photojournalism, including their documentation of the Spanish Civil War. Carefully selected and positioned photographs create parallel narratives to the biography, adding depth to the fervor of Taro and Capa's intense relationship, political beliefs, and art. Timeline, websites. Bib. ind.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2017

(1) 4-6 Prolific biographers-of-artists Greenberg and Jordan here tackle the enigmatic contemporary photographer Cindy Sherman. Clear prose describes how she grew to find her artistic niche with photography, then revolutionized the medium with narrative images (all, astonishingly, of herself in various guises). Excellently reproduced photographs on cleanly designed pages accompany a text offering keen observations young readers will readily grasp. Children's comments on the photographs are interspersed. Bib.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2017

(4) YA This biographical novel about twentieth-century American photographer Margaret Bourke-White covers her early life and career in great detail, including her New Jersey schooling, young marriage, and growing skill and confidence as a female photographer in a male-dominated art world. Meyer depicts Bourke-White's life with minimal embellishments; the result is a sometimes-dull and overlong account of a groundbreaking life. Author's note included.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sarah Green. In this picture book biography, Weatherford explains how Lange was "more than a photographer, she was a storyteller with a camera." Clear prose--including some zoomed-in details, such as the backstory of Migrant Mother--details the lifelong struggles, empathy, and eye-opening experiences behind Lange's photography of America's impoverished. Green's painterly illustrations, too, focus on small moments of large importance to Lange's story.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Gérard DuBois. From childhood struggles in the turn-of-the-twentieth-century NYC area (including contracting polio and being raised by a single mother) to her acclaim documenting Americans' struggles during the Depression, Lange's empathy is the emotional core of Rosenstock's clipped present-tense narrative: "Dorothea sees with her eyes and her heart." DuBois's subdued acrylic and digital art aptly captures the era; six Lange photographs are appended. Reading list, timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline. Known for her pushiness with models (referenced in the book's title), Julia Margaret Cameron's "goal was to create Art, with a capital A." Including plenty of primary-source quotes and entertaining anecdotes, Rubin's biography of the groundbreaking Victorian portrait photographer has a narrative storybook feel augmented by decorative page borders, Ibatoulline's acrylic gouache paintings, and neatly presented photographs by Cameron. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) 4-6 People to Know Today series. This book documents Lange's early determination to become a photographer in a largely male-dominated field and her subsequent work during the Depression and World War II. Her story is told in prosaic language, but liberal use of the subject's own photographs makes the presentation more engaging. For an older audience, Elizabeth Partridge's Restless Spirit is a more compelling biography. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind.

Reviewer:

(3) YA Women in the Arts series. Opening with the story of the creation of Lange's most famous photograph ("Migrant Mother"), this biography then steps back to tell Lange's story chronologically, from her childhood bout with polio to her world travels later in life. Illustrations include both Lange's own work and other archival photos. Sidebars add context by profiling other artists and defining artistic movements. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(4) K-3 Raintree Biographies series. Plentiful reproductions of the work of each subject contribute to the cluttered design of the dryly written profiles. Each two-page section focuses on an aspect of the artist's life, and sidebars provide quotations from the artists themselves as well as cultural and artistic context. Although superficial, these books give readers a basic understanding of these pivotal figures. Timeline, reading list. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Raintree Biographies titles: Edward Hopper, Frank Lloyd Wright, Michelangelo, Pablo Picasso, Dorothea Lange, and Maya Lin.]

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) 4-6 An introduction to the science of photography is followed by chapters that discuss specific forms of this art, including portraiture, landscapes, and war photography. Using black-and-white (and a few color) photographs as examples, the sedate text identifies famous photographers and explains the techniques that make certain photographs so memorable. A timeline and list of photography museums and websites are included. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) YA People to Know series. Despite a pedestrian text, this biography conveys the exciting life of this innovative photographer. Bourke-White's adventures all over the world and her courageous commitment to her art provides the drama. The book is illustrated with black-and-white photos--unfortunately, too few examples of Bourke-White's work are included. A chronology, further reading suggestions, and a list of websites are appended. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(2) 4-6 The text briefly outlines the lives and careers of six photographers, including Imogen Cunningham, Dorothea Lange, and Cindy Sherman, and thoughtfully analyzes their works. Sharply reproduced examples of their photographs serve to demonstrate technique--including composition, perspective, lighting, and cropping--while describing the emotional qualities that make specific images compelling. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2001

(2) 4-6 Photographs by Margaret Bourke-White. A large, square format and spacious borders allow this biography to focus upon the reason for Bourke-White's fame: her photographs. Fifty-six black-and-white photos, each well chosen, cannily placed, and beautifully reproduced, illustrate Rubin's chronological essay, which provides a concise summary of Bourke-White's life but devotes most of its words to the pictures. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2000

(2) YA Lavishly illustrated with Lange's photographs, this biography by the daughter of her photographic assistant, Ron Partridge, benefits from a handsome format and the familiarity of the author with her subject. The facts of Lange's life are cogently recorded--her unhappy childhood, her determination to succeed--and tempered with understanding. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Mary M. Burns | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 1999

(3) 4-6 A fast-paced text takes readers through Bourke-White's life, from childhood to her successful and adventurous photography career. Welch describes her subject's strength and courage, which served her well not only on dangerous photography assignments, but also in her twenty-year battle with Parkinson's disease. The book is illustrated with many of Bourke-White's photos. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Kelly A. Ault