From School Library Journal:
Grade 5 Up–This biography traces Riis's life and evolution into a progressive social reformer. He came to the United States in 1870, worked at a variety of jobs, moved from place to place, and settled in as an early-day investigative reporter, combining his descriptive writings with photographs to tell the story of the urban poor. His compassion was transmitted through his lectures, in such publications as How the Other Half Lives, and to influential friends like Theodore Roosevelt. As the United States still seems to be divided into the well off and the 'other half,' this well-written book will challenge readers to contemplate the social structure of contemporary America and what can be done to continue progressive reforms. Numerous black-and-white photographs, albeit of average quality, and excerpts from Riis's writings contribute to an insightful work that is sure to hold readers' interest.–Patricia Ann Owens, Wabash Valley College, Mt. Carmel, IL
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From Booklist:
Gr. 8-11. Detailed and eloquent, this biography in the Oxford Portraits series draws on primary sources to combine an in-depth portrait of Danish immigrant Riis, a nineteenth-century investigative journalist and photographer, with a close-up view of the social history of his time. The focus is on the tenements and sweatshops that Riis photographed (with newly invented flash techniques) and wrote about in a way that "spoke directly to people's hearts." Never adulatory, Pascal is open about Riis' ethnic prejudices, even as she shows his compassionate sketches of individual people. Best of all is the "Photo Essay: Riis as a Photographer," which includes nine of Riis' documentary pictures, accompanied by informative captions. A chronology, a bibliography, a list of further readings and Web sites, and sources for quotes are appended. Try this as supplementary material for American history studies. Hazel Rochman
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