The Traveling Camera

Author Alexandra S. D. Hinrichs and illustrator Michael Garland’s picture book The Traveling Camera chronicles the travels of Lewis Hine, who used his camera to document child labor in the 20th century

Stunning visuals and poetic text combine to tell the inspiring story of Lewis Hine (1874–1940), a teacher and photographer who employed his art as a tool for social reform.

Working for the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC), Hine traveled the country, taking pictures of children as young as five toiling under dangerous conditions in cotton mills, seafood canneries, farms, and coal mines. He often wore disguises to sneak into factories, impersonating a machinery inspector or traveling salesman. He said, “If I could tell this story in words, I wouldn’t need to lug a camera.” His poignant pictures attracted national attention and were instrumental in the passage of child labor laws.

The Traveling Camera includes extensive back matter with timelines, original photographs, and a bibliography.

“Lyrical writing combines with charming illustrations to deepen the reader’s engagement with Hine and the children he cared about. The Traveling Camera offers a way of looking at history as a confluence of art, activism, and social change.” —Uma Krishnaswami, author of Book Uncle and Me

“This book is stunning, both in words and pictures, truly a snapshot of history.”―Jane Yolen, author of Owl Moon, Devil’s Arithmetic, and I Am the Storm

“A searching picture of a pioneering social crusader.”—Kirkus Reviews