Burgan, Michael  Ali's Knockout Punch: How a Photograph Stunned the Boxing World
Gr. 4–6, middle school     64 pp.     Capstone/Compass Point

Smith-Llera, Danielle  Black Power Salute: How a Photograph Captured a Political Protest
Gr. 4–6, middle school     64 pp.     Capstone/Compass Point

Captured History: Sports series. These volumes each examine the impact of a single famous sports photograph, starting with an in-depth description of the moment captured. The authors then zoom out to examine surrounding events: civil rights unrest in America during the 1968 Mexico City Olympics (Black Power) and Muhammad Ali's sometimes controversial career (Ali's Knockout). An exciting and unique approach to history. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind.
Subjects: Sports; Religion—Nation of Islam; Photography; African Americans; Ali, Muhammad; Sports—Boxing; Race relations; Political activists; Race relations; Civil rights; Olympics; Prejudices; Sports—Track and field

Cornell, Kari  Mathew Brady Records the Civil War
Middle school, high school    112 pp.    ABDO/Essential Library

Nardo, Don  Edward S. Curtis Chronicles Native Nations
Middle school, high school    112 pp.    ABDO/Essential Library

Ringstad, Arnold  NASA Takes Photography into Space
Middle school, high school    112 pp.    ABDO/Essential Library

Rowell, Rebecca  William Williams Documents Ellis Island Immigrants
Middle school, high school    112 pp.    ABDO/Essential Library

Defining Images series. This series explores the role of photography in the development of the fields of photojournalism, the sciences, social sciences, etc. The combination of details about photographers’ lives and careers, with sections on technical and practical aspects of photography at the various times, results in a compelling interplay of history, photography, and biography. Well-reproduced photographs throughout enhance the accounts; additional information on key photographs is appended. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.
Subjects: History—North America; Photography; History, American—Civil War; Brady, Mathew; Journalism; History—Native Americans, North America; Curtis, Edward S.; Ellis Island Immigration Station; Williams, William; Space—Space flight; Space—Astronautics; NASA; Space—Space vehicles

Ellwand, David  Retro Photo: An Obsession
Middle school, high school     212 pp.     Candlewick Studio

This hefty coffee-table book encourages the combination of traditional and digital technology. Divided into sections by film format, the glossy, image-heavy pages show vintage cameras and the images they captured side-by-side; captions include information about cameras (year, model, country of manufacture), lens, and film used. Jargon-filled text and call-out boxes with history, tips, and personal anecdotes will thrill photography buffs (especially adults). Ind.
Subjects: Visual Arts; Photography

Thomson, Ruth  Photos Framed: A Fresh Look at the World's Most Memorable Photographs
Gr. 4–6     61 pp.     Candlewick

Organized into four sections focusing on portrait, nature, photography as art, and documentary photography, this is an illuminating examination of twenty-seven iconic photos from the nineteenth century to today. Each image gets a cleanly and consistently designed double-page spread including background information about the photo and the photographer, engaging "photo thoughts" questions, and "blow up" and "zoom in" sidebars. Glos., ind.
Subjects: Visual Arts; Photography

Weatherford, Carole Boston  Dorothea Lange: The Photographer Who Found the Faces of the Depression
Gr. K–3     32 pp.     Whitman

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.
Subjects: Visual arts; Lange, Dorothea; Biographies; Women—Biographies; Artists; Women—Artists; Women—Photographers; Photography; Poverty; Diseases—Polio; Depression (Economic)

From the March 2018 issue of Nonfiction Notes from the Horn Book. For more, see "Photographers" from the October 2017 issue of Nonfiction Notes from the Horn Book.