Seen and unseen What Toyo Miyatake, Dorothea Lange, and Ansel Adams' photographs reveal about the Japanese American incarceration

When President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, he authorized the removal and imprisonment of over 120,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast. Three photographers--two white, one imprisoned and relying on contraband equipment--documented the forced removal and incarceration at Manzanar, one of 10 federal prison camps. The government hired Dorothea Lange, renowned for her 1930s Dust Bowl images, to photograph the "humane, orderly way" relocation orders were enforced; although "horrified," Lange took the assignment "to show what the government was doing was unfair and undemocratic." L.A. photographer Toyo Miyatake smuggled his camera lens into Manzanar and had a friend build him a camera body: "I had to record everything . . . This kind of thing should never happen again." Manzanar's director asked his friend Ansel Adams--who had not been against the incarceration--to show how "prisoners were hard-working, cheerful, and resilient." Manzanar prisoner Taira Fukushima wisely noted, "Everything in a picture is not necessarily true." Each of the photographers' works are highlighted throughout, although more would have been appreciated. While author Partridge deftly exposes the injustices, illustrator Tamaki enhances the text with superbly resonating, gorgeously empathic illustrations. The back matter proves especially illuminating, including personal revelations that Lange was Partridge's godmother and that fourth-generation Japanese-Canadian Tamaki's grandparents were detained in Canadian prison camps.

Combining photography, art, and reproduced historical records for a documentarian effect, this thoughtful, immersive nonfiction narrative builds on the varied work of three individuals who photographed people of Japanese heritage imprisoned at Manzanar during WWII. Dorothea Lange, who worked for the War Relocation Authority in 1942, hoped to "show what the government was doing was unfair and undemocratic," but faced limitations around what she was allowed to frame, and saw many of her images impounded. Toyo Miyatake, imprisoned at Manzanar from 1942 to 1945, secreted in a film holder and camera lens, capturing candid images and seeking to "record everything." Ansel Adams, who "had not been against the incarceration" and photographed the prison camp in 1943, "didn't want to show anything that made Manzanar look like a hard place to live." In smartly contextualized prose, Partridge (Lange's godchild), layers brief first-person accounts and facets of imprisonment, including language used to describe the U.S. government's actions. In fluid lines, Tamaki's mixed media artwork illustrates the events, including the Manzanar Riot--for which "there would be no photographic record." Extended back matter, including an essay on the model minority myth, concludes this crucial, perspective-interested work. Ages 10--14. (Oct.)

Numerous books have been written about the forced removal and imprisonment of Japanese Americans during WWII, but what sets this one apart is Partridge's focus on how three different photographers visually documented their experiences in one camp: Manzanar. Dorothea Lange, already known for her body of work during the Great Depression, took pictures for the War Relocation Authority from March to July 1942; her empathy and awareness of injustice are apparent, but many of her photos were impounded by the army. Photographer Toyo Miyatake was himself imprisoned in Manzanar from 1942-1945; he smuggled camera parts in and was able to take candid shots of people in the community as well as a few photos of forbidden things like the guard towers. Ansel Adams, famed for photographing the natural beauty of California's landscapes, came to Manzanar in fall 1943. He wanted his photos to show the prisoners as hard-working, cheerful, and resilient in preparation for their eventual release; but they suggest an overly idealized view. The other significant feature of this book is how the design incorporates the black-and-white photographs so organically that it often feels like an extended picture book. Tamaki's ink and watercolor illustrations create a cohesive whole that encompasses both the text and historical artifacts, while extending and deepening the visceral qualities of the narrative. Extensive back matter covers, among other things, biographical vignettes; careful source notes and photo credits; and essays on citizenship, civil liberties, the model minority myth, and the use of terminology to describe the camps. Jonathan Hunt September/October 2022 p.111(c) Copyright 2022. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

The incarceration of Japanese Americans through a different lens. Partridge and Tamaki spotlight three photographers who documented the experiences of those of Japanese descent who were imprisoned at Manzanar, California, during World War II. Though Dorothea Lange was commissioned by the government to show that the imprisonment was humane, she was adamantly opposed to the incarceration and instead captured images that showed that "what the government was doing was unfair and undemocratic." Many of her images were impounded only to be released years later. Toyo Miyatake, who was imprisoned with his family, took great personal risk to build his own camera and documented things Lange had been forbidden from photographing. He eventually became the official photographer and captured more intimate and celebratory events. Finally, Partridge and Tamaki examine Ansel Adams, who "had not been against the incarceration" and "wanted to photograph mostly loyal Nisei" (those of Japanese descent born in the United States). He largely took portraits and posed photos. Aside from the work of the photographers, the book also touches on the Manzanar Riot and the loyalty questionnaire. Powerful visuals blend photographs, reproduced primary source documents, and smudgy, paint-lined illustrations and make dynamic use of color. Accompanied by clear, straightforward text, this arresting work brings history to vivid life. A bold combination of art, media, and records create a compelling read. (map, further information on the period and on civil liberties, biographies of the photographers, discussion of the model minority myth) (Nonfiction. 9-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.